Here are two heartfelt speeches to give folks better context as to what’s at stake.. The first one is from Oscar Grant’s ‘sister in law’ ( the aunt to his daughter Tatiana… Its a letter to Judge Robert Perry where she breaks down how his death has impacted the family.. The second is from Minister Keith who has been on the case from day one.. He sums up everything that has happened and what we are ultimately seeking-Justice..
http://www.swift.fm/mrdaveyd/song/76046/ Open Letter to Judge Robert Perry
http://www.swift.fm/mrdaveyd/song/76047/ Minister Keith Speaks
Follow @OscarGrantTrial for up to date info on sentencing on twitter
The Bay Area is still celebrating the aftermath of the SF Giants World Series win and the fact that we kept the Tea Party takeover out of our neck of the woods.. However, everyone is anxious as we await to see if Justice for Oscar Grant will be a reality. Tomorrow November 5th is the sentencing day for killer cop Johannes Mehserle.
His family and police departments around California showed total disregard to the family and the scores of people who witnessed the slaying by holding Pro-Mehserle rallies all over the state. They used words like Freedom and Justice to describe the plight of this rogue officer who killed unarmed Grant New Year’s morning 2009.
His family insulted the Bay Area by showing up to the McCovey Cove behind the AT&T Park where the Giants play and hoisting huge banners calling for Mehserle to be free. It made many momentarily forget that Oscar was the victim, not Mehserle who was found guilty.
The photos are from a big rally held last week in front of Oakland’s City hall. The Longshoreman were angered by the Pro-Mehserle rallies and decided to put on one themselves and remind people this is about justice and it should not be mocked by Mehserle and his supporters who even at this late date still try to put blame on unarmed Grant.
We’ll be doing a special broadcast around this sentencing from 4-6pm on 94.1FM KPFA.. You can also hear us on line at kpfa.org. Folks will be gathering down at City Hall in Oakland
Tomorrow November 5th is the day Killer cop Johannes Mehserle gets sentenced. His lawyers want a re-trial. Grant's family wants the full 14 years.
Minister Keith, spoken word artist Kat and organizer Tony Coleman have been on the case from day one. They along with many other Bay Area activists refused to let any obstacles stop theim from seeing this case through.. As Minister keith reminded us the end the goal is Justice!
Boots Riley of the Coup and his father Civil Rights attorney Walter Riley were on hand at the Longshormen's Justice for Oscar Grant rally
Oscar Grant's daughter Tatiana, her mother Sophina came with the rest of the family to let everyone know how his death had impacted their family. Tatiana's aunt read an open letter which left everyone heartbroken. That day we came to truly understand that a beautiful spirit was taken from us Jan 1 2009 at the Fruitvale BART station
Former Black Panther Party chair Elaine Brown along with co-founder Bobby Seale were on hand at the rally. Sadly the police killing of young Black and Brown men is an issue they are still dealing with 44 years after the Panthers were formed
You can peep the rest of the photos… by clicking the link below
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=564053&id=882195719&l=d4fa857baf
At first, my position on the Oscar Grant situation was that he didn’t deserve to die but just like any fool looking to find trouble in the Easy Bay, he is likely to find it and chances are might even lose his life over it.
So be it. That’s just the world in which we live in.
I’ve since changed my mind.
Fuck Oscar Grant. I’m glad he’s dead.
By Oscar Grant’s friend’s own admissions, Oscar was picking a fight with a stranger on BART that night. I’m sick of al these “at risk” adult assholes who act like 12-year -olds in public, probably because most of them never had a real dad. I feel as much remorse over Oscar Grant as I do when I RAID the kitchen when some cockroaches make their presence known. You want to be a tough guy punk and start shit on public transportation? Well, I’m glad you and your friends got handcuffed and you got a bullet in the back. Hell, that would make a great rap video and let’s be honest; most of you people would not have given a fuck about Oscar Grant if he were white.
Fuck Oscar Grant. I’m glad he’s dead.
And if you want to be brutally honest (let’s see how real we can be on this board) that retarded fool talking shit and getting accidently shot was the most finically productive thing that Oscar Grant ever did with his life. That’s going to give his baby momma and his kid a few million and truth be told, they’re better off with out him.
Fuck Oscar Grant. I’m glad he’s dead.
LOL what precint do you work for Hawk.. yep didn’t think I knew..Nice try like your other buddy..
Such hurtful words that Hawk has posted. I have to remember that whatever he thinks or does, is none of my business. But I feel the anger and the hurt Hawk has inside his heart, which saddens me. It must be really hard for Hawk, since he has stooped so low to bad mouth and lash out on someone who has lost his life.
R.I.P. Oscar Grant. Your spirit continues to live through the people that care for you and all your loved ones.
To Hawk – the way you treat others is a reflection of how you view and treat yourself. Your heart is hurting, whether you admit it or not.
