Police man convicted of Involuntary Manslaughter

Praxeas · #1 07-09-2010, 12:24 AM

OAKLAND, Calif. -- Oakland police have begun taking people into custody as they move in on a crowd protesting the verdict in the case of a former transit officer.

Johannes Mehserle was convicted of involuntary manslaughter on Thursday in the shooting death of an unarmed black man.
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/07/09...amid-protests/

I had a feeling he would get involuntary. What do you all think? Folks are rioting in the streets of Oakland right now over this verdict. They felt it was not strong enough.

Maximilian · #2 07-09-2010, 12:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Praxeas

OAKLAND, Calif. -- Oakland police have begun taking people into custody as they move in on a crowd protesting the verdict in the case of a former transit officer.

Johannes Mehserle was convicted of involuntary manslaughter on Thursday in the shooting death of an unarmed black man.
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/07/09...amid-protests/

I had a feeling he would get involuntary. What do you all think? Folks are rioting in the streets of Oakland right now over this verdict. They felt it was not strong enough.

Conflicting reports. Sources are saying the main instigators appeared to be professional "anarchist" agitators wearing black. The looters, white kids wearing black.

Oakland Police Chief Anthony Batts said the people causing trouble did not seem to be Oakland residents bent on voicing displeasure at the Mehserle verdict. He described them as outsiders "who are almost professional people who go into crowds like this and cause problems."

The verdict was tough either way. It was impossible for him to get a Not Guilty verdict of some type. I would love to hear the jury explanation for the verdict. Sad that this guy's life is forever over... and sad for the young, black man whose life ended last year. Sad for the city that thugs and renegades are taking it over, many of which are people who care little about justice. Just looking for a party.

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/articl...#ixzz0tAEu8rPp

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/articl...#ixzz0tAEYyGTb

Maximilian · #3 07-09-2010, 12:44 AM

I actually watched the coverage. Definitely not Rodney King LA Riots-status here. Bunch of anarchists. 200 officers from other cities, btw, have responded to help in Oakland.

Oscar Grant's family is ticked off. Saying the system is not doing them right. Many of the speakers are stoking racism as the reason why. They blame the system.

The evidence and the court hearing stand on its own. Watching that footage over and over, it's a tough thing. Did he snap and kill him? Did he reach for his taser? Was he shocked afterward? What really happened that night? Tough situation.

Jermyn Davidson · #4 07-09-2010, 03:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Praxeas

OAKLAND, Calif. -- Oakland police have begun taking people into custody as they move in on a crowd protesting the verdict in the case of a former transit officer.

Johannes Mehserle was convicted of involuntary manslaughter on Thursday in the shooting death of an unarmed black man.
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/07/09...amid-protests/

I had a feeling he would get involuntary. What do you all think? Folks are rioting in the streets of Oakland right now over this verdict. They felt it was not strong enough.

If my memory is correct, he stood over the unarmed black man, while he was pinned down and shot him.

There were other officers there as well. The murdering officer's life was NOT in danger.

He should have gotten more than involuntary manslaughter.

He is getting off very, very light-- compared to what he did.

Mirth1981 · #5 07-09-2010, 04:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jermyn Davidson

If my memory is correct, he stood over the unarmed black man, while he was pinned down and shot him.

There were other officers there as well. The murdering officer's life was NOT in danger.

He should have gotten more than involuntary manslaughter.

He is getting off very, very light-- compared to what he did.

According to the news report I heard tonight, the police officer that shot and killed the young man claimed that he meant to reach for his taser and somehow ended up reaching for his gun. Supposedly he meant to tase him...not kill him.

So tragic.

pelathais · #6 07-09-2010, 04:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jermyn Davidson

If my memory is correct, he stood over the unarmed black man, while he was pinned down and shot him.

There were other officers there as well. The murdering officer's life was NOT in danger.

He should have gotten more than involuntary manslaughter.

He is getting off very, very light-- compared to what he did.

In the video of the shooting he doesn't appear to be "standing" but he is on the ground involved in a struggle with the man who was shot. A group of young men had been fighting on a train and when the train came to the station they were in the process of being arrested when the young man was resisting.

There appear to be other offices involved in the "wrestling match" and lethal force does not appear to be warranted or even imminent. The officer says he mistakenly grabbed his revolver when going for his taser. As Max says, it's just unclear as to whether or not that's reasonable.

I guess that after hearing the case the jury had some sort of "reasonable doubt" about a voluntary manslaughter or even a murder charge. I'd think murder would be out because there was no way the cop could have premeditated this. The young man died in the heat of a scuffle with cops.

The taser/service weapon confusion claim sort of makes me feel rather uncomfortable - but I guess it could happen.

Here's the youtube video. The cop who fired the shot is the one on his knees wrestling with the young man - to the left of the prone suspect in the video. The bald headed cop on the right seems to be rather shaken by the gun shot. The words coming out of his mouth at this point probably would not be printable.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nXWSg...eature=related

Esther · #7 07-09-2010, 06:30 AM

You know what gets me in these types of situations, the media always makes the victim seem as though he/she was a law abiding citizen when in fact they were not.

It is a tragic end without a doubt, had the man been "law abiding" perhaps the incident would never have happened to start with. Seems to me two lives have been destroyed in this situation.

If people could just get along.

Jermyn Davidson · #8 07-09-2010, 04:12 PM

The guy did not have a rap sheet-- he and his friends were rowdy on a commuter train.

Neither he or his friends "calmed down" when told to by a female BART Officer.

Grant, the 22 year old who was killed was HANDCUFFED before he was shot.

The jury rejected the notion that the "cop" meant to go for the taser.

So you have a man who was pinned down, surrounded by other officers, face down, handcuffed with his hands behind his back and for whatever reason, the ex-cop felt it was necessary to shoot the man.

Truth is, there is ABSOLUTELY NO JUSTIFICATION for the shooting-- none.

I hope the BART agency is sued to oblivion in civil court because justice has NOT been served and appears that it will not be served, in this life.

Then, the living ex-BART officer can repent and attain eternal life.

The 22 yr old was probably not saved and..... well, what can you say except nothing at all. He's in God's Hands.

Jermyn Davidson · #9 07-09-2010, 04:20 PM

This wasn't even this agency's first unarmed kill.

Apparently, one of their officers shot another unarmed black man in the BACK OF HIS HEAD with a 12 guage SHOTGUN!

This "murderous cop" was not convicted of anything!!!

This "murderous cop" committed suicide by hanging himself sometime afterwards.

http://www.louisianaweekly.com/news.php?viewStory=919

Honestly, the whole thing is very infuriating and sad in the most recent case.

The man was handcuffed, lying face down and murdered by a "cop".

Whatever....

Maximilian · #10 07-09-2010, 04:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Esther

You know what gets me in these types of situations, the media always makes the victim seem as though he/she was a law abiding citizen when in fact they were not.

It is a tragic end without a doubt, had the man been "law abiding" perhaps the incident would never have happened to start with. Seems to me two lives have been destroyed in this situation.

If people could just get along.

That's beside the point. It wasn't a terrible struggle, the guy was already bound in fact.

To blame it on the teenager is a sad comment to make indeed.