Today is Oscar Grant’s funeral. He is the latest in a long string of unarmed black men to be killed by police. The night he died, Oscar, 22, was out celebrating New Year’s Eve. At around 2 a.m., he and friends were pulled off of the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) train- Northern California’s subway system- by police officers. He was unarmed and cooperative, even telling friends to calmly oblige the police. That did nothing to save Oscar Grant. Within minutes, without cause, a police officer would shoot him in the back, execution-style.
Watch the video yourself. You’ll see Oscar sitting up against a wall with several other young men, cooperating with police instruction. Eyewitnesses report that “the cops were hitting, yelling and cussing at the guys”, while dozens of people called out about the mistreatment. Oscar put his palms up, a clear indication of compliance. Then officers dragged him from the wall and pushed him onto his stomach, his face pressed to the floor.
Oscar feared for his life. Witnesses describe Oscar pleading for police not to taser him, begging, “Please, please, don’t tase me.” Instead, one police officer pressed his knee onto the back of Oscar’s neck. A second officer, Johannes Mehserle, leaned over him, reached for his gun, pointed it within about a foot of Oscar’s body and shot him in the back. The officers look at each other as Oscar writhes in pain and turns to look at the man who killed him. On video, you can see Oscar speaking to the officer. Witnesses tell us that he cried, “You shot me! I got a four-year-old daughter!” The video doesn’t show the officers immediately administering first aid to the man they shot. Instead, it appears to show police handcuffing Oscar, who wouldn’t live to see the sun rise on a new year.
I take the killing of Oscar Grant personally. Not because it happened in the area of my birthplace. Not because I’m a person of color who, like many people of color in the country, has experienced police abuse of power, first-hand. Not because I grew up in fear of the police after my father, the safest driver I know, was told by a police officer on a bogus stop, that the cop was considering shooting my dad. Not because of the fact, that despite the shield of my lawyer’s license, my heart still pounds at the sight of a police badge.
Oscar’s killing is personal because his death offends the fundamental principles of justice, every notion of dignity and the idea that through those threads, all of our lives are connected. As human beings, we are responsible for each other. His death means that we must work for his justice.
There was similar incident in Houston recently. Thankfully, this young man is expected to survive.
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/…
There was similar incident in Houston recently. Thankfully, this young man is expected to survive.
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/…
There was similar incident in Houston recently. Thankfully, this young man is expected to survive.
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/…
Thanks for posting that link. Another truly awful story that deserves national attention. The Grant case only started getting the national attention when cell phone videos of the shooting started popping up. Otherwise, it would have been just another local story.
There was similar incident in Houston recently. Thankfully, this young man is expected to survive.
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/6195571.html
Thanks for posting that link. Another truly awful story that deserves national attention. The Grant case only started getting the national attention when cell phone videos of the shooting started popping up. Otherwise, it would have been just another local story.
Terrible news! As a New Yorker who attended high school in East Harlem, I am all too familiar with overzealous police officers with "trigger fingers." My heart goes out to the young man's family as it did to the families of Amadou Diallo, Sean bell, Ousmane Zongo (the list is far too long for me to keep writing). Thank you for your post.
Unbelievable Dalia. Makes my stomach turn and tears well up inside. Thanks for the post.
Terrible news! As a New Yorker who attended high school in East Harlem, I am all too familiar with overzealous police officers with “trigger fingers.” My heart goes out to the young man’s family as it did to the families of Amadou Diallo, Sean bell, Ousmane Zongo (the list is far too long for me to keep writing). Thank you for your post.
Unbelievable Dalia. Makes my stomach turn and tears well up inside. Thanks for the post.
Absolutely devastating! My prayers go out to his family and 4-year-old daughter. Thank you for posting this blog! Oscar Grant’s killing demands national attention! We cannot be silent!
Absolutely devastating! My prayers go out to his family and 4-year-old daughter. Thank you for posting this blog! Oscar Grant’s killing demands national attention! We cannot be silent!
