Oscar Grant Gag Order: Ex Bart Police Officer Johannes Mehserle's Challenged #1

Attorney Paven Malhotra, Attorney for California First Amendment
Coalition, presented a Memorandum Opposing Continuation of the Gag
Order in the Oscar Grant-ExBart Police Officer Johannes Mehserle
case. Judge Morris Jacobson, after a fact find session, decided
that he would maintain the gag order. However, he itemized 10
criteria that limited the scope that Parties to this case can
divulge information to the press. He castigated Defense Counsel for
violations on his website, the release of a motion to the media
revealing 17 names of potential witnesses and preempt the gathering
storm that will endeavor to motion the court to change the venue to
another location.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• sound_off
• comment
• opinion
• exbart
• police
• officer
• johannes
• mehserle
• attorney
• gag

[boatbrain3]

Sorry, Alameda County, I meant to say, is a one-party county, so all the real power is in the party's decision on who to endorse. In other words, it's all in backroom wheeling and dealing. This is true in the court system as well, particularly the DA's office, which hires the sons and daughters of VIPs as a way to buy and reward political loyalty. In other words, Mehserle's trial is fixed.

[boatbrain3]

Since the prosecution can not say much becasue of ethics and rules, the defense is being gagged by the order, which the prosecution never OFFICIALLY asks for. This is a serious offense against free speech, the First Amendment Coalition does not go to court for fun. Alameda County is a good old boys area. The good old boys may be different ethnicities, but it's all run as a club because it's a one party country.

[boatbrain3]

I am fron Alameda County, and wish to inform those who don't know. Several times in the past few years, when there was a well publicized case, judges in Alameda County EVERY ONE OF THEM FORMERLY IN THE DA'S OFFICE, issued gag orders WITHOUT ANY MOTION BY EITHER SIDE. These fundamental violations of free speech, (where in the Constituiton does it give an exception to the 1st Amendment for gag order?) favors the prosecution, because they are already gagged.

[boatbrain3]

Thanks to the First Amendment Coalition for at least trying to get this judge, who is guilty of serious ethics violations, to change his overbroad gag order.