Local leaders urge restraint when verdict is announced in Mehserle trial Crimes & Incidents, posted by Editor, Pleasanton Weekly Online, on Jul 7, 2010 at 3:07 pm
Bay Area police and community leaders including those in the Tri-Valley are hoping for calm when a verdict is announced in the murder trial of former BART police Officer Johannes Mehserle.
Read the full story here Web Link posted Wednesday, July 7, 2010, 6:09 AM
Posted by SadTruth, a resident of the Vineyard Hills neighborhood, on Jul 7, 2010 at 3:07 pm
Nice to see that the government officials are thinking ahead on this matter. It is sad that there is good reason for the precautions. Violence in response to an unpopular verdict does not indicate a healthy subculture for those who respond this way. Please pray for God's wisdom for all involved.
Posted by steve, a resident of the Parkside neighborhood, on Jul 8, 2010 at 8:30 am
prepare for the verdict and the inevitable unleashing of the scumbags that feed on the chaos that ensues when anarchists and Oakland's zoo animals have an opportunity to destroy other people's property. It's just an excuse for violence, just like after the rodney king verdict. No justification for those actions whatsoever, but it does
make for good TV, so the press will be all over it.
Heck, the ex-parolee Oscar Grant was not even from Oakland, yet their town will experience damage from hoods who take advantage of the situation. No one can defend this type of mindset or action.
Posted by Really?, a resident of the Another Pleasanton neighborhood neighborhood, on Jul 8, 2010 at 9:13 am
It's truly sad how some of you continue to refer to the deceased, Oscar Grant as the "ex-parolee".... as if this unarmed man, pinned down to the ground deserved to be shot in the back or something??? Or, let me guess, it's no surprise??? Its so sad how disconnected some people in this city truly are. I'm completely AGAINST rioting, and find it sad for the victims & their businesses, but frankly, some of these posts are just as ignorant as those people rioting.
Posted by der, a resident of the Danville neighborhood, on Jul 8, 2010 at 1:09 pm
Correction Steve,
"Oakland's zoo animals have an opportunity to destroy other people's property"
Your comment is way out of context, the Oakland zoo is a safe zoo. Why would you want to harm it's reputation? I am a season ticket holder at the zoo and I have never seen the zoo animals have a single negative interaction with a visitor.
Let's all think a minute before we speak/comment next time. "The silence is deafening"
Posted by Paulie, a resident of the Del Prado neighborhood, on Jul 8, 2010 at 3:38 pm
Let's not treat Mr. Grant like he was someone innocent and just happened to be accosted by the BART Police. Grant is a 2 time convicted felon who had served time and was awaiting indictment or trial on a pending offence. The reason he was approached by BART police is that he had started a fight on a BART train. That said he did not deserve to die but he was not an innocent bystander who got killed.
Posted by Mike, a resident of the Del Prado neighborhood, on Jul 8, 2010 at 4:15 pm
Involuntary manslaughter. Hopefully he will only get probation. This was a tragic mistake. This was a BART training issue. Get ready for the Civil trial but first let the rioting begin.
Posted by Paulie, a resident of the Del Prado neighborhood, on Jul 8, 2010 at 4:49 pm
What a hoot! He will get a maximum of 2 years if he gets any time at all. Didn't Michael Vick get 2 years in Leavenworth for killing a couple of dogs. They should have got PETA involved.
Posted by Ghetto Resident, a resident of the Another Pleasanton neighborhood neighborhood, on Jul 8, 2010 at 6:00 pm
Pro-Law -
Ya think the Grant family is trying to incite riots, you bet they are, it's so sad that they think it is okay to trash their very own city because they aren't happy with the verdict who does that!!!???
Posted by steve, a resident of the Parkside neighborhood, on Jul 8, 2010 at 10:18 pm
sorry, der. I did not mean to impune th ezoo or it's inhabitants when comparing many of Oakland's thugs with zoo animals. The reference could have been interpreted as an insult to the animals in the zoo.
Posted by steve, a resident of the Parkside neighborhood, on Jul 8, 2010 at 10:22 pm
interesting-so the other 25% were Oakland residents trashing their own city becauase of some unlucky felon from Hayward? How's that logic work, I aks you?
Good to see you're standing up for those virtuous folk in Oaktown.
I just saw the rioting on the news...looks like a Raiders game broke out in downtown....only more violent.
