November 4, 2010 | 6:09 PM | By

Oakland braces for Mehserle sentencing

FILED UNDER: Courts, Johannes Mehserle, Judge Robert J. Perry, Oakland, Oscar Grant, sentencing

Ali Winston

Workers board up the California Bank & Trust at 20th Street and Thomas L. Berkeley Way in Downtown Oakland

Tomorrow, Judge Robert Perry will decide the fate of former BART police officer Johannes Mehserle,who was convicted earlier this year of involuntary manslaughter in the January 1, 2009 shooting of Oscar Grant. Mehserle faces anywhere from five to fifteen years of prison time for the shooting, although he has asked Judge Perry to grant him probation.

Back up the I-5, Oakland city officials are bracing for another round of demonstrations, which may turn violent if Mehserle gets a light sentence. After the involuntary manslaughter verdict on July 8th, some demonstrators smashed windows, vandalized businesses and lit trash cans on fire. Though Mayor Ron Dellums is urging businesses not to close and cultural events such as the monthly Art Murmur event on Telegraph are going ahead as planned, some businesses are boarding up their windows or closing down early on Friday.

Ali Winston

An Oscar Grant poster on 14th Street and Franklin in Downtown Oakland

The California Bank & Trust and the U.S. Bank on 20th Street have both boarded up their windows, as have a few buildings on Broadway and San Pablo Avenue, as well as OPD’s Internal Affairs office on the north end of Frank Ogawa Plaza. Other businesses have put posters of Oscar Grant in their window to show support for the protests – and to avert property damage.

Oakland Police will have a heavy police presence downtown tomorrow. Officers from other law enforcement agencies throughout the Greater Bay Area are also on standby in case the day takes a turn for the worse. Regardless of the outcome, the day is certain to prove costly for Oakland. Police operations on July 8th in response to the protests cost approximately $1.2 million in overtime.