Two Mothers’ Worst Nightmares

Two sons and two mothers: Oscar Grant III and Wanda Johnson, both black. Johannes Mehserle and his mother, who does not want her name revealed because of death threats, both white.

Grant, 22, was shot in the back and killed by former BART police officer, Mehserle, 28, on January 1, 2009. It was New Year’s and Grant, from Oakland, and his friends were partying. Police officers said they were causing a disturbance.

That’s when it happened. Another officer had Grant on his stomach on the ground and was trying to cuff his hands. Mehserle said Grant was uncooperative and claimed his free arm was moving toward his pocket, possibly for a gun. He announced he was going to Taser him — subdue him with a dart gun — though Grant begged him not to do so.

It proved to be his dying wish for Mehserle mistakenly drew his pistol, rather than the Taser, and shot Grant point blank in the back.

“I can’t believe you shot me,” yelled Grant. Either could Mehserle, who held his hands to his head in awful realization. Nonetheless he was of sound enough mind to first handcuff Grant and search him, before placing his own hands on the young man’s wound, hoping to save him.

Mehserle was convicted at trial recently of involuntary manslaughter. Nobody is happy with the verdict. Some think he should receive no jail time, while others believe he should have been convicted of second-degree murder resulting in a long prison stint. He will be sentenced August 6.

Now two women share motherhood in very different ways.

If I were Grant’s mother, I’m not sure I could open my heart wide enough to forgive Mehserle. He killed my son and left my 3-year old granddaughter without a father.

Mehserle, 28, ironically became a first-time father of a son soon after he killed Grant. He said he thinks about what he did everyday. How he mistook his pistol for a dart gun and then fired, so ending a life.

As a result, Grant’s mother will not hold her son again, and her son will never cradle his daughter.

Mehserle’s mother may not again be able to hold her son in the same way. The one-time police offer may never become the father he would have been had his bullet not shattered the night, destroyed lives and vanished dreams.