Comments on: BART Shooting

By: anthony

anthony — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 00:13:05 +0000

How can people in the same breath, talk (or type) about how wrong it was for the police to take the cell phones, when all they did was use them to see what happened. In all rights, these videos will help shed light on the situation and what happened. Lets just think of what would have happened it the videos did not surface from whatever sources they did.. WE would never have a true account on what happened. This is the sort of reason why areas are trying to put up closed caption cameras to record everything.. Either way. Why wasnt there any video of the fight on the train? And dont argue that there wasnt.. the people involved in the fight, and or around it have already admitted to what was going on, while on the train. Maybe it is because we as a society are to accustomed to seeing this type of violence.. But as soon as the police show up, a whole bunch of videos are being taken.. Why is it that people want police to screw up so much.. to say what? we are corrupt for making a mistake? that if we make a mistake, we think we are higher than regular citizens? It is just not true for the hundred thousand officers you dont hear about. Not all officers are Mark Furman types. There is a code of honor out there of those that want to do the right thing no matter who is watching, or who is screwing up… Make this about whether or not this officer was in the wrong, or did he make a mistake. Dont make it about every officer.. or dont get mad if when I arrest a criminal, I say that everyone that wears the same type of clothes, or is the same color, is also a criminal..

By: Don't do it

Don't do it — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 22:50:22 +0000

Here’s an Idea for everybody….Don’t do anything stupid and you won’t have to deal with the cops!!!!! If they hadn’t been fighting on bart, then none of those kids would have been anywhere near the cops to begin with….

By: TwoSocks

TwoSocks — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 19:32:41 +0000

When I first saw the video where Mehserle shot Grant, I assumed that it was some kind of “accidental discharge”. But now as I read about Mehserle’s father having anger management issues, Mehserle not cooperating with Internal Affairs, and Mehserle trying to make run for it, I firmly believe now that Mehserle lost his temper and murdered Oscar in cold blood. The feigned attempt of acting surprised by putting his hands up to his head was nothing more than “damage control”.

By: Jack Harris

Jack Harris — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 21:17:11 +0000

Based on only what has been made known, this was negligent homicide and therefore manslaughter at the most. Murder specifically requires malice and intent to kill. The Officer never had to answer questions, just as anyone else would not have had to do so. Fugitive warrants are required for out of state arrests, fleeing or not. Most IAs are in fact conducted for legitimate reasons, and not to just cover up and exonerate. The ones that have been done in a corrupt manner over shadow the fair ones. There is no political leadership in Alameda County, or these things would have been made known early on. Some police get treated fairly when they commit wrongs, some get made scapegoats for what they did wrong along with whatever else the political cowards throw at them to supposedly satisfy the public, and the corrupt ones get protected, some of which become political leaders. This Officer unjustly killed a human being, but absence evidence of malice and intent, he did not commit murder.

By: C-Dub

C-Dub — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 16:18:19 +0000

FUCK THE PIGS. This is crazy. There are so many corrupt police officers. I’ve had run ins with them which would be considered just plain harassment. Giving me tickets for BS just because he had nothing else to arrest me with. This situation being the extreme is just disgusting. He will probably get a desk job and paid time off. Riots/protests will ensue and die down like all the other cases of police brutality. What is crazier is that CNN and yahoo and other pages don’t even have it on their front page anymore. I guess Swimming pool safety in January is more important than police murdering civilians.

By: Christina

Christina — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 04:42:54 +0000

It is just a sick thing that a BART COP felt he had no other choice but to kill Oscar Grant III while he lay flat on his belly with his arms at his back.

Oscar was celebrating with his family in San Francisco on New Year’s Eve 2008.

For individual to say it was Oscar’s fault because he went out and celebrated and did not stay at home with his 4 year old daughter. Shame on those individuals.

Thomas Jefferson was the 3rd President of the United States and added to the Declaration of Independance, everyone has a right to life, liberty and justice and the pursuit of happiness.

Oscar Grant III had a right to be on that BART train like everyone else that New Year’s Eve night and get home safely to his daughter and family after a night of happiness. How many other individuals were on that train without their children and got home safely even the ones pulled from the train that same horrible New Year’s Eve night.

Thank God my children weren’t on that train, I take BARTwith my children which now makes me really question taking BART now!