Posted by pro police, a resident of the Another Pleasanton neighborhood neighborhood, on Jul 9, 2010 at 8:51 am
The DA's office should be ashamed of its self for ever filing these charges. This was never a murder case no matter how you looked at it. Tom Orloff made the mistake of charging it under what I assume was extreme political pressure, he then retired and got out of town before the trial started. I hear that there are many bad feelings between the local police agencies and the DA's office. The police now have to not only fight the scumbags on the streets but they have to be watching their backs so the DA will not put a knife into it. Maybe Grant shouldn't have died for what he did, but he was as much at fault as Mehserle was.
In the end, one dead dirt bag, one good cop's life ruined for trying to protect the public
Posted by agreeable, a resident of the Birdland neighborhood, on Jul 9, 2010 at 9:35 am
I completely agree with "Pro Police". THis should NEVER have been a question of murder! How insane was THAT to begin with!?
and a hearty Amen to: "Maybe Grant shouldn't have died for what he did, but he was as much at fault(more-so. He was a convicted felon) as Mehserle was.
In the end, one dead dirt bag, one good cop's life (and his wife and childs) ruined for trying to protect the public."
Posted by Jan, a resident of the Kottinger Ranch neighborhood, on Jul 9, 2010 at 10:10 am
makes you wonder why anyone would ever want to be a police officer. With cameras on every cell phone, if as a police officer, you ever make a slight mistake or it is PERCEIVED that you do, your face, your family and your life are on the line.
Posted by Papa, a resident of the Another Pleasanton neighborhood neighborhood, on Jul 9, 2010 at 10:47 am
As usual, Oakland has acted (DOWN to) expectations, or at least the expectations of the hype-media! Grant's death was an unfortunate accident, and everyone feels for the family. EXCEPT when the family does their best to incite riots and mayhem, and now have nothing but Dollar Signs in their line of vision. My congrats to the Police, who acted with perhaps too much restraint, but contained the violence, at least. Grant's family, their so-called attorneys, and all the rabble-rousing elements from "who knows where", have done more HARM to the image of the City of Oakland than all the good of the last twenty years. And, it may never be undone, at least not until they get some civic LEADERSHIP. Some things never change, I guess.........
Posted by Julia, a resident of the Another Pleasanton neighborhood neighborhood, on Jul 9, 2010 at 11:01 am
Hey Paulie from Del Prado and a few others...you are right...he will get prison time for Killing one dog and Vick got 2 years for Killing 2 dogs and OJ went golfing the next day for Killing 2 beautiful people...What a hoot, how quick we forget. And guess what, no riots and no looting after the OJ dog walked. I was born and raised in Oakland from 1940 to 1960, that was before the dogs arrived. Now I wouldn't give you five cents for the whole darn thing.
Posted by Amazing, a resident of the Amador Estates neighborhood, on Jul 9, 2010 at 1:30 pm
Amazes me how everything has to be related to the color of the skin someone has. It is preposterous. Stop trying to use the color of skin as justification for everything bad that happens to you. Oscar Grant got shot not because he was black but because an officer responded to a call about a fight and made a mistake that cost a human life. This officer should be going to jail because he still killed someone but not for murder two.
Posted by Debbie, a resident of the Las Positas neighborhood, on Jul 9, 2010 at 4:38 pm
You know, it amazes me that the people of Oakland get so upset at what happened to Oscar Grant but they don't have a problem when a drive by in their city kills a two year old. They kill each other every day but when a police officer does it, they riot. What they should be upset about is the violence in their streets and the young men who are being gunned down. Remember the four officers killed. I didn't see any rioting over that.
Posted by bitsy, a resident of the Birdland neighborhood, on Jul 9, 2010 at 9:19 pm
so many good comments Right on about the 4 Officers killed last year by some "louse" we don't riot we write editorials etc. I must say Chief Batts did an excellent job of coordinating his Officers. I'm wondering if footlocker had mismatched shoes in those boxes (just a thought) there were sure a lot of single shoes strewn around. It won't be soon enough for Dellums to go- he tends to incite also--I too was born and raised there in the same time frame and I don't think it will ever get better no matter how many programs they have for young people especially It starts at home just like Bill Cosby says----when hatred and indiffence is generational how can it change??????
