Former BART Officer arrested for the murder of Oscar Grant
Reposted from the San Jose Mercury News
By Kelly Rayburn and Sean Maher
Oakland Tribune
Johannes Mehserle, the former BART police officer who shot and killed an unarmed man early New Year's Day, was arrested on a murder charge in Nevada today, officials confirmed. Mehserle, 27, shot and killed Oscar Grant III, 22, at an Oakland BART station in the early morning of New Year's Day. The shooting has prompted massive protests, especially after videos of the incident surfaced.Mehserle was being held in Douglas County, Nev., on a no-bail warrant, a law-enforcement official said. Since he was arrested in Nevada, he will face an extradition hearing before returning to Alameda County, a process that could take at least a few days.
Alameda County District Attorney Tom Orloff is expected to discuss the arrest further sometime today.
Christopher Miller, Mehserle's Sacramento-based attorney, could not be reached for comment, but his office confirmed the arrest.
"The family will certainly be relieved that (Orloff) has made some effort to bring him to justice," said attorney John Burris, who is representing the family in a $25 million claim against BART. "This is terrific. This is a very important step in healing the community."