My daughter and son would have freaked out if they saw that Murder happen in front of them and I am not saying that they would be there…but the what-if.

Everyone has a right to a trial but that BART COP used his weapon to kill Oscar Grant III instead of giving him the chance to go to Court in front of a Judge and tell him what went on that night.

This BART COP feels he has the right to take the fifth. Even though he stole that option from Oscar. Oscar will never have a second chance or even a chance to clear his mind, he stood in front of a death threat from this BART COP and died at the hospital. It was immediately, so he suffered at this BART COP’s hands.

Instead we have a BART COP that gets to stand behind the law for almost two weeks, after he MURDER someone (Oscar Grant III) and have two attorney’s resign for him, spend time with his girlfriend and have new born baby and go to Nevada to clear his mind.

While Oscar Grant’s family is trying to cope with not only losing a son, brother, grandson, friend, cousin, Daddy but also trying coping with Grant’s baby daughter, his 4 year old girl who is wondering where her father is and when will he be home. I have a 4 year old girl, they love their daddy’s to the point where my daughter would cry for him if she didn’t see him. My daughter cries and gets to see her father all the time. Grant’s daughter will never get to see her father or understand why until she gets older and then I am sure she won’t fully understand because it does not make sense and is a ruthless action.

All the while an attorney is trying to say that this COP deserves a fair trial, lets give him the same treatment that he showed Oscar.

…..no tape, video or cell phone video has captured that fight but everyone on BART that New Year’s Night seems to think that something went horrible wrong and that a BART COP murder a young man for no reason in cold blood.

This just happened to get caught on tape with citizens who believe in a higher justice then City Hall, D.A. Office, and State Governor’s Office. Thank God for the ones who stepped up to the table especially John Burris for taking this case. Instead, these cops can’t hide and all have the same story instead this was caught on tape.

This is not going to go away unless we up hold life, liberty and justice and the pursuit of happiness to a higher standard.

We all have to do the right thing and the right thing to do is to let the facts present themselves and make this BART COP face his Murder charges. Hopefully, he will be honest because it seems like his 9 other partners agree with the public and what he did that New Year’s Eve Night was wrong. He should be held to a higher standard because he took an oath to up hold the law and he did the opposite and kill that young man.

It is there on film and you can’t erase what we all saw and grateful to those who captured it on their cell phone.

By: Sam

Sam — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 18:31:31 +0000

Johannes Mehserle, the former BART police officer arrested on suspicion of murdering an unarmed passenger on an Oakland train platform early New Year’s Day, waived extradition at a Nevada hearing and will be returned to Alameda County sometime today.

Whelp…at least he is arrested now.

By: jabberwocky

jabberwocky — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 16:58:39 +0000

Having grown up in the bay, i have had my own run ins with BART police. These glorified security guards are inept and reckless. The thing i find most interesting is that despite numerous videos of the murder, this jerk was allowed to just quit and go home. He was finally arrested today, without the usual “perp walk” that would accompany a warrant like this. Cops have been killing young black males in the bay for decades. Now, as the chinese found out in Tianemon(sic) square, the video phone is the enemy of oppression.

By: Winnie

Winnie — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 13:01:14 +0000

The policeman should be convicted of negligent homicide
at best, and perhaps worse. I think that is beyond question.

I think though, that this has gone beyond that. The police who
took the cell phones, the long delay…This is a problem that goes
even beyond this killing. I’m not from the bay area, but I’m
flabbergasted the policeman wasn’t arrested 2 weeks ago. So
this corruption extends to the head of the bart-police too and
all those above him. More heads need to role. All those
that confiscated cell phones should not be allowed to be police
either. And the head of the Bart Police ought to be fired for his
inept handling of this situation……….Why in god’s green earth
isn’t this getting more attention in the national news.

By: Yukiko

Yukiko — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 00:39:54 +0000

Johannes Mehserle stole a human life.
Whatever his motivation was, to him, a young man’s life was nothing more than a piece of trash. He will pay for this.
If we all believe in humanity, we have to make sure this kind of inhumane activity will not happen again (especially in the US, supposed to be a modern society? or just a society with buch of idiots pretend like they are better than others).