There is plenty of blame to go around in this mess.
For Mehserle, there was pure incompetence on his and BART (as a whole) part in how the situation was handled. From the beginning with the lack of adequate training in using a taser avoiding internal control to BART’s questionable PR screw-up, Mehserle and BART did not handle the pressure well. As a professional (with myself being a high level personnel for a watchdog agency), there is a higher standard and expectation in dealing with the public. If you are unable to deal with the various situations and personalities of the public, then you have no business in government. And for his costly mistake (which is how I see it), he should serve a sentence, without probation, somewhere between the minimum and maximum time allowed (7-8 years). Also, given the fact that while he was reportedly a first time offender, the fact that he failed to speak to internal affairs (which is required for law enforcement incidents, which BART should have dragged his butt in), left the state and lawyered up, his time served should not count towards time served.
For Oscar Grant, his friends and the family (his uncle and mother), a responsible adult would have either conducting himself in an adult manner in public or stayed home to care for his child. Instead, he and his friends conducted themselves like children and acted reckless and irresponsible. While the argument that police are targeting Blacks could be posed, the question is why would you perpetuate the stereotype or give reason for police to harrass you. As for Grant’s family and his friends, they conducted themselves in a manner that crossed the line between grieving and three ring circus. If the family and friends limited the showboating to the media and conducting themselves in the same manner as the grandfather, there would have been more sympathy. I had more respect for the grandfather than Grant’s uncle for I believe is just trying to ride on the coattails of a tragic event.
For the media (television, newspaper, commentators and bloggers), they should all be ashamed of exploiting a tragic event and blowing way out of proportion. They take one incident and turn into the typical “if it bleeds, it leads” mentality of fear-mongering and hate-mongering. And guess who got screwed, the people of Oakland and young minority males (which the majority are law-abiding). Yes, show the vandals acting a fool, destroying businesses, hamper economic opportunities within the city, scaring off people from coming to a up and coming area of Oakland and keeping people out of work. All of you did a great job at making Oakland continue to be the bastard of the Bay. At let us not forget about reminding the Bay Area and the World that a riot may occur, further making a mountain out of a molehill. And the photos in the newspapers was a “class act”, showing one as a villian and the other as a saint. To the various media, here is a serious word of advice, stay objective and report the full fact and let the readers and viewers decide. I know this is the Bay Area and media here love to show their true colors and paint a very subjective picture of issues, but leave that crap to the tabloids.
For the advocates, politicans, religious leader and other community leaders, I found that a lot of you have a habit of getting on the soapbox and crying foul and social justice to your followers when the opportunity avails. However, where are you all when there is/are (1) Black-on-Black or Brown-on-Brown crime, (2) schools are falling apart, (3) afirmative action was eliminated in good old liberal Cali, (3) young Black, Latinas and Asian girls being pimped and exploited [look no further than International Blvd/14th], (4) job/economic development opportunities, (5) low voter/political participation and (6) businesses being looted and temporary shut down that affect jobs and revenue. Where were you all when the young track star was gunned down or the pregnant women were shot or the boy was paralyzed by a stray bullet during piano practice. Where were you? Yes, the typical response to the usually dumbfounded individual when posed the question by the reporter… after trying to find those right words to say, is to blow off the question and stress that injustice of the “racist police” must stop and Oscar Grant’s death will not be in vain. If I was a family member of a victim of crime, I would be saying WTF, where were you all at for me. But, I have found that in the Bay Area, it is better to scream, shout, and react rather than putting deeds to words and being proactive in getting results. Too many of these so-called leaders or voices of the community have been talking (ala Tea Party, Glenn Beck, Fox News etc.) without doing any walking or showing tangible results. And many of them have a hard set take it or leave it mentality (ala Republicans) or it is you and not me mentality. And to tell you the truth, I (and probably the majority of other in Black and Oakland community) are getting real sick of the B.S and rhetoric from these glory hounds.
As Kevin Powell alluded (as cited in a prior Davey D blog) to, we need to be proactive in correcting the problems that plague this city and not reactive when we feel like. Yes, I know there are those supposed Grant supporters who will say they proactive and calling for social justice. However, social justice starts at home and in the community. Get involved on the city commissions, talk to police and other government officials to gain a better understanding of what they, participate in the civic duties of being good stewards to a city that can be the crown jewel of the Bay, educate yourself (not let someone feed you their thoughts). When we as a community start to take responsibility for what goes on and be held accountable for the outcome, then we can evolve into a class of citizens and city that works together to get things done rather than talk, whine and cry. So, with all that said, I hope that this sentencing [which I believe Mehserle should NOT get the maximum punishment, but somewhere in-between) will be over with and done so that the majority of us Oakland residents can move this city forward in a proactive and positive way.
