A picture Oscar Grant took of Mehserle minutes before Mehserle shot him. He is holding his Taser, meaning he had to put it back before drawing his gun.
Johannes Mehserle (1982- ) – sounds like Mezzer-lee – is the white killer cop who shot Oscar Grant dead in the first hours of 2009. Grant, an unarmed black man, was laying face down when Mehserle shot him in the back. The police were arresting him and his friends for their part in a drunken fight on a BART train coming back to Oakland on New Year’s from San Francisco.
Some on the train recorded video with their mobile phones. Soon it was on YouTube and the whole world knew.
Mehserle fled California. Two weeks later he was arrested on suspicion of murder. The bail was set at $3 million. The police union put up the money and a week later he was back out on the street, though no longer on duty as a police officer.
His court costs were paid for by the Peace Officers Research Association of California. No underpaid, overworked public defender for him.
Mehserle wept on the stand. Oscar Grant’s mother, whom Mehserle had never apologized to, got up and walked out. Tim Killings, an Oscar Grant supporter, shouted, “Save those fucking tears” – and was arrested for contempt of court, spending three days in jail.
Mehserle said the shooting was an accident – that he meant to use his Taser not his gun.
The Taser X26 Mehserle had. Weight: 175g
The kind of pistol Mehserle used, a SIG Sauer P226. Weight: 964g unloaded
That seems unlikely:
- his Taser was way lighter than his gun,
- it is kept on the left side for a cross-body draw (Mehserle is right-handed),
- BART officers receive six hours of Taser training,
- and, most damning of all, it is shot with one hand, not the two hands Mehserle used to shoot a gun – and used to shoot Grant.
He said he thought Grant was reaching for a gun.
Despite the three other police officers present at the time, all the recorded video and the paperwork he had to fill out that day about the whole thing, there is no record of his intending to use a Taser till a day later.
The jury believed him. The jury was mostly white without a single black person on it. So instead of murder, they found him guilty of involuntary manslaughter.
The judge gave him the lightest sentence possible: two years. And he even gave him double credit for time already served. Mehserle was out on parole in June 2011 after serving 11 months.
Compare:
- When Cory Maye, a black man in Mississippi, shot and killed a white policeman and said it was an accident, he was put on death row.
- Grant’s uncle, Cephus Johnson, compared it to Michael Vick: “If a man goes to prison for killing a dog and he gets four years, then of course two years is not enough.”
Mehserle is the first policeman in the history of California even to be charged with killing someone while on duty, much less found guilty.
Every year in America over 200 people are killed by the police, mostly blacks and Latinos. Not just young men but even old women. In most cases only the police are doing any shooting.
See also:
No doubt this was at the very least 2nd degree murder.
From the SLAVE patrols to present day POLICE, whites have been killing/terrorizing darker skinned people in America and elsewhere in the world in the name of so-called law & order and public safety. Four hundred years of this nonsense is enough! They have the gall to say black folks have a higher violent crime rate. I guess that’s because white supremacy’s violence is somehow deemed okay because it’s sanctioned – by them.
And yet, people why blacks and Latinos don’t trust the police.
abagond, good post
“Mehserle is the first policeman in the history of California even to be charged with killing someone while on duty, much less found guilty.”
On the bright side, at least it looks like omnipresent, publicly accessible video recording can have some effect on racist brutality (though of course baby steps are never satisfying).
Even Animals do not behave the way us, human being behave. Animals kill for survival but human kill just for the pleasure of killing…. Really speechless how such cruelty and lack of humanity can still be in some people.
Thanks for shining a light this, please do a post on the conservative reaction to Common at the white house
As a Bay Area resident, I have a special insight and opinion on the Oscar Grant murder.
Mehserle shot Oscar Grant while he was on the ground, restrained. Mehserle has had a previous incident of excessive use of force. And most daming of all, they had already frisked Grant! They *knew* he wasn’t armed because they’d already checked! (They just hadn’t cuffed him yet.) And so after Pirone kneels on the guy’s neck — which would make shooting nearly impossible since he couldn’t breath — Mehserle calls Pirone back, and “says” he’s going to taze him, but grabs his much heavier pistol with an extremely different grip, and shoots him in the back.
And all of this was caught on footage, as well as eyewitness testimony.
Mehserle murdered an unarmed man who had a family, and then has the balls to lie about it, cry about it, and walk away from it with less than 11 months in hotel-style prison-suite.
