California Attorney General announces review of shooting death of Oscar Grant

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (KION and KCBS) California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced that the state Department of Justice will conduct an independent review of a BART officer's role in the 2009 shooting death of Oscar Grant, KCBS radio reports.

"Transparency is critical to building and maintaining trust between law enforcement and the communities we serve," Bonta said in a statement. "The California Department of Justice is committed to conducting a thorough, fair, and independent review and will go where the facts lead."

In January, KCBS reports that Alameda County District Attorney Nancy O'Malley said the office would not charge the BART officer, Anthony Pirone, with a crime, saying there is no evidence that he had an "express intent" to kill Grant. The DA's Office released a 16-page explanation after a 4-month investigation.

A few days after the announcement, the BART Board of Directors called for Pirone to be prosecuted, according to KCBS.

BART police say Pirone took Grant off a train at the Fruitvale station on New Year's Day in 2009. They said he made racial comments and put his knee on Grant's neck to pin him down. Grant was then reportedly shot in the back by former BART officer Johannes Mehserle. The incident was caught on camera and led to protests at the time.

KCBS said Mehserle was charged with murder and convicted of involuntary manslaughter. He served 11 months in prison and was released in 2011.