Posted by Lisa, a resident of the Another Pleasanton neighborhood neighborhood, on Jul 9, 2010 at 10:13 pm
Too many of the comments here infer that the people inciting the riots are/were African American. The fact of the matter is many of these people are white and not even from Oakland. The majority of those arrested were in fact, white. I have worked in Oakland for over 30 years. Everytime there is a strike, protest, demonstration, there are people...often the same groups of individuals , who show up with their own agendas. Calling the people of Oakland "animals" or referring to Oakland as a zoo only serves to prove that racism is in fact alive and well here in Pleasanton.
Posted by Lisa, a resident of the Another Pleasanton neighborhood neighborhood, on Jul 9, 2010 at 10:18 pm
You people who say no one was protesting, or upset over what happened to our four OPD Officers, or the two year old who was shot, are very out of touch. You do not know what you are talking about. Are YOU on the streets of Oakland? Do you often talk to people from Oakland?If in fact you did, you would not be saying the ignorant, hateful things you say.
Posted by MIke, a resident of the Del Prado neighborhood, on Jul 9, 2010 at 11:02 pm
Jan asked why anyone would want to become a police officer. It was a calling for me. Ever since I was a little boy I wanted to become a police officer. My whole life all I've ever wanted to do it help people who were in distress. If you're smart, consistently train, and are able to keep your senses about you during stressfull calls, you'll do good.
If you can't slow things down and panick you'll screw up.
Posted by Mike, a resident of the Highland Oaks neighborhood, on Jul 10, 2010 at 4:28 pm
I believe as the jurors did that this was accidental.
I also believe that while Grant's behavior was not a Capital offense, he was a long-term bad apple whose behavior that night contributed much to how things turned out for him.
That being said, I also want my police officers to be capable of remaining cool, calm and collected even and especially under extreme duress. Because we give our police guns and the power of arrest, we also require that they be capable of maintaining a clear view of the situation and knowing what they have in their hands.
This isn't about Grant being a bad egg. It's about our police officers being at the top of their game at all times, about their being trained and ready specifically for these situations.
Posted by Debbie, a resident of the Las Positas neighborhood, on Jul 10, 2010 at 5:11 pm
To Lisa, No. I am not on the streets of Oakland and I will never be. I am not out of touch. The facts speak for themselves. I did not say anything hateful. I stated a true fact. How many drive by's happened in the city of Oakland this past year, where an innocent bystander was shot or killed? For the good people of Oakland, I say, it's time to get out of Dodge!
Posted by Julia, a resident of the Another Pleasanton neighborhood neighborhood, on Jul 10, 2010 at 6:19 pm
Hey folks Cholo is correct...most of the problems were caused by young white pro hell raisers.
The entire situation is screwed up...The Grant family will be paid mega bucks for the loss of their (Comment deemed inappropriate by Pleasanton Weekly Online staff)son. Check his RAP sheet, (Comment deemed inappropriate by Pleasanton Weekly Online staff)...take a lesson all you wild dogs in Oakland...step out of line and you just may end up like Grant.
Posted by Debbie, a resident of the Las Positas neighborhood, on Jul 10, 2010 at 8:38 pm
Cholo, I'm racist? You don't even know me. Why don't you go live in Oakland. I wonder if Mr. Grant's mother would be still saying, " my son was murdered ", if the officer was black. Did you even hear the families lawyer after the verdict? Who are really the racist here?
Posted by Lisa, a resident of the Another Pleasanton neighborhood neighborhood, on Jul 11, 2010 at 10:51 pm
Debbie,
You are hateful.
You consistently have to refer to race.
You state your opinion..not fact when you speak of how others feel. Hypothetical situations are not fact.
Your choice of pronouns speak volumes,"they" "their".
I for one am glad to hear you will never be on the streets in Oakland.
The good people of Oakland do not need you haters. An isolated incident like this causes ignorant people ,like yourself, to make gross , racist generalizations of an entire community. We all know what race of people you are referring to when you say negative things about Oakland.
Please do stay out of Oakland. Stay in Pleasanton. And when people of color begin moving in around you, freak out and move farther away. Because "THEY' are coming.
Posted by Nosy Neighbors, a resident of the Pleasanton Heights neighborhood, on Jul 12, 2010 at 10:25 am
I'm glad a few folks here picked up on the fact that the vast majority of the arrests & those contributing to the violence downtown were in fact the "rent-a-mob" extremist anarchists that always manage to crawl out from whatever slimy rock they've been hiding under to take advantage of a crowd/mob situation & abuse it for their own needs.
The people of Oaktown should be commended for trying their best to keep cool & peaceful, the police should know by now who the real criminals are use a little profiling & weed these scum out.
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