UPDATED: Johannes Mehserle: Guilty of Involuntary Manslaughter
(Left) Johannes Mehserle; (right) the scene at the Fruitvale BART station where Oscar Grant was shot by former BART police officer, Mehserle, on New Year's Day 2009. Mehserle testified that he mistakenly pulled out his pistol instead of a stun gun when he shot and killed an unarmed black man who was lying face down on an Oakland train platform.(AP Photo/ Los Angeles County Superior Court)
A Los Angeles jury reached a verdict: BART cop Johannes Mehserle is guilty of involuntary manslaughter. He was convicted of killing Oscar Grant on New Year's Day 2009.
Involuntary manslaughter comes with a 2 - 4 year prison sentence.
Update 4:20: Sentencing will be handed down on August 6.
Outside the LA County Courthouse, a member of the LA Coalition for Justice is giving an angry speech. Among other things, he is calling the verdict a cover up.
Update 4:35: Attorney for Oscar Grant's family says the family is "extremely disappointed" in the "compromised verdict."
Update 4:50: Frank Chu is in Oakland, live at the scene.
Update 4:54 PM: KRON4 reports: "There are no reports of riots. KRON 4's Christine Connolly at the Fruitvale BART station describes it as very quiet."
4:56: With all due respect to the dearly departed, Rev. Keith Mohammed, who is speaking right now in front of the courtroom, is sure spouting lots of gibberish. He's asking for Mayor Dellums to call in the "federal authorities" for justice. Oy.
5:04: Oscar Grant's mother is very upset. "This battle is not over," she says, while mentioning God, Jesus Christ and "Our Lord and Savior." She also yelled "He was murdered," several times.
5:32: Mark Curry (AKA Hanging With Mr. Cooper) is live on KGO. Also, the scene at 14th and Broadway are getting tense. Except a more heated scene as the night approaches.
5:36: Several members of the crowd are attacking police cars. A mild, but noteworthy, skirmish.
5:46: A group from Unitarian Universalism have arrived to protest peacefully. You can hear people saying "fuck the police" on the news. Oh dear.
6:14: 12th Street BART station in Oakland is closed. But only due to crowding, not rioting. Speaking of which, it appears that things are going relatively smoothly right now. Come on, Oakland. The media will be so sad if you don't riot! We kid, though. Please don't do that.
6:20: Carolyn Tyler, our new most favorite person in the world, is dancing to a live smooth-jazz band in Oakland. God bless her. She's attempting to show that there are other things going on in Oakland besides Oscar Grant-ness.
6:25: Wha? The Chronicle just published an editorial saying the verdict was the right decision. Well then.
Update 7:00: No civil unrest in Marin. Whew. Also, according to ABC 7's Carolyn Tyler, people are treating the scene at 14th and Broadway like a "picnic," even bringing their babies along. "I wouldn't take my baby here, that's for sure," she quipped.
7:04: East Bay Express say Mehserle could face up to 14 years depending on whether or not the judge hands down a gun enhancement charge.
7:08: Over on ABC 7, Oscar Grant's father speaks: "This is Oakland...Let's get this place going. I don't like the verdict, but I wasn't on the jury. If you're going to protest, protest non-violently. We got to live together. Let's be peaceful."
7:17: All seems calm. Oakland Police say there's an estimated 500 to 800 people on the streets of Oakland protesting tonight. Oakland Mayor Ron Dellums, looking like a cult leader (see below), said during a press conference that he talked to Grant's family who, once again, called for peace.
7:57: Things heating up a little, protesters getting in cops' faces and cops wrestling a few people to the ground at City Center in Oakland. Crowd is getting louder. There are cops stationed on rooftops. And the East Bay Express is Twittering their way through the crowd.
8:05: The KRON4 correspondents are chatting about how the riot police (almost) outnumber the protesters, and more and more are being dispatched to downtown where they're starting to compress the existing crowd toward City Hall, thereby discouraging newcomers from getting into the thick of things.
Update 8:15: Troy Holden, who you should follow because he's updating live from Oakland, snapped this shot of a trash can on fire.
Troy Holden
Update 8:20: Protesters are chanting, "The whole world is watching -- justice in the street!"
8:27: Word is things are starting to erupt a bit. @Troy tweets, "Someone is throwing things at the OPD. Walgreens windows are smashed."
8:38: Fireworks are going off. "Things are taking a turn for the worse," says a KRON 4 reports. The Appeal reports, "[P]olice have declared the gathering at 14th and Broadway an 'unlawful assembly' after bottles and rocks have been thrown, breaking a window."
8:41: Footlocker is being looted, with people throwing shoes into the street reports @Troy.
8:53: We hearing word that Far East National Bank (which might be abandoned) is being looted. Also, according to KRON 4, "marijuana is in the air."
8:56: The scene around 14th and Broadway is being described as "literally chaotic," says a KRON 4 reports. More trashcans are on fire along Broadway. OPD are holding another press conference right now.
9:10: CBS 5's Joe Vazquez says, "Looters have scattered." Arrested protesters seem to be laughing and having a ball. Police have put on gas masks.
9:12: Photos from today's verdict reaction in Oakland.
9:19: On the other side of the Bay in San Francisco, SFist's Jay Barnnman, walking along Market and 7th Streets, details the following encounter, "Just had a random toothless man with crazy eyes get in my face and scream 'Guilty!'"
9:28: BART says service is back to normal through 12th St./Oakland City Center Station.
9:30: OPD are reporting that a few protester ("anarchists") are "throwing M-1000s" at police officers.
9:45: Word is the looters and rioters were out-of-town protest fetishists (a vile lot) looking to cause chaos.
9:55: SFist's pal Zennie was in Oakland. Reporting from 14th and Broadway, he interview\ed everyone from a socialist denouncing capitalism to Oakland council members to comedian Mark Curry.
10:12: A jewelery business at 1980 Broadway was looted. The crowd moves up to 20th Street.
10:30: Oakland has settled down. Also, no reports of any verdict-related disturbances in San Francisco. SFPD spokesperson Officer Samson Chan explains to SF Appeal, "We're pretty much monitoring the whole city, and we will adjust the hours of our officers if needed," but so far it's been quiet.
10:34: Dellums delivers yet another press conference (still wearing his new age blouse). He thanks the police and peaceful protesters.
10:40: Chief Anthony Batts thanks the 15 agencies working tonight. Batts gives a hat tip to Oscar Grant, saying, "The way his life was lost...touches us here at the police agency, too." Police are focused on arrests, specially on the 1700 block of Broadway and 1700 block of Franklin. "This city is not the wild, wild west," he warns. No serious injures reported.
10:53: Possible looting of Whole Foods at Harrison and 27th. (Goji berries for everyone!)
11:08: Police are forming a "containment line" at one of the hot spots. Speaking of which, here's a map of tonight's Oscar Grant trial disturbances.
11:31: Unnecessary ire directed at KRON 4 tonight. Not sure why. Contagious whiff of mob mentality in the air? KRON's coverage was epic. Self-described independent media outlets, however, did a piss-poor job in comparison. Frustrating.
11:40: BART: "19th Street Station will remain closed for the rest of the evening. Some entrances at 12th Street Station are closed, but service continues there. BART service for the day will end within the hour, so this will be the last update this evening. We'll resume these notifications tomorrow if conditions warrant."
11:45: Oakland remains peaceful, more or less, but it proved a tranquil night compared to media predictions. This is as good a time as any to sign off. See you tomorrow. Until then, we leave you with this image. Good night, Bay Area. Stay safe.
