Former BART Officer Speaks In First Interview
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KTVU EXCLUSIVE: Johannes Mehserle Gives First Interview Since Fatal New Year's Day Incident Rita Williams reports
Updated on: 2010-10-29 13:56:12
The video has been seen by millions of people, but the public has never heard from former BART police Officer Johannes Mehserle, until now.
Mehserle shot and killed Oscar Grant on a BART platform on January 1, 2009. Other than in court, he has not talked publicly about what happened that fateful day.
In an exclusive interview with KTVU Reporter Rita Williams, Mehserle gave his first-hand account of his fatal encounter with Grant for the first time.
Mehserle was convicted of involuntary manslaughter in early July and faces sentencing in Los Angeles on Friday Nov. 5.
KTVU reporter Rita Williams has pursued an interview with Mehserle since Grant lost his life at the Fruitvale BART Station early New Year's Day in 2009. And this week, Mehserle told Williams his story.
The former BART police officer and convicted felon has been an inmate in the Los Angeles County Jail for almost four months.
Mehserle said he agreed to the interview with KTVU in order to have an opportunity to give his side.
"Over the last couple of years, I haven't really had a chance to say anything," explained Mehserle. "I know for most people who don't know me, I've been portrayed differently than who I actually am. This is more for the public to see who I am. I'm not asking any sympathy at all."
No subject was off limits during the interview. Mehserle's attorney Mike Rains sat nearby but never interrupted.
When asked if he was a racist or a cold-blooded killer as some people see him, Mehserle quickly answered with a polite "No ma'am."
"I'm just peaceful by my own nature," said the former BART police officer.
But that's not the image millions of people have after viewing cell phone video from early New Year's Day last year, showing Mehserle firing a single shot into Oscar Grant's back as he lay face down on the station platform.
When asked how he lives with what happened, Mehserle maintains his version of the incident that he testified about during the trial.
"Well, I know it wasn't intentional," said Mehserle. "The decision I made was to Tase Mr. Grant. It wasn't to shoot him and I know that."
Back in July, 12 jurors agreed. Mehserle was found not guilty of murder, but guilty of involuntary manslaughter with added time for using a gun.
Deputies handcuffed him in court and he's been in jail ever since awaiting sentencing. As Mehserle tells it, he was surprised not only that he was led away in cuffs, but that he was convicted at all.
"I didn't expect to walk through those doors," said Mehserle. "I didn't think I'd be convicted at all."
When asked if he thought that the jury was wrong, Mehserle replied, "I think so, yes, ma'am."
Mehserle said about all he knew when he arrived at the Fruitvale BART platform that morning was the initial call: a reported fight on a train. Then he heard the noise.
"It was pretty chaotic," remembered Mehserle. "It didn't sound good from the get-go."
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Víctor Lei
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