Pictured above is family attorney John Burris, who is pursuing a $50 million civil action against BART and officers on the Fruitvale platform when Oscar Grant was murdered on New Year's Day 2009. In BART's last official statement on the civil suit, BART blamed Oscar Grant for having been shot in the back by Johannes Mehserle.

BART's PR machine plays both sides, good cop and bad cop, as it defends itself from the ire of community activists and the three civil suits filed to date. On the one hand, BART firmly attacks anyone who dares challenge them, even making petty moves such as denying the family a sound system and stage for the January 1st one-year anniversary vigil at Fruitvale BART; and, on the other hand, giving press conferences intended to feign community support it does not have or giving the family flowers on the same stage for which BART refused to pay. BART is also unafraid to lie to the public when it supports the false story that they are committed to real reform.

In short, BART has done nothing when it comes to real substantive actions such as holding any officers or their supervisors accountable for the abuse of Oscar Grant and his friends on January 1st, 2009, and the ensuing cover-up attempts, instead preferring to make symbolic gestures of sympathy or action in front of the cameras.


LA Coalition for Justice Rises Up at First LA Mehserle Hearing, 1/8/09: photos and video
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2010/01/10/18634889.php

LA Coalition for Justice for Oscar Grant Press Conference, 1/8/09: photos and full audio
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2010/01/11/18634912.php



January 12th: Demand Strong Civilian Oversight at Assembly Hearing on BART Police Oversight - http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2009/12/22/18633424.php

State Capital Building
Room 126
Sacramento, CA