Sicc,
Post up some of the stories you know about involving police brutality.
I'm taking a speech class in college and I need a topic, I think police brutality and the under-punished cops who did the crime would be an interesting and controversial topic.
Plus, if I got to do homework, I might as well learn about some shit I'm interested in and making a compelling argument on why I'm right and fuck everyone else. hahah
I'll start us off.
Oscar Grant, I know yall remember that shit.
The cop that did it, Johannes Mehserle, got 2 years with time served counting.
Charged with involuntary manslaughter and will be eligible to get out in a year or so.
2 year sentence for murder... justice?
Johannes Mehserle got 2 years because the DA presented the case incorrectly. The question is, was it on purpose?
Was it a case of protecting their own? Let me lay out the facts and you be the judge....
According to the language as described in California Penal Code section 187, first degree murder occurs when the act of killing was either premeditated or during the commision of a felony (big 8 for you legal buffs).
When assessing these facts, we must first look at the circumstances and events leading up to the shooting. Mr. Grant and company were being detained for an incident related to a physical altercaion on the BART train. At the time, Mr. Grant and his friends were sitting down on the platform complying with the on scene officers' orders and were not seen resisiting. An officer Pirrone walks up and points at Grant. Grant stands up as if to say what did I do. He was then tackled and placed face down on his stomach with 3-4 other officers hovering over him. It does not appear as if he was in a position to reach for a weapon as Mehserle originally stated to fellow officers immediately proceeding the shooting. "I thought he was going for a gun Tony." Was the force necessary to begin with? Tasing an individual is described as being a "torturous" act. Could this act constitute felony assault as described in California Penal Code section 245? The argument easily could be made it does.
Now, was Mehserle's conduct given the facts, unnecessary, reckless and excessive? Did this act result in a homicide? Obviously to obtain a first degree murder conviction the act needs to have been premeditated and I doubt Mehserle intended to kill Grant. But was his conduct within the realm of "reckless behavior" resulting in death as described in a 2nd degree murder given all the facts? This is off the top of my head, but I could easily put together an argument citing statutes and case law to support my position. 2nd degree murder was there, the DA just played us....
The public outcry made it easy for them to mishandle this case and is yet another slap in the face of the people, imo....
Some good points for you to raise in your discussion. It will stir the pot for sure....
Just testing my pimping. I did this in 10 minutes. Trying to work on a skill. Don't mind me.
