This trial has come to represent something much more than it should, in my opinion. It should be focused on the underlying issue which is...Did the officer intentionally kill Oscar Grant? Were Grant's actions threatening at the time? If so, is force by the officer (even a taser) justified?
Why does race even need to be in play here? And why is Oscar Grant being painted as a hero/martyr? I don't know all the facts but before I form a personal decision on this trial, I need to know what (if anything) prompted the officer to pull out what he thought was a taser? If Grant was already pinned down, and unable to move aggressively in any way, Merserle should not even use a taser to contain him.
Check out this questionnaire, courtesy of SFGate.
-- Have you ever written a letter to the editor?
-- List any subject matter or genre in reading materials, television programs or movies that you try to avoid.
-- Do you consider yourself an expert on any subject?
-- Have you ever considered working in law enforcement?
-- Have you, friends or relatives ever had a gun pointed at you or them, or been frightened by a gun?
-- Have you ever visited someone in a jail, prison or juvenile detention facility, or have you ever been incarcerated?
-- Have you or anyone close to you ever had a bad experience with a police officer?
-- What should be done to reduce crime?
-- Do police officers lie? If yes, how often?
-- Do you understand the charges are not evidence?
-- Could you fire a gun in self-defense?
-- Should police officers be treated differently than civilians if they break the law?
-- Will the fact that a white police officer shot and killed a black man make it difficult for you to be a fair and impartial juror in this case?
-- Do you have an opinion as to whether racial discrimination is a problem in Oakland?
-- If you are selected as a juror in this case, do you anticipate any negative reactions by friends or family if you find the defendant guilty? If you find the defendant not guilty?
The final question is:
-- Would you like to serve on this jury? Why?
Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/crime/detail?entry_id=64785#ixzz0pit0S3Tg
1 comment:
i would love to serve, so that i could get officer merserle a commendation instead of a trial.
convicted multiple felon oscar grant III was human garbage. in and out of jail, constantly high on drugs and starting fights. thanks to officer merserle's "mistake" there is one less piece of garbage in oakland.
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