Los Angeles Coalition for Justice for Oscar Grant to US Obama/Holder Justice Dept

From: Los Angeles Coalition for Justice for Oscar Grant
To: US Obama/Holder Justice Dept

300 South Spring Street
Los Angeles, CA 90013-1256
AskDOJ [at] usdoj.gov
U.S. Department of Justice
950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20530-0001


We demand Justice Department intervention in the current trial of ex-BART officer Johannes Mehserle to protect the civil rights of the victim, Oscar Grant, his family, the Oakland community, and all of California. This is the first time in state history a police officer is charged with murder for line-of-duty homicide.

The case was moved hundreds of miles from the crime scene to Los Angeles. It was assigned to Judge Robert Perry, already infamous for whitewashing the notorious LAPD/Rampart scandal. Now all Black residents have been excluded from the jury which is supposed to be reflective of the community of Los Angeles County. The victim's prior criminal history has been ruled to be relevant evidence while the killer's prior disciplinary police record has been ruled to be irrelevant, demonstrating once again the inability or unwillingness of local courts to ensure justice and protect the civil rights of its residents.

Does Los Angeles want to return to 1992? The Justice Dept must intervene now, before the slanted, parochial local courts are permitted to allow this murderer in uniform to walk free.


Sincerely,
Jubilee Shine
Los Angeles Coalition for Justice for Oscar Grant