The climate in Southern CA has been tense as the Johannes Mehserle conviction hearing drew closer. A previous Bay Area Rapid Transit officer, Mehserle had been found guilty of involuntary manslaughter. Presumably, he mistook his sidearm for his Taser. Grant was shot at point blank range. Grant, 22 years old, passed away the next day. Two years, with credit for time served, had been the sentence passed to Mehserle. Source for this article – Just over a year in Johannes Mehserle sentencing by Personal Money Store.
A Mehserle sentence
Because of the 292 days already served, Johannes Mehserle was sentenced to 2 yrs with credit at the hearing. ABC7 reports that the San Francisco prison will be seeing Mehserle for about 14 months as he had been convicted in July of involuntary manslaughter. Judge Robert Perry dropped the dun enhancement charge. This had been retried later though. Ten years would be added to his sentence with the gun enhancement charge which just states the firearm had been part of the crime. Grant’s mom asked the judge to give Mehserle the maximum sentence of 14 years. Rather than drawing his taser, Mehserle drew his pistol although there is no evidence this had been on purpose, Judge Perry stated. Mehserle could be released in as little as seven months.
Calling all police
Mehserle got convicted in July for the Oscar Grant Shooting. CNN reports that Oakland protests started after that. Police officers made arrests at that time, and there had been some damage and looting of local area companies. There is a rally and protest prepared for the afternoon of Friday, Nov. 5, and a permit had been issued for one, though police expect the demonstration to not be as turbulent as the last one. There were no African Americans on the jury. It also doesn't help that the story of a white Californian police officer killed a young African American is what the B.A.R.T. Oscar Grant incident is being spread as.
High tension levels
Since there had been too much stress in Alameda County, the trial has been moved to Los Angeles County. Many of the friends and family of Grant are mad about the sentence. They think that murder is something a police officer is getting away with within the case.
Citations
ABC News
abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/local/east_bay&id=7765037
CNN
cnn.com/2010/CRIME/11/05/california.subway.shooting.sentencing/index.html?hpt=T2
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