OAKLAND

this dude's gonna be found guilty anywhere the bigger question is whether it spurs the kind of systemic changes necessary to reform the BART cops into something other than trigger happy nutjobs

I think the big question is what he is found guilty of - like is he going to be found guilty of a lesser charge than those who want the guy punished as much as possible want to see.

The latter seems more likely. The outcome will hinge entirely on how effective the defense is, and what evidence they present--most or all of which has not yet been heard publicly (to my knowledge).

As per Shakey's comment--did the BART cops already have a rep for being trigger happy already?

not nearly as bad as OPD.

BART cops have a number of unjustifiable homicides under the belt, most "classic" one being their murder of a naked, unarmed man

(they shot him in the back! classy!)

BART cops are all totally off their fucking rockers, yes.

i am still trying to substantiate this further, but i read a few months ago that there's court precedent for the "taser confusion" defense negating a murder charge. i think the trial could be held in senegal and there would still be riots in downtown oakland if he's found not guilty.

well, there wouldn't be daily protests and grandstanding outside the courthouse every day of the trial that would cost the City a bunch of money that it doesn't have. Not that the financial argument should outweigh the issue of justice. But, I was actually going to work and driving home from work in the area where the major riot took place on the night it did take place -- and my first thought was how much is this gonna cost the City in police overtime alone, and that it would be a shame if it resulted in a lot of services of quality of life stuff that the City has funded in the past getting cut because of how much they have to spend on cops. My second thought upon witnessing it was, "And this is why we cannot have nice things."

so a BART cop has been caught on camera basically forcing a dude's head through a window.

^I just saw this on a local news teaser, but looks like the vid has been taken off youtube.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/11/22/BA9V1AORMM.DTL&tsp=1

not only that but it looks like the same location that Oscar Grant was killed?

looks like window confusion to me

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBFjP-GV8BE

"game over drunk man... that cop is not fucking around"

that glass breaking sound is almost comical. it sounds so perfect and fake.

wtf

"don' touch him, put some gloves on if you're gonna touch that blood"

that looks like West Oakland station to me

it was West Oakland. I doubt the guy meant to throw his head through a window at the BART station. cop was injured as well.

more quality policing

even when they're in the right, they do it wrong

true

I'm sure Shakey will love me referring to his "favorite" tv show - but the whole incident with Mehserle reminds me of when Prez accidentally shot the undercover cop in The Wire - it was a tragic mistake made by someone that probably shouldn't be a cop and carry a gun.

that guy is a little too excited to help out the police.

can anyone recommend a decent hotel/motel? my folks are going to be in town in april for a week and are looking for somewhere that has a room with a kitchenette type of thing.

http://www.claremontresort.com/

liiiiiiitle bit out of my parents' price range! but yeah, beautiful hotel.

just applied for a job here lol

maybe try the executive suites next to the Best Buy in Emeryville? The Jack London Inn is supposed to be okay. I think there's at least one not too pricey hotel in Jack London Square. Probably steer clear from no-tell motel row on Macarthur.

The French Hotel in North Berkeley is kinda barebones, but very good location.

what kind of job, mookie???

think i'm gonna recommend them the hawthorne suites in alameda

web production thing; v. unlikely tbh

will it be a self-fulfilling prophecy?

Oakland RIP

my friend's live 3 blocks from there. i told them to stay at our house when the verdict hits (or to figure out where they want to loot first [probably jamba juice])

there was supposed to be a downtown circuit rice for bicycles on monday but the event promoter was forced to move it to..... MERCED because the po-po said hell naw.

popo have one of those sonic crowd control devices, apparently.

and tasers that fire bullets too apparently! :-(

from Chip Johnson's column:
"If violence occurs, like before, it will also be the story of outside anarchists from our neighboring professional protester incubation cities."

I hope all the violence makes it easier for me to find a new apartment.

lol - had guilty thought that maybe if things get really fucked up, i'll finally be able to afford a house

friend who lives in fruitvale (a few blocks from the bart station where this went down) posted a ton of photos around his neighborhood where all the businesses boarded up their windows

one of my BFF's moved out of 94110 (20th & Mission) in 1991 because his landlord raised his 1BD apt rent from $150 to $175. He said fuck that and moved in to the BlackJack Records hq off 14th & MLK in post-earthquake Oakland for $125 for the master bed and master bath top story of a 3 floor house. ye good olde days.

last night heard that 2bd are 2800 in oakland now

depends on the neighborhood - i pay $940 for a 2bd

I might move to Oakland one day. It's the secret best city in America imo

I agree that it's definitely one of the top 2 cities in the east bay.

pretty glad we just moved to el cerrito, tbh. been dreading this trial and its verdict for awhile now (we were living right by lake merritt).

I agree that it's definitely one of the top 2 cities in the east bay.

ok, i'll bite... what's the other? EC?