We should eliminate judicially created qualified immunity for cops and limitations on respondeat superior for their governmental bosses and limitations on punitive damages so the full extent of reparations for these constabularial evils can be imposed. The sad reality of life in this Land of the Free and Home of the Brave is that if you do not make bad things super costly, the bad things will not cease.
This is a horrible occurrence, and one that should not be ignored… The saddest thing about this whole incident is that this sort of thing happens frequently. It's amazing to me that this officer isn't in a jail cell right now.
I agree with you, VW. We should take this as an indication of what often happens in police shootings when there are no video cameras to record.
We should eliminate judicially created qualified immunity for cops and limitations on respondeat superior for their governmental bosses and limitations on punitive damages so the full extent of reparations for these constabularial evils can be imposed. The sad reality of life in this Land of the Free and Home of the Brave is that if you do not make bad things super costly, the bad things will not cease.
This is a horrible occurrence, and one that should not be ignored… The saddest thing about this whole incident is that this sort of thing happens frequently. It’s amazing to me that this officer isn’t in a jail cell right now.
I agree with you, VW. We should take this as an indication of what often happens in police shootings when there are no video cameras to record.
Police brutality is too common in our nation. Racist cops should be prosecuted if they kill people essentially based on their color. Unfortunately too many cops who use their weapons needlessly get away with their crimes.
This story is thankfully getting lots of attention now across the USA with items available online from the Chicago Tribune, New York Times and Washington Post.
If you want to keep a track of it http://www.indybay.org is closely monitoring the situation and they are publicizing various meetings, rallies and demonstrations that people can go to in the area. Please check out http://www.indybay.org/police/
I've also spotted events as far a field as Honolulu and Lincoln, NE on Facebook. If you're around, please show your support!
Police brutality is too common in our nation. Racist cops should be prosecuted if they kill people essentially based on their color. Unfortunately too many cops who use their weapons needlessly get away with their crimes.
Allan, as you point out, these are crimes and police officers are too often able to walk away from them without consequence. Imagine if anyone without a police badge did something remotely similar. There is no way that person would still be walking the streets. They would be behind bars facing criminal murder charges. Why should we excuse a person acting outside of the law simply because he is (or was, in this case) a police officer? Law enforcement officials should be held to a higher standard of conduct, not lower.
This story is thankfully getting lots of attention now across the USA with items available online from the Chicago Tribune, New York Times and Washington Post.
If you want to keep a track of it http://www.indybay.org is closely monitoring the situation and they are publicizing various meetings, rallies and demonstrations that people can go to in the area. Please check out http://www.indybay.org/police/
I've also spotted events as far a field as Honolulu and Lincoln, NE on Facebook. If you're around, please show your support!
This story is thankfully getting lots of attention now across the USA with items available online from the Chicago Tribune, New York Times and Washington Post.
If you want to keep a track of it http://www.indybay.org is closely monitoring the situation and they are publicizing various meetings, rallies and demonstrations that people can go to in the area. Please check out http://www.indybay.org/police/
I've also spotted events as far a field as Honolulu and Lincoln, NE on Facebook. If you're around, please show your support!
Allan, as you point out, these are crimes and police officers are too often able to walk away from them without consequence. Imagine if anyone without a police badge did something remotely similar. There is no way that person would still be walking the streets. They would be behind bars facing criminal murder charges. Why should we excuse a person acting outside of the law simply because he is (or was, in this case) a police officer? Law enforcement officials should be held to a higher standard of conduct, not lower.
This story is thankfully getting lots of attention now across the USA with items available online from the Chicago Tribune, New York Times and Washington Post.
If you want to keep a track of it http://www.indybay.org is closely monitoring the situation and they are publicizing various meetings, rallies and demonstrations that people can go to in the area. Please check out http://www.indybay.org/police/
I’ve also spotted events as far a field as Honolulu and Lincoln, NE on Facebook. If you’re around, please show your support!
Go here for more graphic video of the shooting: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idJAr6NUy3E
Go here for more graphic video of the shooting: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idJAr6NUy3E
Go here for more graphic video of the shooting: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idJAr6NUy3E
The truth? The officer was justified, and every black man off the streets lowers crime.
