Civil Suits against BART et al

CIVIL SUITS RESULTING FROM MURDER OF OSCAR GRANT

Of course there is no monetary amount that can be put on a person’s life, and negotiating over dollar amounts is morbid and absurd. But since the Criminal Courts are incapable of following the law when law enforcement officers are the defendants accused of crimes, the people are forced to turn to Civil Courts. The majority of law enforcement officers that are ever found guilty of abuse are convicted in civil court. Civil suits sometimes result in monetary damages awarded to family members, but more importantly, civil suits and convictions expose civil rights violations, police misconduct and the biased workings of the criminal justice system.

OSCAR GRANT’S FAMILY SUES BART

First Oscar’s filed a Civil Suit against BART for Oscar’s wrongful death. Later the amount of the suit was raised to $50 million. The case is being handled by John Burris, who has also been an advisor to the families on criminal trial.

OTHER NEW YEARS VICTIMS SUE BART

The suffering of Oscar and all of his friends and family together on New Year’s morning, 2009, cannot be measured. A few of Oscar’s friends were assaulted enough and their rights sufficiently violated that they also decided to sue BART in civil court.