Oscar Grant Punched in Face before Being Shot

As this story unfolds, it gets uglier and uglier. It appears that another cop punched Oscar Grant in face, knocking him to the ground, before the final tragic episode where Grant was killed took place.

So now, all of you folks in comments that are, in effect, arguing that Grant got what he deserved because he didn’t play nice with the police, are you now going to claim that if Grant had just “taken it like a man” and just understood (or perhaps remembered is the better word) that police beat people down for little to no reason all the time he would still be alive today?

Yeah, you probably are.

As always, Color of Change is on it:

Dear ColorOfChange.org member,

It wasn’t just one cop attacking Oscar Grant on New Year’s Eve. A new video shows that before Grant was killed, officer Tony Pirone punched him in the face without cause, hitting him so hard that he dropped to the ground. Experts have called it criminal. So why has the District Attorney said he’s not pursuing charges?

It took two weeks and thousands of people speaking out before the DA charged Oscar Grant’s killer with murder. Clearly, it will take continued public pressure to see that justice is served throughout this case. This is a moment to demand accountability, and your voice is critical.

Please take a moment to click the link below. By adding your voice, you’ll help us publicly confront District Attorney Tom Orloff, and put pressure on California’s Attorney General to keep an eye on how Orloff handles the case. It only takes a second. And please ask your friends and family to do the same.

http://www.colorofchange.org/grant/

What You Should Be Reading – The Justice for Oscar Grant Edition

MattBastard: Under Siege: On Oscar Grant and Other Victims

Color of Change: Demand justice in the killing of Oscar Grant

Sign the pledge to demand justice for Oscar Grant.

Electronic Village: Justice for Oscar Grant: The Fight Continues

Jose L. Vilson: Before You Become President (Dear Barack Obama)

Keep It Trill: The New Open Season on Black Men: Is It Obama Related?

Womanist Musings: Oscar Grant, Police Violence, and the War on Black Men

Angry Black Bitch: Pondering Justice for Oscar Grant

Ding: We are All Oscar Grant (and Dymond Milburn, Michael Cho, Adolph Grimes…)

Changeseeker: Is Open Season Ever Going To Close?

Johannes Mehserle, Oscar Grant’s Killer, Is Arrested

Well, this is good news:

The BART police officer who fatally shot an unarmed man on an Oakland train platform and then refused to explain his actions to investigators was arrested Tuesday in Nevada on suspicion of murder, authorities said.

Johannes Mehserle, 27, of Lafayette was taken into custody in Douglas County, Nev., said Deputy Steve Velez of the Douglas County sheriff’s office. The arrest was also confirmed by David Chai, chief of staff to Oakland Mayor Ron Dellums.

Mehserle was arrested in the New Year’s Day shooting of Oscar Grant, a 22-year-old supermarket worker from Hayward who was lying facedown after being pulled off a BART train by police investigating a fight. An Alameda County judge signed an arrest warrant alleging murder, and Mehserle surrendered without incident, authorities said.

Now let’s see if anything comes of it. And yes, you will have to excuse me for being cynical here.

New Video of Bart Shooting Is Clearest Yet

Thanks to my Good Friend without a Blog for the heads up. Via Photography is Not a Crime:

You know, I haven’t said much about this shooting other than it happened, it sickens me, and here’s what you can do about it, but this has really been upsetting the hell out me. I don’t give a shit if the cop quit his job. You don’t get to execute someone and just find yourself on the job market again. And I really don’t care if it was an accident or not. There was absolutely no need for him to pull out a gun, or anything else other than handcuffs, when Grant was obviously not going anywhere. This incident is symbolic of the attitude that black men are inherently a threat and must be put down at all costs. What the hell did this cop think? That Grant was going to all of the sudden summon his super-human negro strength ala Hancock and suddenly toss the cop with his knee on his neck a good 200 yards and go flying away? It really is just sick.

That said, people, the answer to these tragedies is not to go around burning everything down! Haven’t we learned that yet? And why on Earth did these fools attack an African hair braiding salon for chrissakes? What could make anyone think that the answer to the problems of police brutality, murder, and racism is to go and fuck up a black-owned business? That makes no sense. You’re anger at the situation is justified, but your reaction is not. You’re not looking much better than that cop right now. I’m just saying.

5 Things You Can Do Right Now About the Oscar Grant Shooting

Via RaceWire

1. Digg the story so that the national media can pick up on it

2. Contact BART Director Carole Ward Allen and demand that 1) the officers involved be taken off duty without pay and charged and fully prosecuted; 2) there be an independent investigation of the shooting that includes a review of training and hiring practices; and 3) BART establish an independent residents’ review board for the police Call her at 510-464-6095 or email the BART Directors at BoardofDirectors@bart.gov

3. Call the BART police to complain about the officers’ conduct and demand immediate action: Internal Affairs: Sergeant David Chlebowski 510.464.7029,dchlebo@bart.gov; Chief of Police: Gary Gee 510.464.7022, ggee@bart.gov

Call them toll free at 877.679.7000 and press the last four digits of the phone number you wish to reach.

4. Talk it up on your blogs, networks and talk radio shows (call Michael Baisden 877-6BADBOY or Rev. Al, etc. to get this on the national radar)

5. Stay tuned for other actions, protests, etc., especially if you are in the Bay.

Oscar Grant, Unarmed Black Man, Shot in the Back

It really warms my heart to know that we have finally reached that golden age of post-racial awareness, solidarity, and kindness amongst humankind (via Womanistmusings). Because if we hadn’t, then I would probably be reading, six days into the new year, that an unarmed, subdued black man was shot in the back by a San Francisco Bay Area subway police officer.

Oh, wait.

I have to disagree with John Burris here. There was a reason that a firearm was pulled out and used with deadly force, even though it appears that the victim had been subdued. You get three guesses as to what that reason was.