Yet, we cannot call it what it is. We can’t just admit, even to ourselves, that Mehserle murdered Oscar Grant. We can’t just admit to something which everyone saw, which everyone knows, and which cannot be denied… That Johannes Mehserle is a murderer.
Whether he’s a racist or not, I don’t know. But certainly his defenders are. How many more Black & Hispanic men have to die for us to see that power corrupts, and that too often our police-force is one dire example of that.
It’s a damned shame.
To pick up on what Zek said:
When the police took the stand and one after another lied through their teeth, some supporters of Oscar Grant thought they had it made: the prosecution could now tear apart their lies and win. Unfortunately they either forgot or were too young to know that white people – the judge and most of the jury in this case – so want to believe that America is good and just that they will turn off their brains and swallow lies. You see white commenters on this blog doing the very same thing.
What strikes me very strange with these killer cops, like this murderer here, is that the white judge and jury who gave him a slap seem to forget the history of US.
Sooner or later, in athmosphere were they give the green light to murder blacks or any other minority, these guys start to kill whites too. It has happened before and will happen again, if those stupid middle class idiots show to these guys that murder is ok.
It is the next logical step. If it is ok to kill a black guy in public, then why not kill a white bleeding heart antiracisist or activist or just some one whom these killer cops do not like? That is what has happened before. It will happen again.
And on the moral side, since when it has been ok to murder anybody? I mean, since when it has become acceptable to shoot people just like that, no matter what?
I find it funny that these people blabber about terrorists killing people but do not see that here you have a terrorist at work in your own backyard. He just happens to be a cop, but a terrorist still.
F*ck the police! – NWA
I followed this story with great interest, as it is similar to police shootings in Portland, OR – white officers shooting unarmed black people in the back, yet claiming that the shootings were “justified because the officer felt that his life was in imminent danger”. They also gave that as an excuse for beating and stomping to death a white homeless man. His crime? One of the officers claimed that they saw him urinating in public, then claimed that he had drugs in his posession – neither claim was true.
http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2010/02/portland_police_release_report.html
http://www.kgw.com/news/local/chasse-portland-police-coverup-steenson-105184364.html
@sam – They’ve already started killing Whites. Like sepultura13 a White homeless man was killed in Oregon. A White man who was mentally ill (in CA iI believe) was beaten to death by police while he called out for his father.
^ The mentally Ill homeless man was Kelly Thomas
http://reason.com/blog/2011/07/29/homeless-man-dies-after-being
[...] for no reason because no matter what their cries will never end. I hope that Oscar Grant haunts johannes mehserle, [...]
@sepultra13, saadiyah: Yeah, thats what I meant. Why not kill whites too, if you get free pass for killing blacks? That is what happened during the heydays of KKK back in 1920′s and during the civil rights days in 1960′s too. Happened in NYC too.
I wonder when white courts and jurors realize this or do they imagine that the killers in uniforms have “the decency” to stop on the racial boundaries? Like you show there, they do not. They will kill anybody given the chance, if the green light is on.
Notice this was thrown under the rug/ covered up…because I havent heard anything esle about it lately.
the courts won’t care until its white people who have money that are dying at the hands of cops. and even if that were to happen, it still wouldn’t change the fact that blacks are being murdered by cops.
you know, i grew up in a white household (i am half black) and when i was accused of doing something I didn’t do by the cops, i knew right from the get go that I could not trust them. I never had to be around any other black people to figure it out.
it must be a natural born instinct that evolution has given us black people. I don’t socialize with white people for the very reason that it is not safe. this murdering cop and troy evans are the recent cases of why i steer clear of whites.
as a black, the greatest fear is being accused of a crime you didn’t commit because a white jury WILL GIVE YOU THE DEATH SENTENCE. as long as a black is arrested, they don’t care if its the right person or not.
mean troy davis
“[A]s long as a black is arrested, they don’t care if its the right person or not.”
The reasoning seems to be that, even if he didn’t commit this particular crime, he, no doubt, committed a string of crimes he’s never answered for; so holding him accountable for this one helps to even things out.
My sister worked along side a white man whose father is a cop. This guy admitted his father often expressed such a belief regarding cases where Black men were incarcerated for crimes where there is little or no evidence of their guilt.
I have never trusted the police, even when I thought that calling them was the right thing to do. The older I get, the less likely I am to call on law enforcement. I’ll handle my own problems and be responsible for my own home security, since police have never taken me seriously when I called them for things that were serious! Even law-abiding black people are given short shrift by law enforcement…sad but true.