P.S. And what is with the yuppies and hipsters (mostly young whites tied to their Black activist friends) doing rallying up the poor minorities. Like sheep, the young minorities are stirred up by the whites (who supposedly care, but in my opinion don’t) and Black activists (questionable motives), only to be ones screwed with an arrest record. The whites go back to Berkeley, hipster/yuppie lands of Oakland, Walnut, SF with a little slap on the wrist. Futher, certain Black activists disappear from the scene like a thief in the night. As Oakland residents, these outsiders need to be dealt with properly for stirring up trouble and harming our city, its’ businesses and its’ people…
Lee save that BS for someone else.. nice try with the analysis..it’s slick but wrong and has no bearing to what happened.. an unarmed man was shot dead in front of scores.. Don’t give some high brow speech about he should’ve been home on new years eve with his daughter… thats a slick way of BLAMING the victim.. As for Grants friends.. They haven’t been around.. They rarely talk about the incident except when they testified.. and even if they did they have every right because they witnessed their friend get killed UNJUSTILY.. They had to endure smirks and taunts from the officers as they sat on platform and they were never charged or arrested-end of story..
As for the other assertion about religious leaders and politicians that have been involved in the oscar grant movement..
Name 1 organizer involved and show me who has not been continuously involved and dedicated to the upliftment of their community especially in the areas of violence.. Not that one has anything to do with the other.. But since you went there.. Start naming names of the folks who you say ARE no where to be seen.. That implies you’re out there and doing work and none of these people have not been involved..
I’ll wait..Here better yet.. I have sets of videos up from the first days of the rallies.. Where u can see the 100 Black religious leaders.. start pointing out those uninvolved folks.. Next you have the organizers from the other rallies..Please let me know who these folks are.. This should be interesting..I’ll wait..Lemme know if you need their names..But I’ll assume that since you made such a bold sweeping statement you already know them.. so please inform us..
it amazes me that an unarmed black man is shot by a “peace officer” and folks will work hard to find as many reasons to validate why the cop shouldnt go to jail or be HELD ACCOUNTABLE, including blaming the victim for identity flaws that were caused by systemic issues and had nothing to do with the incident on that platform. HOWEVER, a dog can get loose, bite 3 different children over the course of 2 weeks and have to be shot by a cop and ya’ll are screaming “animal cruelty”. How does a dog, a horse, hell, a old dilapidated building ready to be tore done, deserve more justice than an unarm human being? If you morons believe shouting at someone or trying to start a fight warrants being shot in the back by the very person who is suppose to restore justice, well then, im going to start suggesting those drunk white boys who jump on BART beligerent and talkin shit to everyone deserve to get a cap in they ass too…face down, handcuffed. See how ass backwards that is?
Krea u dont need to respond.. I’m still waiting for mr lee’s rundown on organizers who are ‘nowhere to be seen for violence in the hood’
If there’s anything encouraging to come out of this, it’s to see labor unions, leadership included, coming out in support of a black victim of police brutality. Would never happen in Sacramento. Oakland truly is what it has always claimed to be, a city where the have nots stick together. I know one of the trolls above is going to bring up the murder rate in response to this, and as preemptive response I would direct them to a google search of the following terms, “International drug trade”, “Crack cocaine”.
rob you may want to research the history of the ILWU.
I don’t care if Oscar Grant had started a fight on the train or worse.
Mehserle is the one to be sentenced here. Mehserle has been found guilty of pinning an unarmed man to the ground, under color of legal authority, and shooting him in the back of the head.
We simply can’t have summary executions and a free country. They are mutually exclusive.
It is absolutely SICK that people want to minimize the murder of Oscar Grant. Especially sick that one overtly compares him to a cockroach.
To all those in the Town. Let’s be peaceful, no matter the outcome. Let’s indeed express our frustraion but let’s not tear up our wn shit and go to jail. To Hawk who commented up above, you really sound like a lonely dude to post hateful comments on the net. I guess that’s the only way you get any attention. It’s pretty said. If you’re so depressed and lonely, maybe suicide is the best thing for you. Rest in peace to Oscar and all of the other brothers and sisters who have fell victim to corrupt police.
I’M WITH MARK SCHUMAN: WE CANNOT HAVE GOVERNMENT SANCTIONED PUBLIC EXECUTIONS!!! I don’t care HOW ignorant the dude was! This government is already over reaching and out of control, now to add PUBLIC EXECUTIONS to the list, along with PSYCHOPATHS like HAWK up here, and it is an ELIXIR FOR ALL OUT CIVIL WAR IN AMERICA! These ANTI-SOCIAL LAW ENFORCEMENT types are nothing but pawns in a game called MIXED WAR; when the government is silently at war with its people. WHEN ARE AMERICANS GOING TO WAKE UP AND REALIZE THAT OUR GOVERNMENT HAS MADE US ENEMIES OF THE STATE?? (See Trading with the Enemies Act)???? Go head my Oakland peeps, I lived in the Bay for a short time, and I love the COMMUNITY ACTIVISM!!! Kepp it pushin’ baby, and let’s EDUCATE TO UPLIFT! PEACE MOORS! 😉 … and MUCH LOVE DAVEY D! Holla if you ever in Sin City! 😉 I got you!
