A Murderer, Caught on Video, Walks Free

Yes, Johannes Mehserle, who executed Oscar Grant, in cold blood and on video, was granted an early release. Mehserle served only 11 months of his 2 year sentence. This excellent article from Mother Jones puts Mehserle’s Sentence in Perspective showing how he did less time than Wesley Snipes is doing for “income tax fraud” and Plaxico Burress did for shooting himself.

Perhaps even more upsetting, is the fact that Mehserle did any time and was even convicted of any crime, is itself a small victory. Most officers walk away Scott free for killing or beating black men, and I’m sure Mehserle would have too, if it were not video evidence he murdered Oscar Grant with no provocation.

This is why police all over the country are confiscating or destroying any video of them in the “act of duty”. In Miami, police ordered a videographer, at gun point no less, to turn over his phone. His crime was recording them shooting a man to death. You would think that if the police would have done their jobs correctly, they would want the world to see the video, not the opposite. A camera phone is the best weapon we have to prove police misconduct, but even with irrefutable evidence, we still don’t get justice.

Long live Oscar Grant

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSFs1CQYDgYv