by Cat Brooks and Rachel Jackson

On Friday, November 5th, former BART police officer Johannes Mehserle will
be sentenced for the shooting death of Oscar Grant, III.  Hundreds of
concerned community members will gather together to respond to the
sentencing and to honor Oscar.

“While many of us will undoubtedly be angry on that day, we will also take
time out to honor the memory of Oscar Grant,” said Ann Weills, Attorney at
Law. “Oscar ignited a movement across the entire nation and this movement
will not stop with the sentencing of Johannes Mehserle.  We will continue
to build and to organize until the State understands that we will not lie
down silently as they murder the people in cold blood.”

Oscar was not the first young man of color to be killed unjustly by police
and sadly he hasn’t been the last.  In the two years since Oscar was
murdered, literally hundreds of young people of color have been murdered
by law enforcement across the country.  Most recently, James Leonard
Davis, an unarmed, eighteen year old child was shot in the back by police
in Los Angeles .

“Where is the accountability?” asked Cat Brooks, Co-Chair of the ONYX
Organizing Committee.  “The verdict was unjust so the sentence will be
unjust. And we are angry about it.  We are tired of burying our children
and we are tired of the open season on black men in this country by police
who are then returned to their families with a slap on the wrist.”

From the start of this case Michael Raines has portrayed Johannes Mehserle
as an innocent victim of circumstance and not a murderer.  Paying no
attention to the racial slurs uttered before his death or the fact that
Mehserle first held a Taser before putting it away and reaching for his
gun.  What is more, Judge Perry refused to allow Mehserle’s record into
evidence so his pattern of violently assaulting men of color that
culminated into Oscar’s murder was never revealed to the jury. Adding
insult to injury, KTVU of Oakland recently aired a special profiling
Mehserle in efforts to gain sympathy for him before his sentencing.  These
are signs of what many are anticipating: a lenient sentence for a
murderer.

“Given the likely scenario that Mehserle will receive a light sentence,
people are going to need a place to come together and be supported in
their process,” said Rachel Jackson of the New Years Movement. “We hope
people come and share their rage, frustration and pain and also their
hope, ideas and passion for building a world where young men and women of
color are no longer terrorized and assassinated by those who claim to be
here to protect and serve.”

A DAY TO HONOR OSCAR GRANT

Friday, Nov. 5, 2010

Oakland City Hall | 1 Frank Ogawa Plaza

2 - 4 PM: Live Art

4 - 7 PM: Programming