i wonder what the brawl on the train was all about? my predictions: his criminal record( juvenile and adult) will be released to the public. the officer involved will be reassigned to desk duty. Al Sharpton will swoop in and denounce the Oakland/BART police department. riots on the streets of Oakland
I can't tell crap from that video. I'm sure if you go frame-by-frame, it'll be helpful in an investigation, but I can't tell what's going on.
The cop apparently was trying to pull out a Taser, but accidentally took his gun out. There's another video clearly showing the guy get shot while lying on the ground on his stomach. It's on SFGATE.com I believe. But, Oakland really is one of the most terrible places in the country. I hear you can't even drive down certain parts of the city at night without something happening. Type in Oakland in youtube and you get this: <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/X5qGVE9ElsI&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/X5qGVE9ElsI&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>
<object width="480" height="295"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/fJKf6pvalsM&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/fJKf6pvalsM&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="295"></embed></object> This video explains it better.
Mistah FAB - Ghost Ride It ["GhostBusters they the police" ] <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/hJDLRCXR2ZM&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/hJDLRCXR2ZM&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object> And it has spread to the other side of the globe. <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/UoQcZyKtt0Q&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/UoQcZyKtt0Q&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>
So he was trying to pull out a taser and instead pulled out his gun....that is one of the worst BS excuses I have ever heard. I guess he didn't realize he had a heavy metal object in his hand with a trigger and handle??? Either way if the guy was on his stomach with another officer on top of him and he shot him in the back that is murder.
Exactly. It was murder...but I'm sure the police will find a way of keeping him out of prison. I hope I'm wrong though.
After looking at tasers on the web, it's hard to believe (depending a little on the model). Given the differences from guns, I'd think he'd be able to see or feel the difference, though I don't what kind he had. * Some models are gun-shaped, but many are not * Many seem to have bright plastic colors * I get the impression they weigh about a half-pound, whereas a Glock would weigh 1.5 pounds. Plus, he had to have forgotten where he wears his taser and where his gun. If you give him the benefit of the doubt, though, isn't it even still at least an involuntary manslaughter? If he did genuinely make a mistake, I feel sorry for him.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28555278 Protests over Calif. train shooting turn violent Businesses smashed, cars set blaze in Oakland after transit cop killed youth New Year's Day shooting Mehserle is accused of shooting 22-year-old Oscar Grant of Hayward, who was lying face-down on the station platform when he was shot and killed early New Year's Day. Mehserle was one of several officers responding to reports about groups of men fighting on a train. Protesters gathered in the afternoon at the Fruitvale BART station where the shooting occurred. It was peaceful at first but began to turn nasty after a splinter group left that site and marched downtown. Protesters set fire to a trash container and tried to overturn a police car, smashing the front window. Police attempted to disperse the crowd and smaller groups of protesters marched to different areas. Some protesters threw bottles, a window of a fast-food restaurant and other downtown stores were smashed, at least three cars were set on fire and many other automobiles were damaged. Many protesters expressed anger and frustration at the police and what they called society's racial injustice. But as the demonstrations continued, the mob frequently targeted the business, cars and homes of people without regard to race, the San Francisco Chronicle reported early Thursday. One such shop was Creative African Braids in Oakland. "This is our business," Leemu Topka, the black owner of the salon, shouted at the demonstrators, the Chronicle reported on its Web site. "This is our shop. This is what you call a protest?" the paper quoted her as saying. Police in riot gear threw tear gas to try to break up the demonstration. "The crowd started to become more agitated, more hostile, started throwing stuff at the police," Oakland police spokesman Jeff Thomason said. "We gave a dispersal order four to five times over a 20-minute period, then we had our officers go in and start making arrests." Calls for calm Oakland Mayor Ron Dellums went to the protest scene Wednesday night to urge for calm. He and several council members then led a group toward City Hall and further addressed them. "Even with our anger and our pain, let's still address each other with a degree of civility and calmness and not make this tragedy an excuse to engage in violence," Dellums said. "I don't want anybody hurt, I don't want anybody killed." Grant's family has filed a $25 million wrongful death claim against BART and want prosecutors to file criminal charges against Mehserle.
Oakland's not all bad. Parts of Oakland are really nice like around Lake Merrit and the Rockridge area. If I were to move back to the Bar Area I would rather live in Oakland than in SF.