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I thought my site would automatically display…. but if you ever wanna GET REAL, Check me out too! 😉
cool blog mate
i didn’t know Oscar personally but i know 100% that he didn’t deserve to get shot in the back. i’m so damn tired of all the haters who say Oscar was a just another thug who deserved to die. like they knew the full details of his life and character?
Mehserle = MURDERER. fuck BART cops and fuck OPD.
Davey, I wish you wouldn’t resort to such sensationalism like the fear-mongering media when you say “Killer Cop”. It’s important to stay objective in matters like these. I know you want justice, we all do, and we will get justice.
The only way things will change is when the community and its officials work in concert.
Unfortunately, incidents such as this one will continue to happen until people are fed up enough to proactively pursue social reform.
Keep the faith, and let’s not lose our heads. Violence spurs violence.
@Rb he’s a killer cop..He’s shown no remorse and has ahistory of violence. This is not the NY times. its my blog where I get to state exactly how I feel. If you wanna sugar coat Johannes Mehserle go right ahead. People protesting have not shot unarmed cops in the back. Cops have shot unarmed people protesting them. In addition we have yet to see Mehserle apologize personally to the family nor have we seen law enforcement stand up and disavow his actions. Please show me one police union in the entire state that has not backed Mehserle. I’ll wait.
until then he’s a killer cop same way OJ is ‘guilty of killing nicole’
Oscar Grant was a THUG who didn’t deserve to die. He was NOT an upstanding citizen & had been in jail multiple times during the last few years of his life. The fact that his sckin is black & Mehserle’s is white is irrelevant. I seriously disbelieve that Oakland would be rioting if the skin colors were reversed.
It’s ridiculous that Oakland jumps behind this THUG who, although clearly did not deserve to die, put himself in this position MULTIPLE times and was seriously resisting arrest that night. It took 5 officers to restrain him. He did NOT deserve to die, but completely deserved the tazing he was about to receive.
It’s disgusting that Oakland has martyred such a person, but that’s Oakland. All Oakland sees is skin color. All Oakland cares about is falsified racial justice. Massive group rioting & violence only makes things worse.
Here’s to Oakland always being an f—ing ghetto…
Let us all pray for the victims of police hate and remember they will have answer to a higher power than their (white)defenders at the end…………And support those officers who protect and defend our freedoms and safety every single day…..
7.3 months: this is the amount of time that the man who murdered a young black man while he was at work. How is this comprehendable? How is this justifiable? For those that believe it was a “mistake” or an “accident”, tell me, where in the hell would it be ok to “accidently” kill someone on the job and you get 7.3 month in jail to justify the lost of a life? If someone ran you over and didnt say sorry when they saw the amount of pain you are in, would you believe they were sincere if they finally say sorry ONLY after they recieve that $4000 medical bill? would you believe the apology is sincere if it was forced? WELL THEN WHAT IN YOUR RIGHT MIND WOULD MAKE YOU JUSTIFY THIS KILLING..
Hawk is one of those cowards you find all over the internet running their mouthes freely because of the safety and anonminty of the internet, but have him stand out in public and say the very same things he has said here and I betcha we’ll be saying the same things he said about Oscar Grant while we dance around his body.
Hawk you know you don’t have the balls to speak like that in public, you coward.
look kid got killed, it sucks, but how can you say the cop did it on purpose, involuntary manslaughter is the right call, and to martyr the kid, cmon start violence, problem is some people just like to add negativity to the world theyre like leeches, when they see blood they want some of it, everyone go to work get a life, what if you accidentaly hit the gas in a parking lot instead of the brakes and ran someone over and killed them, should you got to jail for 20 years, same scenario prove to me otherwise, dont make the kid a saint and dont make the cop charles manson, it happened penalize bart for not properly training its officers and stop the race shit, it will not be tolerated by most americans anymore, all these black civil rights leaders are like don king they see a person that they further their agenda, they dont give a shit about the families, think about it, were all americans if something doesnt go right dont go straight to race!!!!!!!! grow the fuck up and work and be with your families because you never know you might not be here tomorroww, point proven with this oscar kid
Kevin there are quite a few who are doing 5-10, 15 yrs for accidental deaths.. some from hitting the gas peddel of a car and running folks over.. It was no accident.. The officers laughed, smirked, kept Grants friends who were never arrested or charged with anything on the platform for 6 hrs after the shooting … and thanks to the Policeman’s bill of rights.. mehserle’s violent past was kept out of the trial.. It was no accident..