Clio Logo

This entry is saved as a draft, but has not been submitted for review.

Oscar Grant's Death at BART Station

Introduction

Text-to-speech Audio

Oscar Grant, a Black innocent man who was killed on New Years Day 2009, by a BART Station Police Officer in San Francisco, California.The unarmed Grant was pinned down by two BART officers while a third officer, Johannes Mehserle shot Grant in the back. Grant is one of the many young African American males who faced police brutality in 2009. Grant's death awakened many people about police brutality which led to more protest around the world.

Images

New Years Day 2009, Oscar Grant being aggressively pinned down by BART police officers, moments before he was fatally shot in the back.

New Years Day 2009, Oscar Grant being aggressively pinned down by BART police officers, moments before he was fatally shot in the back.

Johannes Mehserle receiving a two year in jail for Manslaughter on Oscar Grant.

Johannes Mehserle receiving a two year in jail for Manslaughter on Oscar Grant.

After Mehserle only serving 11 months of a two year sentence, protesters began to demand justice for the death of Oscar Grant.

After Mehserle only serving 11 months of a two year sentence, protesters began to demand justice for the death of Oscar Grant.

Backstory and Context

Text-to-speech Audio

Oscar Grant was a 22-year old retail worker and young father (Bulwa, Demian, 2018). Oscar was born and raised in Hayward, California. He was the son of Wanda Johnson, a United Parcel Service Supervisor (Bulwa, Demian, 2018). She raised Oscar without any help from his father who was serving life in jail for murder (Bulwa, Demian, 2018). Grant worked multiple jobs including KFC, a marketplace, and a medicine delivery service, but his hope was to become a barber (Bulwa, Demian, 2018).

On New Year's Day 2009, Grant was at the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) station in Oakland, California, when a fight a fight broke out on one of the BART trains coming from San Francisco (McLauglin). BART police officer Johannes Mehserle pulled his weapon as two other police pinned Grant face down on the ground (McLauglin). As Mehserle drew his gun, he shot the unarmed Grant in the back. The next morning, Oscar Grant was pronounced dead at the Highland Hospital in Oakland (McLauglin). The shooting was recorded by multiple witnesses on their cellphones and was shared widely social media. Days after the shooting, violent and peaceful protest took place (McLauglin)..

Johannes Mehserle was sentenced to a two year sentence in prison,though he was released early after only serving 11 months(“Ex-BART”, 2011).When Mehserle was set free, it refueled resentment within the Black community given the seemingly light consequences for the killing of Oscar Grant. The video of the shooting continued to circulate on social media after Johannes was released, drawing global attention and outcry.

Many in the Black community saw Mehserle's light sentence as unfair. The shooting sparkled multiple debates about racism and police brutality ("Ex-BART",2011). Protesters that attended Mehserle's trial began to speak publicly, while the killing of Grant awakened many people to the issue of police brutality. The Tragedy drew so much attention that it became the subject of a 2013 feature film, "Fruitvale Station".

Sources

Bulwa, Demian, and Rachel Swan. “10 Years since Oscar Grant's Death: What Happened at Fruitvale Station?” SFChronicle.com, San Francisco Chronicle, 28 Dec. 2018,www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/10-years-since-Oscar-Grant-s-death-What-13489585.php.

“Ex-BART Officer Johannes Mehserle Released after 11 Months in Prison.” NBCNews.com, NBCUniversal News Group, 13 June 2011, www.nbcnews.com/id/43376251/ns/us_news-crime_and_courts/t/ex-bart-officer-johannes-mehserle-released-after-months-prison/#.XLpGxOjYrnE.

McLaughlin, Michael. “Ex-Officer Who Killed Unarmed Black Man Wins Lawsuit.” HuffPost, HuffPost, 7 Dec. 2017, www.huffpost.com/entry/oscar-grant-lawsuit-bart-officer_n_5548719.