Alianza Metropolitan News, Commentary, Gerardo Fernández, Translated by Elena Shore, Posted: Jul 10, 2010

The Johannes Mehserle verdict of two to four years of prison time for involuntary manslaughter for shooting Oscar Grant in the back has caused indignation among the Latino community in San Jose and the Bay Area. Even though he was found guilty, there continues to be a tone of discord and disagreement in our community, which has followed the case very closely since it affects all of us in creating another senseless judicial precedent.

We continue to believe that justice was tainted with this decision.

Especially now, when we have a law in a neighboring state that incriminates people based on the color of their skin, this kind of decision creates anger, fear, and uncertainty toward authorities.

The ties between our Latino, immigrant and Chicano community and the African-American community are growing stronger, and as I’ve learned, they have been very strong for the more than 40 years in San Jose, since the civil rights movement.

Unfortunately it is cases like this that strengthen these ties.

In my opinion, despite the overhwleming evidence, you could see this verdict coming: a minimum sentence that’s been seen time and time again in various situations, as if to please all of the parties involved instead of administering justice.

Yes, Mehserle was found guilty of a criminal act, and could receive a longer sentence if he is found guilty of taken away Grant’s rights. But a police officer who shot someone in the back in front of dozens of people with cell phone cameras could also go free.

It makes me angry that this verdict was reached when there is a family that lost their loved one.

It makes me angry when I read the press coverage. The first thing I see in the Associated Press, the first thing I see in the New York Times, is about the protests. I see photographs of people in Oakland breaking glass, spraying graffiti.

There has been more discussion about the possible disturbances in Oakland than about the reasons that lead the jury to reach this verdict.

I have only lived in San Jose for two years, so I can’t say much about police brutality cases in our city. But I’ve gone to forums where I heard about several cases. In San Jose the police department lacks diversity. There are very few Latinos, very few Asian or African Americans on the police force.

There is the case of Daniel Pham who also died at the hands of police.

There is the case of Ramon Vasquez who spent six months in prison, accused of homicide. Vasquez was arrested because of his appearace, even though he had nothing to do with the crime he was charged with.

There have been many other cases like those of Vasquez and Pham in San Jose, where the police abused their power. There continue to be many other cases that show corruption and impunity, such as the confiscation of cars from Latinos, despite efforts by the police department and courses offered to residents through the citizen academies, despite the failed attempts by independent commissions and investigations of the police.

The case of Oscar Grant, where what was lost was not a car but a life, establishes yet another precedent of impunity for abuses by police.

Verdicts like this, where there is overwhelming evidence, only serve to generate and increase fear of authorities, unfortunately create disturbances, and fill our young people with distrust and misdirected anger when what we need is the opposite.
 

Gerardo Fernández is the editor of Alianza Metropolitan News in San Jose, Calif.