Go here for more graphic video of the shooting: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idJAr6NUy3E
The truth? The officer was justified, and every black man off the streets lowers crime.
"TRUTH": For that prior comment you made regarding the justification on the officer's behalf & your belief on methods to lower crime, you are going to HELL along side the officer who commited this crime.
Burn in hell for eternity.
P.S. Tell the Devil I referred you.
“TRUTH”: For that prior comment you made regarding the justification on the officer’s behalf & your belief on methods to lower crime, you are going to HELL along side the officer who commited this crime.
Burn in hell for eternity.
P.S. Tell the Devil I referred you.
A new era has begun. Keep individual and groups of officer accountable for their actions by videorecording incidents and reporting to news agencies. Officers need to know their lives can be turned upsidedown along with the loss of their career if they abuse their policing power
Police abuse all citizens not just black people. Theis video is horrible and that officer needs to be prosecuted for murder and his 2 accomplices too. If they arnt all thrown in jail and prosecuted to the fullest exctent of the law everyone would be justified in knowing that the government plans to allow police to murder anyone and not do anything about it.
A new era has begun. Keep individual and groups of officer accountable for their actions by videorecording incidents and reporting to news agencies. Officers need to know their lives can be turned upsidedown along with the loss of their career if they abuse their policing power
Police abuse all citizens not just black people. Theis video is horrible and that officer needs to be prosecuted for murder and his 2 accomplices too. If they arnt all thrown in jail and prosecuted to the fullest exctent of the law everyone would be justified in knowing that the government plans to allow police to murder anyone and not do anything about it.
Mike, thanks for your post. Yes, police do abuse people of all races, but people of color tend to experience that abuse at vastly higher rates than their white counterparts. Police misconduct has victims of all races and every incident is inexcusable. We can't ignore, however, that racial profiling and discrimination plays a significant role in making people of color especially vulnerable.
By the way, if there is any doubt about whether or not racially-motivated targeting of black men is a reality, just read the above post from "Truth". He's not the only one who thinks like that. "Truth", thanks for posting. I welcome comments from racists like you. Some people question why it is important or relevant to include Oscar Grant's race in the description of his killing. Your vitriol answers that question better than I ever could. I'm interested to hear from others about whether they think it is important to talk about race in cases of police-abuse and if race played a part in this killing. What do you think?
Mike, thanks for your post. Yes, police do abuse people of all races, but people of color tend to experience that abuse at vastly higher rates than their white counterparts. Police misconduct has victims of all races and every incident is inexcusable. We can’t ignore, however, that racial profiling and discrimination plays a significant role in making people of color especially vulnerable.
By the way, if there is any doubt about whether or not racially-motivated targeting of black men is a reality, just read the above post from “Truth”. He’s not the only one who thinks like that. “Truth”, thanks for posting. I welcome comments from racists like you. Some people question why it is important or relevant to include Oscar Grant’s race in the description of his killing. Your vitriol answers that question better than I ever could. I’m interested to hear from others about whether they think it is important to talk about race in cases of police-abuse and if race played a part in this killing. What do you think?
A new court ruling in New York City will now require the NYPD to realease all information (especially racial background) of victims of police shootings. This requirement well help illustrate a sad truth: most victims of police shootings and police brutality are people of color. So re: Mike's comment that police officers are equal opportunity abusers, I respectfully diasagree and I am sure the public information from NYPD will lead you to reconsider your position.
A new court ruling in New York City will now require the NYPD to realease all information (especially racial background) of victims of police shootings. This requirement well help illustrate a sad truth: most victims of police shootings and police brutality are people of color. So re: Mike’s comment that police officers are equal opportunity abusers, I respectfully diasagree and I am sure the public information from NYPD will lead you to reconsider your position.
