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A white B.A.R.T. which stands for Bay Area Rapid Transit officer Johannes Mehserle was convicted of involuntary manslaughter Thursday in the killing of a UNARMED black men Oscar Grant. The incident happened on New Years Day of 2009 where Grant was lying face down on the platform, Mehserle testified that Grant was reaching into his pocket and Mehserle reached for his Taser but pulled out his .40 caliber handgun and shot Grant. The shooting was captured on 5 cell phones and was distributed on the internet causing riots that night.
Mehserle stated that he got the two weapons confused and said the incident was a accident and said Grant and his friends who also where detained posed a threat. The jurors of eight women and four men, seven white, three hispanic, one Asian, and one who did not release their race where faced of possibly convicting Mehserle of second degree murder or voluntary manslaughter. Jurors believed that the former officer acted with "reckless disregard for human life".
Mehserle faces two the four years in prison but he could petition for probation and that's it. The jury found Mehserle guilty of a gun enhancement which was added to California laws to add time to criminals using guns to commit crime, which is causing a bit of confusion, the gun enhancement law requires criminals to intentionally discharged a fire arm, but here is the confusion, if the jury believes by adding the gun enhancement law that Mehserle intentionally discharged the firearm, which would lead to second degree murder or voluntary manslaughter not involuntary manslaughter because they believe Mehserle knew he had a gun in his hand.
I can guarantee that the defense attorney will argue that gun enhancement law does not apply. But the jury could be arguing that Mehserle fired a weapon the taser which leads to the gun enhancement law. Judge Robert Perry will decide later this summer.
Anyway with all that check the joint about the proceedings. link down below.
http://usershare.net/rhe47oqlkvew
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