Yesterday, Johannes Mehserle, the former BART police officer who shot and killed 22-year-old Oscar Grant, was released on bail.
Hundreds protested outside of the bail hearing while police, in customary OPD fashion, reportedly shot rubber bullets into the crowd.
Also at the bail hearing, Mehserle's attorney shed light onto what will likely be the officer's primary legal defense: that he accidently shot Grant with his pistol, intending instead to use his taser. According to this theory, Grant's death is a tragic accident, not a cold-blooded murder.
Mehserle is reported to have given several contradictory statements after the shooting, including the oft-used "I thought he was going for a gun."
The Chronicle reported yesterday that the investigation into Grant's murder has been plagued by errors, many of which point to an attempted cover-up by the officers involved.
Last week, KTVU aired yet another video that shows a different officer viciously punch Grant in the face moments before Meserhele shot him as he lay face down on a BART platform.
The agency recently announced that it will hire an outside agency to investigate if other officers should be charged.
Organizers have called for a mass demonstration outside of Oakland City Hall tonight, January 31, at 6pm.
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