Someone brought this article to my attention. It discusses a study of racial bias and policing. Interesting. http://www.colorlines.com/article.php?ID=254
Someone brought this article to my attention. It discusses a study of racial bias and policing. Interesting. http://www.colorlines.com/article.php?ID=254
Someone brought this article to my attention. It discusses a study of racial bias and policing. Interesting. http://www.colorlines.com/article.php?ID=254
Thank you Karim for alerting us to developments in New York City. I'm afraid I couldn't find the court ruling but I did find a reference to a decision made by the New York City Council requiring the NYPD to file annual reports about the use of deadly force by officers.
My understanding is that the report from the NYPD would have to be submitted to the Council and would detail:
1) the circumstances surrounding incidents where officers fire their weapons;
2) a precinct by precinct and borough by borough breakdown of incidents;
3) the reason for the firearm discharge (i.e. – accidental, adversarial, etc.);
4) the race, gender and age of any individual engaged in adversarial conflict with an officer or third party that results in a firearms discharge.
Check it out at http://council.nyc.gov/html/releases/prestated_1_…
Further commentary was made in the New York Times, http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/08/nyregion/08fire…
It seems to me that this level of analysis and report-making should, if not already in existence, be adopted by forces nationwide to assist in monitoring the incidents of police shootings.
Thank you Karim for alerting us to developments in New York City. I'm afraid I couldn't find the court ruling but I did find a reference to a decision made by the New York City Council requiring the NYPD to file annual reports about the use of deadly force by officers.
My understanding is that the report from the NYPD would have to be submitted to the Council and would detail:
1) the circumstances surrounding incidents where officers fire their weapons;
2) a precinct by precinct and borough by borough breakdown of incidents;
3) the reason for the firearm discharge (i.e. – accidental, adversarial, etc.);
4) the race, gender and age of any individual engaged in adversarial conflict with an officer or third party that results in a firearms discharge.
Check it out at http://council.nyc.gov/html/releases/prestated_1_…
Further commentary was made in the New York Times, http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/08/nyregion/08fire…
It seems to me that this level of analysis and report-making should, if not already in existence, be adopted by forces nationwide to assist in monitoring the incidents of police shootings.
Thank you Karim for alerting us to developments in New York City. I'm afraid I couldn't find the court ruling but I did find a reference to a decision made by the New York City Council requiring the NYPD to file annual reports about the use of deadly force by officers.
My understanding is that the report from the NYPD would have to be submitted to the Council and would detail:
1) the circumstances surrounding incidents where officers fire their weapons;
2) a precinct by precinct and borough by borough breakdown of incidents;
3) the reason for the firearm discharge (i.e. – accidental, adversarial, etc.);
4) the race, gender and age of any individual engaged in adversarial conflict with an officer or third party that results in a firearms discharge.
Check it out at http://council.nyc.gov/html/releases/prestated_1_…
Further commentary was made in the New York Times, http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/08/nyregion/08fire…
It seems to me that this level of analysis and report-making should, if not already in existence, be adopted by forces nationwide to assist in monitoring the incidents of police shootings.
Someone brought this article to my attention. It discusses a study of racial bias and policing. Interesting. http://www.colorlines.com/article.php?ID=254
you don't need a study to figure out that cops are naturally violent people who could care less about the law or doing what is right. alot of them are downright crazy. case in point http://www.nydailynews.com/news/ny_crime/2009/01/…
you don't need a study to figure out that cops are naturally violent people who could care less about the law or doing what is right. alot of them are downright crazy. case in point http://www.nydailynews.com/news/ny_crime/2009/01/…
you don't need a study to figure out that cops are naturally violent people who could care less about the law or doing what is right. alot of them are downright crazy. case in point http://www.nydailynews.com/news/ny_crime/2009/01/…
Thank you Karim for alerting us to developments in New York City. I’m afraid I couldn’t find the court ruling but I did find a reference to a decision made by the New York City Council requiring the NYPD to file annual reports about the use of deadly force by officers.
My understanding is that the report from the NYPD would have to be submitted to the Council and would detail:
1) the circumstances surrounding incidents where officers fire their weapons;
2) a precinct by precinct and borough by borough breakdown of incidents;
3) the reason for the firearm discharge (i.e. – accidental, adversarial, etc.);
4) the race, gender and age of any individual engaged in adversarial conflict with an officer or third party that results in a firearms discharge.
