Slain Man's Mom: Oscar Wouldn't Want This

The mother of an unarmed man killed by a California rapid transit cop is calling for calm in the wake of her son's death. Since the unprovoked shooting, rioters have damaged over 300 store fronts, setting fires, vandalizing cars, and smashing windows in the city of Oakland.

Wanda Johnson appeared shaken at a news conference as she spoke publicly for the first time since her 22-year-old son, Oscar Grant of Hayward, was shot to death early New Year's Day.  "I am begging the citizens not to use violent tactics.  I know it's a frustrating time, but Oscar would not want to see all the violence."  From the San Francisco Chronicle:  Grant's mother was joined by other relatives and friends at Thursday's news conference at the Oakland office of attorney John Burris. Some wore black T-shirts bearing a photograph of Grant and the words, "RIP Oscar."  They said they watched the rioting in Oakland Wednesday night with horror.  "I have my own business. I can imagine what these people are going through," said Grant's aunt, Charmine Jones-Johnson, referring to shop owners whose stores were vandalized by protesters. "Stop wasting your time and hurting our family."  Several Oakland businesses, including the Clorox Corporation, sent employees home early on Thursday due to fears of more violence.  Oakland police arrested more than 100 people on Wednesday night after an appeal to to disperse by Mayor Ron Dellums was ignored.

Oscar Grant was detained by BART police when a scuffle broke out on the subway.  Video taken by bystanders show Johannes Mehserle shooting Grant, who was lying face down on a railway platform.  Grant had just pleaded with the cop not to Taser him, telling the officer that he had a small child.  Well, the cop didn't Taser him.  He put a bullet in Oscar's spine.  From Reuters:  Investigations are under way into the shooting. Mehserle resigned on Wednesday from the police force of the Bay Area Rapid Transit railway.  Mehserle is white and Grant black, prompting one demonstrator on Wednesday night to cast the shooting and its protest in racial terms.

There has been speculation that the cop meant to use his Taser on Grant but pulled his gun by mistake.  That supposition has far too many holes in it to be taken seriously.  A better question might be, since Grant has been described as the victim of the altercation which caused the police to intervene, why were they even restraining him?