It’s never too late for justice. Eleven years after a BART officer fatally shot 22-year-old Oscar Grant, the Alameda County District Attorney is reopening the case.
DA Nancy O’Malley said in a statement:
We have listened closely to the requests of the family of Oscar Grant. The murder of Oscar Grant greatly impacted the county and the state.
My Office conducted the intensive investigation that led to the prosecution of BART Officer Johannes Mehserle for the crime of Murder. The trial occurred in Los Angeles due to a change of venue ordered by the court on the motion of the defense.
Unfortunately, the Los Angeles jury only found Officer Mehserle guilty of involuntary manslaughter. We are re-opening our investigation. I have assigned a team of lawyers to look back into the circumstances that caused the death of Oscar Grant.
We will evaluate the evidence and the law, including the applicable law at the time and the statute of limitations, and make a determination.
The announcement came as Oscar’s family was holding a news conference at Fruitvale Station, where he was killed on New Year’s Day 2009.
Grant’s mother, Wanda Johnson said, “Justice delayed is justice denied. Oscar was denied his full justice.”
She was there to ask the DA to file charged against another BART officer, Anthony Pirone.
In independent investigation and video revealed Pirone hit Oscar in the head and kneed him.
Johannes Mehserle, the former BART officer who pulled the trigger on Oscar Grant, was charged with murder but was convicted of a lesser charge of involuntary manslaughter.
He only served 11 months in prison and was released in 2011.
Sadly, the Grant learned DA O’Malley decision to reopen Oscar’s case via Twitter. SMH
I will keep you updated on this.