Check it out at http://council.nyc.gov/html/releases/prestated_1_07_09.shtml
Further commentary was made in the New York Times,
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/08/nyregion/08firearms.html?_r=1&emc=eta1
It seems to me that this level of analysis and report-making should, if not already in existence, be adopted by forces nationwide to assist in monitoring the incidents of police shootings.
you don’t need a study to figure out that cops are naturally violent people who could care less about the law or doing what is right. alot of them are downright crazy. case in point http://www.nydailynews.com/news/ny_crime/2009/01/12/2009-01-12_cops_nypd_lieutenant_francis_cole_killed.html
Johannes Mehserles, the officer who shot Oscar Grant, has now been arrested and charged with murder http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/…
Johannes Mehserles, the officer who shot Oscar Grant, has now been arrested and charged with murder http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/…
Johannes Mehserles, the officer who shot Oscar Grant, has now been arrested and charged with murder http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/…
Johannes Mehserles, the officer who shot Oscar Grant, has now been arrested and charged with murder http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/01/14/BAJE15A6O2.DTL
Death sentence to, Mehserle. Nothing else.
I will make sure that you will get a death sentence.
You will go to hell.
I will be glad to execute you if nobody else will.
You are less than the most vicious animal in the universe.
ALL of your genes need to become extinct.
How dear you take a human life like that. Your father's sperm must have been contaminated with most disgusting virus on earth.
What was your mother is thinking to bring you into this life.
SHAME ON HER.
I will make sure you get a death sentence.
By the way, I am not an African American, if that what you are thinking.
I am not a racist, a decent human being, not an useless living creature like you.
Death sentence to, Mehserle. Nothing else.
I will make sure that you will get a death sentence.
You will go to hell.
I will be glad to execute you if nobody else will.
You are less than the most vicious animal in the universe.
ALL of your genes need to become extinct.
How dear you take a human life like that. Your father’s sperm must have been contaminated with most disgusting virus on earth.
What was your mother is thinking to bring you into this life.
SHAME ON HER.
I will make sure you get a death sentence.
By the way, I am not an African American, if that what you are thinking.
I am not a racist, a decent human being, not an useless living creature like you.
Laura you ignorant slut, Mehserle is being held out as a sacrificial lamb. The man made a tragic mistake that he must now live with for the rest of his life. All of you here want to bad mouth cops, but try living without them. If you act like an animal then expect to be put in a cage. The liberal media will never tell you that Mr. Grant was a recently out of prison on parole. You won't hear a word about what he and his friends were doing on the train to get pulled off and detained. You won't hear that he was probably going back to prison for a violation of his parole. To charge this man with murder you must first prove intent. There was no intent, just a tragic mistake. You fucking liberals make me want to puke. Get a life and join the real world. Bad things happen to bad people. Oscar Grant was not an inocent bystander.
Laura you ignorant slut, Mehserle is being held out as a sacrificial lamb. The man made a tragic mistake that he must now live with for the rest of his life. All of you here want to bad mouth cops, but try living without them. If you act like an animal then expect to be put in a cage. The liberal media will never tell you that Mr. Grant was a recently out of prison on parole. You won’t hear a word about what he and his friends were doing on the train to get pulled off and detained. You won’t hear that he was probably going back to prison for a violation of his parole. To charge this man with murder you must first prove intent. There was no intent, just a tragic mistake. You fucking liberals make me want to puke. Get a life and join the real world. Bad things happen to bad people. Oscar Grant was not an inocent bystander.
I am so happy to hear your comment. People like you exists everywhere.
It is none of my business, but it is no doubt you will go to HELL, along with that less-than a human creature.
How funny!!!!!! HAHAHAHAHA
I have better things to do than dealing with people that don't deserve my attention, so I am not coming back to visit this page.
By the way, I work for a prominent newspaper company in Europe studying about racial problems here in the US. I know all about what certain less-than a human people did to poor African Americans.
I will publish your comment on my paper and millions of people will read it. So thank you very much for your valuable opinion to show how XXXXXX you are.
