Monday: Family of Oscar Grant and Community Supporters Hold Press Conference to Demand District Attorney Nancy O’Malley Reopen Oscar Grant’s Case
WHAT: Press Conference. In the wake of renewed international attention to the murders of Black men, woman, children, and most notably the recent tortuous killing of George Floyd — who was killed beneath the knee of Officer Derek Chauvin, using the same technique that was used on Oscar Grant minutes before he was shot to death by BART Officer Johannes Mehserle — the family of Oscar Grant and the community that supports them demand that the District Attorney of Alameda County, Nancy O’Malley, reopen the case of the murder of Oscar Grant. Among Oscar’s last words were, “I can’t breathe.” Anthony Pirone, the BART Officer who created the climate of violence, pinned Oscar down with a knee on his neck, fracturing bones in Oscar’s face, and called Oscar a “bitch-ass nigger”, three times has escaped justice. The family demands that DA O'Malley reopen Oscar’s case.
WHEN: MONDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2020, 1:00 PM
WHERE: Oscar Grant III Way, Fruitvale BART Station, Oakland
WHO: Rev. Wanda Johnson, mother of Oscar and CEO of the Oscar Grant Foundation, will be joined by Oscar’s uncle, Uncle Bobby X, and Ms. Beatrice X Johnson, of the Love Not Blood Campaign, along with a host of supporters, civic and religious leaders and a community that seeks justice and supports the demand to reopen the case of Oscar Grant.
Note: Alameda County Supervisor Keith Carson called the murder of Oscar Grant an “execution.” The Community is looking for renewed support for reopening the murder case of Oscar Grant from Mr. Carson and other Black elected officials, including Congresswoman Barbara Lee and Lateefah Simon, current President of the BART Board. The Community is also looking to Black celebrities such as now-renowned director Ryan Coogler to give his support to this effort, the Black Panther director having launched his career with the film Fruitvale Station, the story of the murder of Oscar Grant.
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