Yes, some white people get killed by cops too, but certainly not in the same circumstances, and the numbers of people killed are still far too divergent to NOT believe that most of those shootings have a racial factor…
@ sepultura 13
I wholeheartedly cosign. I hate to say it, but I would only call the police as a last resort. I have a Black father and two Black brothers and all of them have had “incidents” with the police. I’m a Black female and even I have had an incident with the police; I think the only thing that saved me from being arrested was the fact that I’m a female. I understand that all police officers are not bad people, but that still doesn’t help the fear that I have of them.
And this goes for cops who are people of color as well as white cops. I will never understand why some Black and Latino cops have the same horrible attitudes towards people of color that the white cops do. Unfortunately, just because you see a Black or Brown face does not mean you will be treated any better.
@ sepultura13
Same here. Yet when I walk through white neighbourhoods, particularly at night, they have no trouble stopping me or have a patrol car keep passing me.
Reminds me of this
“And this goes for cops who are people of color as well as white cops. I will never understand why some Black and Latino cops have the same horrible attitudes towards people of color that the white cops do. Unfortunately, just because you see a Black or Brown face does not mean you will be treated any better.”
—
ITA.
I once approached a black cop on a subway platform in a Black neighborhood in Brooklyn, NY, and politely asked directions. This person actually looked me up and down, snarled and said, “I don’t know!”
@ mochasister:
Exactly. I actually wanted to be a police officer at one time in my life, because I truly believe in justice – I decided against joining the force because there is no real justice in that field, from what I’ve seen.
@ abagond:
No kidding – isn’t that amazing? They’re never in sight when you need them, but when you’re minding your own business and trying to get home in one piece, there they are…it’s crazy. Like the song goes, “9-1-1 is a joke!”
I want the officer to feel the KARMA that is headed his way.
There is hardly any Justice in America, we must come to realize that it’s mostly “Just Us”.
did anyone mention at the trial that merserle was holding his taser then put it back in his holster.so he lied on stand and got away with the like I HAVE OUR COURT SYSTEM AND THE PEOPLE THAT RUN IT. MAKES ME FEEL LIKE I WANNA GO ACCIDENTLY KILL SOMEBODY,AND WE KNOW WHO THAT SOMEBODY WOULD BE.
Slip/capture and inattentional blindness errors. Sometimes a person’s mind thinks they are doing one thing, but their body is doing something else. Read the info in this E-Budo.com (martial arts) from top to bottom, *before* thinking of posting any more comments about this case. You won’t need to. Don’t be lazy. Just read it. This information will answer several questions. It’s a neutral (no taking sides) site >>>>>http://www.e-budo.com/forum/showthread.php?t=46374
Footnote: Officer Mehserle was only on the platform for a total of a couple of minutes before the tragedy occurred. Also, he applied first aid to try to help stop the bleeding. He tried to keep Oscar talking. Oscar was taken to Highland Hospital, and did not die on the platform, as many people think he did. Oscar lived for 7 more hours. There is suspicion, about what actually occurred during those 7 final hours before his actual death occurred.
This tragedy was not a racial issue. Mr. Mehserle and Mr. Grant were not racists. They both had friends of different ethnicities (aka: “color”) Neither one knew each other before this tragedy.
Oscar’s death was not premeditated. The officer did not act with malice aforethought. (see definition of “murder”.)
It was a heartbreaking, tragic accident. Please read the info on E-Budo.com, that I posted above to explain what happened.
Both families have suffered greatly because of it. Including Mr. Mehserle.
Very, very sad…
Thank you, Max.
Are you a white person?
No, an accident is slipping on a crack in the pavement(which I have done many times). No this was not an ‘accident’.
Herneith, you did not read the info I posted on the e-budo.com website. Those types of accidents can happen to anybody. Including you.
Slip/capture, inattentional blindness errors/accidents. If you read it, and absorbed and understood it, you wouldn’t posted your example stating that just only slipping on pavement qualifies as an accident.
An accident, is an unintended, unplanned event.
In addition to that, you know nothing, about this complicated case to even begin to evaluate it. How old are you?
Those types of accidents can happen to anybody. Including you.
Getting shot coming home on the subway? Nope, that is a tragedy not an accident. If that was the case then half the married male population would be dead from their wives accidently ‘shooting’ them. As to my age, that is none of your concern son!
Your welcome, Matari. I am a messenger. I have extensive knowledge about this case and the people involved.
My ethnicity, or anything personal relating to me, is irrelevant in accomplishing this type of mission, which is to teach and/or correct.
Some appreciate learning facts that are firmly backed up, and the truth of a matter revealed. Some people learn, some don’t, others just refuse to either learn, or to be corrected. That is a personal choice for them either way.