It is really amusing to see your reaction.
I am so happy to hear your comment. People like you exists everywhere.
It is none of my business, but it is no doubt you will go to HELL, along with that less-than a human creature.
How funny!!!!!! HAHAHAHAHA
I have better things to do than dealing with people that don’t deserve my attention, so I am not coming back to visit this page.
By the way, I work for a prominent newspaper company in Europe studying about racial problems here in the US. I know all about what certain less-than a human people did to poor African Americans.
I will publish your comment on my paper and millions of people will read it. So thank you very much for your valuable opinion to show how XXXXXX you are.
It is really amusing to see your reaction.
typically USA, all this started bad, it continued to be the same and for sure to be stopped it will be mindblowing hard, if Bush wasn't working so hard his way to those oil pipes aka "terrorism" and he would fought the war on racism, maybe that wouldn't happen anymore, but if you can't do the math, he just wasted many years with all that BS while the biggest problems are still in it's own country, i bet on how much you want, that terrorism wasn't a problem untill he made it to be a problem.
the best way to see how much he cares about that country is by checking two simple things, see in how much time he sent aid for Katrina and the same for Iraq or any other country that he attacked, it's crystal clear.
imho USA will never be affected by any other country, it will self-destroy.
typically USA, all this started bad, it continued to be the same and for sure to be stopped it will be mindblowing hard, if Bush wasn’t working so hard his way to those oil pipes aka “terrorism” and he would fought the war on racism, maybe that wouldn’t happen anymore, but if you can’t do the math, he just wasted many years with all that BS while the biggest problems are still in it’s own country, i bet on how much you want, that terrorism wasn’t a problem untill he made it to be a problem.
the best way to see how much he cares about that country is by checking two simple things, see in how much time he sent aid for Katrina and the same for Iraq or any other country that he attacked, it’s crystal clear.
imho USA will never be affected by any other country, it will self-destroy.
Claudel, thanks for bringing an important international perspective. People think it is ironic that we've started wars in two countries (I should qualify that by saying, in recent years) and despite all the rhetoric used for justification of those wars, we have some pretty awful abuses happening domestically that aren't unrelated to some of our accusations. We get a good reminder of that when China releases their human rights report on the U.S. after the State Dept releases our report on China.
Claudel, thanks for bringing an important international perspective. People think it is ironic that we’ve started wars in two countries (I should qualify that by saying, in recent years) and despite all the rhetoric used for justification of those wars, we have some pretty awful abuses happening domestically that aren’t unrelated to some of our accusations. We get a good reminder of that when China releases their human rights report on the U.S. after the State Dept releases our report on China.
I am grieving the death of James L. Harris who was shot between 2-6 times in the head in Columbus, Ohio on March 3, 2009. We grew up together and slept in the same bed as children. He was no saint. He was a warrior. He however played fair. He understood the rules of engagement and abided by them. If caught breaking the law and was convicted and sentenced he would've accepted whatever penalties the state or nation placed on him with a somber but proud disposition. He was willing to do the time, if he was willing to do the crime. I however am not him. I am what's left of him to represent his legacy on earth until my number is called. He had two children, and hopefully my children and a lot of children will do the same for me. I guess what bothers me is how quickly we arrive at conclusions without the due diligence it would take to consider ourselves informed about the murder, and i repeat murder of innocent, (until proven guilty.or am i reading the wrong document?), men being murdered at the hands of the police who are supposed to be partners in our community that represent the lawful and ordered peace that we all as americans are entitled to. The facts are that the police did not know who he was or what his prior offenses were. He was unarmed and pinned inside of a vehicle that he could not escape from. he was removed from the vehicle by the jaws of life. he was shot in the head more than once. the fact is that the law calls for the judgement of a mans ways and actions by a jury of his peers, unless i'm reading this document wrong. when did it become ok to decide for yourself regardles of what you wore to work. a bakers apron or a police uniform. whether or not someone gets to stand trial in front of his peers and face their judgement as to the consequences of their actions? the facts are that even without knowing who he was or what he was guilty of an unnarmed man was MURDERED by officers of the peace. If it was you, or your son or nephew would you still hold the same contempt? There are black officers on the force too you know. if they thought your unarmed son was reaching for something and there were thirty of them and one of him, would you sign a document that stated you thought their actions were just? How should I feel? Quinn feels nothing anymore. His children will feel alot. What should i tell them? In america you can be murdered for being a suspect of a crime so don't ever go anywhere because the police might think youre waving a gun when you're tryiing to tell them you surrender, and are trapped in a vehicle that required the jaws of life to remove you from? that you havent stopped because your foot is trapped on the accelerator and you cant get it to the brake pedal? or that you should be murdered because you can't comply to the officers orders because your nose is broken you're swallowing blood and AGAIN you are trapped inside of a vehicle? You cant put your hands outside of the vehicle because youre pinned between the sterring wheel and the back seat and you cant even breathe? Please advise. By the way. I'm going to law school and wait till you haters get a load of me!!!!
