By Diana Alonzo, Tyrese Johnson, and Adimu Madyun
OAKLAND, CA – Oakland Voices correspondents have spread throughout the city to get reactions from residents following the Johannes Mehserle verdict. The former BART police officer was found guilty today of involuntary manslaughter in the shooting death of Oscar Grant III last year.
“This is an absurd miscarriage of justice. It was an obvious murder,” said Oakland resident Duane Deterville. “Everyone saw the shooting. Anyone who’s not a racist can see it.” Deterville also said the jury’s decision, “underlines how much hasn’t changed in regard to policing of black and brown people in this country.”
Observing the reaction of Oakland residents to the verdict, Deterville said, “People are not happy. How could you be? People are glad the shooting and the case were visible enough to make it to court. But there’s a feeling there was some game playing with the judge and the jury.”
When asked how he thought people should respond to the verdict, Deterville said, “Ah! That’s a tough one. All I have to say is, timing is everything.”
Sammy is a security guard and a 25 year resident of downtown Oakland. As protesters shouted “burn this justice system down” and “we don’t got no time for talking, it’s time for violence,” Sammy said people in Oakland should “keep their heads straight” and avoid violence.
A resident named Dr. M was handing out protest literature near the corner of 14th Street and Broadway in downtown Oakland. About this verdict, he said, “This isn’t our party. This is the white people’s party. We had our party. Oscar Grant was already handled by Lovelle Mixon.”
Mixon was an Oakland man involved in a shootout that included four OPD officers on March 21, 2009. Mixon and the four officers died. Dr M’s view points echo the sentiments of many in the community who feel the officers’ deaths were payback for years of police abuse.
Many Oakland residents see the jury’s decision as deeply flawed. Dr. M said it points to something wrong with the way America’s legal system treats black people . “We ain’t gonna get justice in America. This is all about race. That’s all America is, is racism.”
Actor and comedian Mark Curry is an Oakland native who expressed his frustration with the trial’s outcome. “The word ‘guilty’ hasn’t been said in about 30 years involving cops.”
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There are times when being in the wrong place and being a person of color or lower economic class, could land you in the back seat (if lucky) of a police car. Pre-mature death for any one is not a good thing. I believe that people all over the country are feeling a lack of hope……..
Hope that things are going to improve.
In my city of Savannah, people of color are being arrested on “out of the blue” charges. When they get to court the “powers that be” tells them it was a mistake, pay the court $2000. and you can go free. And that is if you are lucky, yes we here have a case of a young African american man gunned down by police. And very little is being done to address the out come of this murder by police. Perhaps they will write it off as suicide by police, when it is all said and done. Let us not close our eyes to what is happening all a round the country. Oakland is just letting the world and the country know something is wrong here…….
Really, Michelle? People are just being arrested in this country and not being charged with anything? They just have to sit in their cells for a few hours and think about how black they are? Really? Try coming back to reality.
Right on Marcus. One less thug the police have to deal with
It’s not that simple, Marcus. Law abiding people get arrested simply because of the color of their skin, their accents, or any of a number of reasons not related to the actual law.
How do you get the cops to stop arresting you? Quit breaking the law.
Surely there were some oakland residents satisfied with the verdict? Nice even-kealed reporting.
Frankly, too, it’s offensive that that psychopath Mixon’s actions could be considered justified in any way. What a rag.
Who’s happy? It’s sad for all involved, but Oakland gotta get a grip about their relation with the cops. Go ahead, if u hate your police department so much, don’t have one, fire everybody, u will save $ too. Everybody knows not to be confrontational with an officer. Did u not learned anything from professor Gate? But no, u Oaklanders is about all machism. Stop playing for tired race card. Like I say, sad for everybody.