A jury in Los Angeles convicted Mehserle of involuntary manslaughter last July for shooting and killing Grant on New Year's Day 2009. Mehserle received a two-year sentence, but he could go free this month with credit for time served and good behavior.
Some of the protests turned violent in downtown Oakland after the verdict against Mehserle was read last year. Several police agencies assisted Oakland police in stopping looters and vandals in the downtown area.
