Looks like we’re in for a lot more mania swirling around the trial
of former BART police officer Johannes Mehserle, who is accused of
committing murder when he shot Hayward resident Oscar Grant in the back
on New Years Day. Let’s go through the three-ring circus.
Ring #1: The BART board of directors, recognizing that much of the
public has no confidence in its ability to investigate the incident
fairly, has appointed an outside law firm to probe just what happened
on that fateful night, who was to blame, and the degree of culpability.
Oakland law outfit Meyers Navel has gotten the job, and Jayne Williams,
who once served as Oakland’s city attorney and is presently San
Leandro’s city attorney, will lead the investigation. In addition, BART
has asked Reginald Lyles, an expert in civilian police review boards
who has worked with the cities of Berkeley and Novato, to help it set
up its own review board.
Ring #2: Mehserle’s lawyer, veteran cop defender Michael Rains,
appeared in court and asked the presiding judge to lift his gag order
on the incident. As it stands, Rains told Judge Morris Jacobson, his
client has no opportunity to present his side or even any remorse to
the public, and the cumulative effect of the constant stories would
poison any potential jury pool. Jacobson sternly refused Rains’ request
and went so far as to claim that Rains was actually seeking to try this
case in the court of public opinion. In fact, the Chronicle
reported, Morris claimed that Rains “wishes to influence a potential
jury pool not in a controlled environment of a courtroom but in the
press.” Rains had some interesting company: the California First
Amendment Coalition filed a separate motion to lift the gag order, but
to no avail.
Ring #3: The Oakland civil rights organization ColorofChange.org has submitted a
petition to Alameda County District Attorney Tom Orloff, asking him to
file additional charges in the Oscar Grant case. Just before the
shooting, BART cop Tony Pirone was caught on video racing up to Grant
and punching him in the side of the head; Grant slid down the wall he
was leaning against. ColorofChange.org is demanding that
Orloff charge Pirone for his alleged role in the events that led to
Grant’s death. Orloff refused to talk to the press about the petition,
but his office is still investigating the incident.
But wait, there’s more. Ring #4: Last week, Oakland City
Councilwoman and impulse-control-impaired poster child Desley Brooks was one of several people
who shouted and screamed and generally raised hell over l’affaire Grant at a meeting of the BART board of directors. As
some folks unfurled a banner with Grant’s picture on it, others
demanded that both BART’s police chief and general manager be fired for
their actions following the Grant shooting. At one point, Brooks and
BART director Joel Keller got into such a heated exchanged that an
incensed Keller flashed a flier with pictures of murdered Oakland
residents on it, and demanded to know what Brooks was doing about their
deaths. The sight of the flier so provoked the mob that several men and
women charged toward Keller, and BART cops poured into the room. Keller
calmed everyone down, told the cops to “back off,” and later apologized
to Brooks.
And that’s your week in lethal BART news! We’re just glad there
weren’t any bomb scares lately.
Take This Job and Love It
More news on the bad news that is our lives. Alameda and Contra
Costa County leaders commissioned a study on just how long the
recession will last in the East Bay, and the answer, courtesy of UCLA
economist Levan Efremidze, is at least till the end of the year. In
addition, the initial momentum out of the recession will be mighty slow
and sluggish. But Efremidze adds that the East Bay’s extensive green
energy industries leave it well positioned for the long term. As for
the short term, the Bay Area Business Confidence Survey has published a
survey that indicates 48 percent of Alameda County businesses and 41
percent of CoCo firms plan to lay off more employees in the next few
months. So get ready for shabby chic, East Bay residents — it’s
the new black.
Three-Dot Lounge
The Environmental Protection Agency is about to declare a majority
of the Bay Area’s shoreline “impaired,” a designation that means it’s
filled with piles of disgusting garbage, and local cities will be fined
if they don’t get serious about cleaning it up. Before this, only
Oakland’s Lake Merritt was blessed with such federal attention. …
Oakland solar energy firm BrightSource Energy has signed a massive
contract with Southern California Edison, in which the company will
build solar plants in the Mojave Desert and provide enough electricity
to light 845,000 homes. … Oakland City Councilman Larry Reid tried to
get the City Council to enact a 10 p.m. curfew for minors during the
week, but the proposal failed amid jeers and catcalls.
