Los Angeles, CA – Protesters shouted loudly outside the Los Angeles Superior Courthouse as the killer cop Mehserle walked into, and when he exited, the court. Mehserle was given a slap on the wrist for the murder of Oscar Grant, a 22-year-old African-American father. The murder occurred in an Oakland, California train station as over a hundred passengers looked on.

Oscar Grant died at Mehserle's hands. His name adds to a long list of mostly oppressed nationalities, especially African Americans and the poor, killed by on-duty police officers. His death is yet another example of the national oppression of African-Americans, where police believe themselves to be above the law. Standing over Grant's back, Mehserle heard, “Bitch ass n_____,” from his partner's lips and pulled the trigger, silencing a young Black man with the shameless resolve of a 19th century slave catcher.

After Grant's murder, outrage in the city of Oakland was strong. Thousands of residents organized for weeks demanding Mehserle's arrest. At the time, it was unclear if he would be tried with a crime at all. With the trial phase set, his defense attorney persuaded the court to move the trial from the Bay Area to Los Angeles, where Oscar Grant's killing was less known. Local community groups took up the call to demand justice for Oscar Grant. With the verdict in, organizers are calling for mass demonstrations.

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