Bay Area Rapid Transit Settles Wrongful Death Lawsuit For $1.5 Million
Bay Area Rapid Transit also known as BART agreed to settle a wrongful death lawsuit with the estate of Oscar Grant for $1.5 million. Oscar Grant who was not carrying a weapon was fatally shot last year by a transit officer working for BART. According to reported terms of the settlement, the estate will receive an annual allowance from the settlement and the estimated payout over 20 years, will be between $4 million and $5 million including interest.
The incident began when Grant and his friends were pulled of the BART train for allegedly fighting. Secuirty guard Mehserle said he thought he was using his stun gun on Grant but accidentally fired his handgun while Grant was lying face down on the station platform, killing Grant. Mehserle faces murder charges in the death of Grant. The shooting was video-recorded by several bystanders and widely viewed on the Internet. It sparked violent protests and was used as evidence in a preliminary hearing last spring.
"You can't even begin to calculate in money the loss of the child's father," Burris said. "It was part of our motivation to at least financially secure her future."
