BART transit officers cleared in civil rights trial
A federal jury concluded that Johannes Mehserle and four others did not deprive a man of his "constitutional rights by using excessive force," as claimed, or violate California law by retaliating against him for exercising his First Amendment right to criticize the police.
ATLANTA — A federal jury found in favor of five Bay Area Rapid Transit District (BART) police officers, including Johannes Mehserle, who was accused of violating Kenneth Carrethers' civil rights during a 2008 altercation and convicted of shooting Oscar Grant in 2009, CNN reported.
The jury unanimously concluded that that Mehserle and the other BART officers involved in the 2008 incident did not deprive Carrethers of his "constitutional rights by using excessive force," as claimed. They also found the officers did not violate California law "by retaliating against Carrethers for having exercised his First Amendment right (to free speech) to criticize the police." For the full story, click here.
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