black…MYstory

If you were like me, you were horrified when you saw the footage of the killing of Oscar Grant III on the morning of New Year’s day at the hands of a police officer in an Oakland, CA train station.

The officer who shot Grant, Johannes Mehserle, abrubtly resigned right before he was to speak with internal affairs regarding this incident.

The latest on this case is that  Johannes Mehserle has been arrested in Nevada on a fugitive warrant.

The charge: suspicion of murder.

From my perspective, it seems pretty clear what happened but, as we know, what the public perceives and what happens in a courtroom are separate and distinct things.  However, in this case, I hope that justice prevails.

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Yesterday, it was announced that Bay Area Rapid Transit police officer Johannes Mehserle resigned from the force, right before he was to interview with internal affairs investigators over the shooting death of Oscar Grant III.

Grant was shot and killed by Mehserle early New Year’s day.  At the time, Grant was face-down, pinned by another officer when Mehserle stood to his feet and fired the fatal shot that entered Oscar Grant’s lower back, ricocheted off the pavement and entered his lungs, killing him.

Grant was a 22-year-old supermarket worker and father of a 4-year-old daughter.  It is not clear if Oscar Grant was even involved in the fight to which BART police were responding.  His shooting death was captured by various citizens with cell phones.

Mehserle’s resignation means that he will not have to speak with internal affairs investigators however, his legal defense will continue to be paid for out of a statewide fund for police officers.

In the meantime, the Alameda County D.A. will be deciding soon as to whether or not criminal charges will be pursued.

On a related note, yesterday,  a protest over the shooting turned into a “mini-riot” when a small group broke away from the protest and vandalized police cruisers and storefronts.  A total of 14 arrests were made.

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