Today, could potentially be a historic day for the Bay Area. And frankly, I’m not sure how I stand on the matter.
For those who don’t know anything about Oscar Grant or Johannes Mehserle, let me give a brief overview of the tragic events on New Year’s morning, 2009. BART police responded to reports of a fight on a crowded train returning from San Francisco at the Fruitvale Station in Oakland, CA. The officers detained Oscar & several other passengers believed to be involved in the fight. Allegedly, Oscar Grant was resisting arrest and former officer Johannes Mehserle, along with another officer, were attempting to restrain him.
At some point Mehserle believed Grant was pulling a weapon and threatened to use his taser on him. Then, reportedly Mehserle pulled his firearm and shot Oscar Grant in the back. Grant died in the hospital the next day. It turns out he was unarmed. Mehserle claims that he shot the victim by accident and had intended to use his taser gun; believing the victim to be armed. Many people caught video footage of the incident using cell phones. It became headline news all over the Bay Area and stirred up controversy from the beginning.
Mehserle is white and Grant is black; calling into question whether this ultimately was a racially motivated slaying, rather than a horrible accident. (I personally do not know either way and would hate to be someone deciding.) Many people in the community have been outraged by this entire situation and have pushed for what they believe to be justice: Mehserle spending the rest of his life behind bars for murder.
Alameda County charged Mehserle with murder on January 13, this year. At that time he resigned and plead not guilty. The venue was changed from Alameda to Los Angeles county due to all the media-attention. Many believed that if he stood trial in Alameda county there was no way for it to be fair. The defense motioned the judge to remove first degree murder charges, which the judge granted, leaving the jury with one less option. The case went into jury deliberation today.
The entire situation brings up a bad memory in the pits of our stomachs. For those of us who remember the LA riots of 1992 spurred by the acquittal of the white police officers accused of beating Rodney King, a black man who had been pulled over following a high-speed pursuit. In a clear case of police brutality (it was caught on videotape), the officers beat King to a pulp while arresting him. The perpetrators were set free and justice was not given to King. This enraged the public, much as the public has been enraged over the death of Oscar Grant; which many believe to be a clear-cut case of police brutality as well.
As we sit and wait for the verdict to come down, we all wonder if there will be a repeat of LA in 1992. Oakland is no stranger to rioting and many business are closed today, boarded up to prevent possible damage that could occur should the “wrong” verdict come down. Regardless of our feelings on the matter, resorting to violence would only serve to tarnish Grant’s memory. Peaceful protest, fighting for true justice to be served, that is one thing; hurting innocent people and their livelihoods… unacceptable.
I pray for my brothers and sisters in Oakland tonight; that which we fear, I pray does not happen. And for Mehserle, if guilty, let it be; if he truly made a mistake, then let him do the time fitting for making such a mistake. Either way an outright acquittal… let’s just hope not.
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