The family of Oscar Grant--represented by his mother Wanda Johnson and his uncle Cephus Johnson--issued a joint statement with the BART Board of Directors today, calling on Oakland citizens to remember Grant, whose killer has still not been tried one year after his shooting, through peaceful celebration, not demonstration.

A year ago, Grant's mother and his fiancee retained attorney John Burris to bring a $25 million dollar wrongful death suit -- later increased to $50 MM -- against BART for Grant's death. That suit has not yet been publically acknowledged to be settled. 

Does this joint statement by the family and BART mean that a settlement has taken place, but not been announced? Is Oscar Grant's family now $25MM -- or $50MM -- richer, or anticipating a payout in 2010? It seems quite unusual for a litigant and the entity they are suing to collaborate in this type of statement to the press.

The BART announcement emphasizes the changes taking place in the department and take pains to quote Grant's uncle as saying "In the year since my nephew was killed, I truly believe positive changes have occurred in the BART Police Department and many more will come."

In the same statement BART Director Carole Ward Allen takes pains to emphasize "BART's intent to work " with the State Legislature to quickly amend the law so BART can implement independent citizen oversight of the BART Police Department," while BART Board President James Fang characterize the Grant killing as "one of the most gut-wrenching episodes in BART's history."