Murderous cop arrested at last

Former police officer Johannes Mehserle on murder charge over Oscar Grant shooting death



A former police officer has been charged with murder after an unarmed man was shot dead on the San Francisco subway. Johannes Mehserle, a former Bay Area Rapid Transit agency police officer, was arrested this week at a home near Lake Tahoe, Nevada. He is being held over the New Year's Day shooting death of Oscar Grant, who was lying on the ground after being pulled off a San Francisco area train by police investigating reports of fighting.

Mr Mehserle resigned from the rapid transit unit on January 7, hours before a protest in Oakland turned violent and resulted in more than 100 arrests. Mr Mehserle is white and Mr Grant was black. The shooting was recorded by passengers using mobile phones and the video has been widely circulated on the internet and TV.

Alameda County district attorney Tom Orloff said Mr Mehserle was charged with murder because evidence showed Mr Grant was the victim of an intentional killing. Mr Grant's family is suing the rapid transit unit for $US25 million ($38 million). A lawyer representing the family praised authorities for arresting Mr Mehserle and called it "a very first step" of what was expected to be a long process.

Original report here



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