By: Chris Michael, Posted: Jan 28 09

Regions: United States

Issues: Impunity, Police brutality

Newly released video adds another important development to the murder of Oscar Grant, the young, unarmed and restrained man that was shot in the back on a subway platform in Oakland by police officers in the early hours of New Year's Day.

As I originally reported, citizen video was instrumental in providing evidence of the killing of Grant and also helped amplify the calls for justice that reverberated around the globe. Though Johannes Mehserle, the former officer who shot grant, has been indicted for murder charges, this new mobile phone video shows officer Tony Pirone striking a horrendous blow to Grant, knocking him to the ground - even before Mehserle was on the scene.   Minutes later, Pirone is the officer that is restraining Grant, with his knee on Grant's neck, when Mehserle fires the bullet that killed Grant.

This report, from Bay Area's KTVU, shows the video in slow-motion, as well as analysis from law professors that are experts on police practices on if this punch was a crime.  Peter Keane, a professor at Golden Gate University Law School, said after viewing the video that "there is no question, that [it] is vivid, powerful evidence that [the officer] committed a vicious, physical assault; unprovoked on a citizen.” He went-on to ask, “Why is [Pirone] not being prosecuted? It was clearly a deliberate, abusive use of force...the [District Attorney] is not doing his job."

Keane is not alone in his analysis of video, but please see for yourself...

How is this not a crime?  And why has the District Attorney said he's not pursuing charges? That is a question that Color of Change and others are asking - and I'm joining.  I hope you will too...

Take Action Now! -> Demand the District Attorney presses charges against Officer Pirone.