People, Places & Things

Yesterday (Thursday, July 9th 2010), the guilty of lesser charges verdict was handed down to the cop, who killed Oscar Grant, an unarmed black man that was shot while laying face -down, restrained and handcuffed on an train platform in Oakland and the country cries for Lebron James. Go Figure.  

Just days after the videos of the shooting, caught on over a dozen camera phones, was plastered on Youtube as well as the mischaracterization of the riots in Oakland, I decided to take pen to pad to appease both my anger and helplessness.  Short of getting on a plane to Oakland, the only other option I felt I could assist from hundreds of miles away was to make an appeal for justice.  Here is my letter and the subsequential responses I received back.

BoardofDirectors@bart.gov,
dchlebo@bart.gov,
ggee@bart.gov
officeofthemayor@oaklandnet.com

To all that it may concern,
 
My name is [blank] and I am NOT a resident of your community.  In fact, I am from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  However, like many people, who had witnessed the recent events on the news of the police shooting of Oscar Grant III, I feel very compelled to write this email as a way to demand justice.
 
First, let me applaud you all for taking the necessary steps to investigate the matter further and I hope that this investigation is both fair and unbias.  With that said, I am a little sadden and frustrated by the facts, as presented in the media, that the investigation into this matter was delayed for six days.  I hope that this was just an isolated oversight in policy, rather than the norm. 
 
Besides the investigation into the shooting, I am demanding that a separate investigation be waged to review the training policy and hiring practices within your police force.  From what I've witnessed, the officer's conduct in the shooting, particularly the shooting of an unarmed man as he was faced down on the ground and handcuffed, was deplorable. I also understand, from reading published reports, that this officer has a history of irrational responses while dealing with suspects and the broader community. I hope that this officer conduct does not in no way represent the overall policies of your force (s), departments and agencies. But if policies are unclear, than they should be corrected immediately.
 
Publish reports have also stated that this officer still remains employed on the force.  I am also demanding that the officer be taken off duty without pay until the results of this investigation is completed.
 
 I am also demanding that a timely investigation be completed and that ALL witnesses be interviewed.   
 
Finally, I am demanding that BART as well as the Oakland police establish an independent advisory board and incorporate more civic engagement practices into your policies.  I believe that the recent riots are a direct result of a disconnection that individuals may feel with your agencies and departments.  I feel that an advisory board will help improve those relations as well as hold your agencies and departments accountable.
 
I hope that you will strongly consider my appeal.  Justice is this matter should not be delayed.
 
Sincerely,
 
[blank]
Philadelphia

Here is the first response:

fromKduron@bart.gov

Dear [Blank]:

Thank you for your email.  Your message will be distributed to our Board of Directors as requested.

The following is a link to the District's webpage with news releases/video of the District's response and comments by our Board of Directors regarding the officer involved shooting on January 1, 2009.

http://www.bart.gov/news/articles/2009/news20090105.aspx

Thank you for taking the time to share with us your reaction and concerns regarding this tragic event.

Kenneth A. Duron
District Secretary
San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District
300 Lakeside Drive, 23rd Floor, Oakland, California 94612
510.464.6080, fax: 510.464.6011, email: kduron@bart.gov
website: www.bart.gov

This is the second response:


from Schuerholz, Keith <KSchuerholz@oaklandnet.com>

Dear [blank],
 
Thank you for your email regarding the recent BART shooting. Mayor Dellums has expressed his deep concern over the incident. He has said:
 
“Our entire community grieves at the loss of Oscar Grant III. I am profoundly saddened by the turn of events that resulted in the loss of a young man’s life which has left a family and a community in mourning. Our hearts and deepest wishes for peace go out to the families and loved ones of all the parties involved in this tragic event. While the investigation now underway may shed light on specific details of the shooting, at the end of the day, establishing culpability will not bring back a life tragically lost.”
 
The shooting is being investigated by both BART and Alameda County officials. The Alameda County District Attorney has legal jurisdiction in this case and will make the decision about any arrests.
 
We thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts and concerns with us and we look forward to serving you in the future.
 
Sincerely,
 
Keith S. Schuerholz
Community Liaison
Office of the Mayor
 
 

"While the investigation now underway may shed light on specific details of the shooting, at the end of the day, establishing culpability will not bring back a life tragically lost.”

Tragic is when someone dies in an accident. Senseless, deporable, heinous are all words that I would have used to describe this death. Likewise, while a establishing culpability wouldn't have brought Oscar back, it would have symbolized Justice. Imagine if the roles were reversed and if Oscar had "accidentally" shot and killed the officer. Would the liason for the Mayor of Oakland call it just a tragedy?   Would he be so willing to soothe the supporters and morners of this hypothetical dead officer with the logic that "establishing culpability will not bring back a life" lost?
 
I saved the letters, hoping that the feeling I received from their responses, wouldn't result in the miscarriage of justice I had expected would happen. But yet again, hope failed.  And all I'm left with is the sick feeling that this will not be the last letter I write on behalf of poor sap, "accidentally" murdered by the police.