I am grieving the death of James L. Harris who was shot between 2-6 times in the head in Columbus, Ohio on March 3, 2009. We grew up together and slept in the same bed as children. He was no saint. He was a warrior. He however played fair. He understood the rules of engagement and abided by them. If caught breaking the law and was convicted and sentenced he would’ve accepted whatever penalties the state or nation placed on him with a somber but proud disposition. He was willing to do the time, if he was willing to do the crime. I however am not him. I am what’s left of him to represent his legacy on earth until my number is called. He had two children, and hopefully my children and a lot of children will do the same for me. I guess what bothers me is how quickly we arrive at conclusions without the due diligence it would take to consider ourselves informed about the murder, and i repeat murder of innocent, (until proven guilty.or am i reading the wrong document?), men being murdered at the hands of the police who are supposed to be partners in our community that represent the lawful and ordered peace that we all as americans are entitled to. The facts are that the police did not know who he was or what his prior offenses were. He was unarmed and pinned inside of a vehicle that he could not escape from. he was removed from the vehicle by the jaws of life. he was shot in the head more than once. the fact is that the law calls for the judgement of a mans ways and actions by a jury of his peers, unless i’m reading this document wrong. when did it become ok to decide for yourself regardles of what you wore to work. a bakers apron or a police uniform. whether or not someone gets to stand trial in front of his peers and face their judgement as to the consequences of their actions? the facts are that even without knowing who he was or what he was guilty of an unnarmed man was MURDERED by officers of the peace. If it was you, or your son or nephew would you still hold the same contempt? There are black officers on the force too you know. if they thought your unarmed son was reaching for something and there were thirty of them and one of him, would you sign a document that stated you thought their actions were just? How should I feel? Quinn feels nothing anymore. His children will feel alot. What should i tell them? In america you can be murdered for being a suspect of a crime so don’t ever go anywhere because the police might think youre waving a gun when you’re tryiing to tell them you surrender, and are trapped in a vehicle that required the jaws of life to remove you from? that you havent stopped because your foot is trapped on the accelerator and you cant get it to the brake pedal? or that you should be murdered because you can’t comply to the officers orders because your nose is broken you’re swallowing blood and AGAIN you are trapped inside of a vehicle? You cant put your hands outside of the vehicle because youre pinned between the sterring wheel and the back seat and you cant even breathe? Please advise. By the way. I’m going to law school and wait till you haters get a load of me!!!!
if there really justice in america when was the last time a black police officer killed a white
individual in america
but you want me to beleive that there is justice and equal treatment in this legal system not one
case in america where a black police officer killeds a white individual ""get Real''
I am of Mexican/American Nationality.And I recently seen the movie ,Fruitvale station.I also read About Oscar's real life.It is so sad what the police Does.He was innocent. God almighty will bring justice.And it will prevail.We are all the same.Are blood is the same color.Our skin colors are different.But yet it is still skin.We are human.The majority of these cops treat us with disrespect,if we aren't white.God bless you all.My prayers to all of Oscar's family and to all those who suffer police brutality. Raphael.