By: Yukiko

Yukiko — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 00:37:03 +0000

It is easy to come up with all kinds of excuses why Johannes Mehserle KILLED the young man after the fact.
We should not ever forget that a person’s life was taken away in the matter second, and Johannes Mehserle has to pay for it.
He stole a human life. We need to do a through investigation on Johannes. We should NEVER let this kind of brutality go ANYMORE!!! NO MORE!!! Johannes MEhserle WILL pay for what he did.

By: JusticeForAll

JusticeForAll — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 17:45:41 +0000

I see the discussion here seems to center on whether the officer intentionally meant to shoot Grant with his sidearm vs his taser, or that he had an “accidental discharge”. It really doesn’t matter. If he did it intentionally, then it’s 2nd degree murder. If it’s a mistake, then it’s voluntary manslaughter.

By: Sam

Sam — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 03:44:06 +0000

The real issue seems to be was it murder or was it an accident?

In the end it will be up to a jury to decide that. However, there is a very real stigma when it comes to black males in this country. How often do I turn on the TV and see a black male robbing a store? I absolutely believe there is an agenda with media bias to denigrate black males.

They, the media, have a duty to keep everyone afraid. This is why they plaster black people killing white people 24/7 in this country. They, the government, have an obligation to keep this system of democracy going. The legal system is nothing more than legal slavery. Putting another black man in jail or killing another black man is basically the same thing as catching a runaway slave. They either beat a runaway slave or killed a runaway slave. No one every said my bad and let them go.

We all fall for the “divide” and “conquer” tactics the government and the media uses to control us. This accident should be a testament to change. How will you act? How will we all act?

I challenge everyone to put down the hate on both sides. Do what is right for once. Do what is right for Oscar. Black folk accept it was an accident. White folk accept there is a real problem in this country that was caused by your people.

Make no mistake people. They, the rich and powerful, control us all. And if they had to choose between their money and you….I’m willing to bet they will choose green before they choose black OR white. Madoff would put a bullet in the back of Paris Hilton if he thought he could keep his money and not be found out.

Change for Oscar in 2009. That should be the rallying cry for us all.

By: anthony

anthony — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 22:10:17 +0000

#84… i would like to know who you call, when you are wronged by someone.. and if you reply, you get your own justice.. think of a world if we all did that… #85… if that is so.. then is everyone that wont give a statement and pleads the 5th amendment… guilty… Maybe he is so guilt stricken that he made a mistake that cost a life,, that he cant go on doing the job?

Doctors and Lawyers have made mistakes that cost lives, or failed to save them,….they do it everyday.. Do we damn them to hell and jail forever… The guy undoubtedly made a mistake… Dont put every cop in the same mixing bowl… every profession has their bad apples, every professional can make a mistake.. without the profession being a mistake… Otherwise, all football players are just like OJ, and Buris, and Vick…

By: JusTryn2live

JusTryn2live — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 18:48:23 +0000

The problem here is social conditioning PPL. As a progressive thinker I hate to see this as a B/W thing, and I certainly don’t want to hear of any innocent person gunned down in the prime of life regardless of their race.

But ask yourself why does this always happen to young Unarmed blk men? Do you remember Sean Bell, Robbie Tolan, Julian Alexander? Now Oscar Grant just to name a few.

America has a problem meting out fair, and impartial justice, We have often been the benefactors of inequity

By: angry

angry — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 05:54:53 +0000

In greece a cop kills a boy and the whole country riots, here it gets forgotten in 2 days, pitty for freedom, oh, what freedom? I would never give them my cell phone, I would rather break it.

By: Accident or Accident...

Accident or Accident... — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 00:06:41 +0000

Isn’t the police officer’s quitting his job an admission of guilt in a way?

By: Gene

Gene — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 20:37:24 +0000

Most cops are just thugs that are to cowardly to be criminals.

By: don g

don g — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 18:20:13 +0000

It appears the officer snap chambered a round in his gun and it accidently discharged like that DEA agent did in the classroom thats on you tube . Would not be surprised if he had a Glock . No way he thought it was a taser if he chambered a round . If so it’s another case of an idiot Rambo type whose actions led needlessly to a death . You can see him bring his second hand over and motion as if he was chambering a round . Moron .

By: Judlseih

Judlseih — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 08:03:41 +0000

Nah. He stands with his weapon already drawn. Takes a slight aim and fires. He never puts his hands up. He simply admired his work.