Johannes Mehserle, the BART pig who shot and killed innocent black man, Oscar Grant, is on trial today in Los Angeles. Lets hope this fucking pig gets what he deserves.
Full story here.
BART Shooting Case To Resume In Los Angeles
Posted: 6:45 pm PST January 7, 2010
Updated: 12:13 am PST January 8, 2010
OAKLAND, Calif. -- The shooting of an unarmed man by a BART police officer that sparked outrage and violence in the streets of Oakland a year ago is set to enter a new phase Friday morning when Johannes Mehserle is scheduled to make his first appearance in a Los Angeles County courtroom.
The former Bay Area Rapid Transit police officer Mehserle, 27, is charged with murder for the shooting death of 22-year-old Hayward resident Grant on the platform of the Fruitvale station in Oakland shortly after 2 a.m. on New Year's Day.
The case against Mehserle was officially transferred from Alameda County to Los Angeles County on December 15. The first hearing coincidentally comes almost a year to the day after some of the most destructive protest connected to the case took place in the East Bay.
On January 7 of 2009, the streets of Oakland descended into chaos when an initially peaceful protest over Grant’s shooting death erupted into a violent riot.
There was yelling, pushing by police and protesters and clouds of tear gas as some demonstrators jumped on police cars, smashed store windows and torched vehicles. Police reported dozens of arrests.
“We live a life of fear,” said one demonstrator on camera that evening. “We want them to be afraid tonight.”
Three weeks later after a hearing that granted $3 million bail for Mesherle, there was more violence.
“It’s very unfair,” said Oakland resident Consuela Patterson at a protest outside the courthouse that day. “Because if that was him, me, or anybody else out here, we would not get bailed [out].”
Mesherle himself has since been relocated to Los Angeles where his trial was moved after a change of venue request by the defense.
Thursday night KTVU spoke by phone with Mesherle's attorney Mike Rains. He said he was confident his client will get a fair trial in Los Angeles
“I think everybody -- Mr. Mesherle, certainly myself as his lawyer -- is very optimistic about the move to LA,” said Rains. “[It will] prove to be a move for justice. And when I say justice, I mean justice for Johannes Mesherle because he certainly deserves it.”
Oakland defense attorney John Burris said he was also headed to Los Angeles Thursday night. Burris' client, the family of Oscar Grant, will be at the hearing as well.
“They recognize it is out of their control, but the evidence from their point of view is there,” said Burris. “And so they are going to want to be present and hope that Mr. Mehserle is convicted.”
Burris said come Friday morning, he expects trial Judge Robert Perry to discuss a number of items including the gag order currently in place, the jury pool, the questionnaire for potential jurors, and a start date for the trial.
Burris said he has heard from lawyers in Los Angeles that the judge assigned to the murder trial is as good as it gets
”He is as good a criminal trial lawyer you find anywhere,” said Burris. “He is fair, balanced, and handled high visibility cases in the past.”
Despite the move out of the Bay Area, it appears the furor surrounding the case may continue. The Los Angeles Coalition for Justice for Oscar Grant is scheduled to hold a protest at 7 a.m. Friday morning in front of the downtown LA courthouse.
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