The jury in Los Angeles Thursday found former police officer BART Johannes Mehserle guilty of involuntary manslaughter in the murder of Oscar Grant III.
The jury reached its verdict after a full day of discussion on whether, Mehserle should be acquitted and convicted of second-degree murder and the murder of 1 January 2009, killing in Oakland, California, in which he said that he Mehserle mistakenly pulled out a gun instead of a stun gun.
Mehserle trial was moved from the Bay Area to Los Angeles because of racial tensions and the excessive media coverage, KTVU-TV, San Francisco, said. Mehserle white, and Grant was black.
Witnesses shot video of the murder, which shows, Mehserle shot in the back, as Grant Grant was lying face down. Mehserle resigned from BART 1 week after the shooting - at about the same time, as the protesters turned violent in Oakland, California, breaking windows and setting cars on fire.
Law enforcement departments in Bay Area have been prepared for possible violence and unrest in the period after the verdict Thursday.
California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger issued a statement calling on the public "to remain calm in light of the verdict and not resort to violence."
"I talked with the mayor of Oakland, Ron Dellums, and assured him, we are also ready to assist in maintaining order."
Dellums - a public statement last week, police, fire, organizers and other elected officials - said he understood the public anger and pain in connection with the death of Grant, but he said that the appropriate response is to work for justice.
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