Herneith, you have the right to remain ignorant, and not read the information that is on e-budo.com. Ignorance (and laziness) is bliss to some people.
Again, you know nothing about what occurred that morning or how the event unfolded.
You personally would rather believe your own impression, and conclusion of what occurred. That’s your choice. You’re comfortable. That’s fine. No matter how young or old you are.
But you solidly believing what you do, is only truth to you.
it does not change reality and the facts and the truth about this particular case.
Herneith, I asked your age, because more than often (but not always) older people sometimes are more willing to learn, than younger people.
I have had several conversations about this subject with younger people. I figured that you are probably in your teens, or early 20s going by your statements. I only go so far with the younger people that are just fooling around, because it isn’t going to get anywhere.
But since you addressed me as “son”, you are likely older than teens or 20s.
So what is it that you want to know or learn, concerning this case?
If you are not interested in learning, and think you already know it all, then we do not have anything else to discuss.
Herneith, here is the link to the website again. It thoroughly explains these types of accidents and how they can occur.They are different types, than the “slipping on the pavement” type of accident.
There are many more details regarding this case, such as the before and aftermath of the terrible event, etc. that are not mentioned in this e-budo.com article.
This information basically explains some critical lessons learned from this type of accident to help martial art instructors, and to help them teach there students, in preparation to help to prevent devastating tragedies like this one, in the future. >>>>
http://www.e-budo.com/forum/showthread.php?t=46374
Max wrote:
“My ethnicity, or anything personal relating to me, is irrelevant in accomplishing this type of mission, which is to teach and/or correct.”
*****************************************
No offense Max, but you sound/seem very much like the typical ALL KNOWING (patriarchal/arrogant/condescending) “white” person who OFTEN shows up in spaces (like this one) where people of color congregate. Why? To tell us what’s true?
Someone (preferably a white person that GETS it) should make a blog called, FOR CLUELESS WHITE PEOPLE – so all the MILLIONS of clueless white people would have an easy – one stop – accessible place to gather and have their cluelessness dissolved, if possible. I don’t think it’s possible, but I can dream and fantasize and hope!
In the meantime, Max – here’s a video YOU should see. But in order to watch it, you may be required to first remove the rose colored lenses you’re currently wearing as it will hinder your grasp on reality.
Enjoy!
PS – Although cluelessness by and large infects most Caucasians, it isn’t strictly exclusive to white people. Whiteness is a disease/scourge that sadly affects all humans. That’s why it needs to go!
Herneith, you have the right to remain ignorant, and not read the information that is on e-budo.com. Ignorance (and laziness) is bliss to some people.
I have the right to go shopping, which is what I will be doing after having my morning coffee. As for ignorance and laziness, I’d like to see you walk non-stop for three hours with no letup based upon research conducted for sales via the tons of flyers deposited in your daily newspaper! That’s not ignorance as it entails hours and sometimes days of research.
I am a martial arts instructress. I teach defense tactics to the local riff raff in the parks. My main defence strategics when coming upon some miscreant? Scream Fire! and RUN!
So, what you are saying here is that a killer cop with a name sounding like Lee killed someone, got bail, served some time, not enough, and basically got away with murder?
….Or maybe I’m getting the wrong end of the stick over here.
Huffington Post: 05/09/12 05:30 PM ET:
Johannes Mehserle, Ex-BART Officer, Asks Court To Overturn Manslaughter Conviction (PHOTOS)
On Wednesday, Mehserle’s lawyer Dylan Schaffer said the shooting was a tragic mistake but not involuntary manslaughter, as decided by a jury in May 2010 after prosecutors sought a murder conviction.
Schaffer said such mistakes were usually resolved with lawsuits, and police officers need protection from criminal prosecution in such cases if they are to do their jobs properly.
“All he did was make an error,” Schaffer said. “We cannot put them at risk for criminal sanctions for something that amounted to police error.”
The lawyer said Mehserle’s conviction will change policing in California unless the 1st District Court of Appeal tosses it out.
More:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/09/johannes-mehserle-manslaughter_n_1504567.html
@ Abagond,
I remember this.
How many times are we all going to have to hear “it was an error”? It’s not like the police are untrained children given guns and let loose to run amuck. These people are supposed to be paid, trained, and skilled professionals there to protect all citizens in their jurisdiction. Why are they allowed to make these kinds of mistakes and pretend it can be explained with “it’s a mistake”?
“change policing in California”
And, . . . that is a bad thing?