Oscar Grant's mother receives son's phones from Alameda Co. DA's office

OAKLAND, Calif. (KGO) -- Oscar Grant's mother, Wanda Johnson, received her son's phones from the night he died. Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price turned them over to her Thursday morning.

"This is all you have of that level and their property because they are no longer here," Johnson said. "It gives you a sense of that level and still being there with you, even though Oscar is not here, and I have his property, it does my heart glad."

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Grant died after being shot by a BART police officer in the early hours of New Year's Day in 2009. The officer said he was reaching for taser, but grabbed his gun instead. Johnson said she made many attempts in the 15 years after his death to get the phones returned. She claims other DAs couldn't give them back because they were mixed with other evidence. His mother hopes the phones will have photos or text messages from the night he died.

"Oscar's last picture in his phone was of the officer who shot and killed him pointing his taser at him," she said.

Other family members hope there are cherished memories on there.

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"I texted the words 'Uncle loves you,"' said Cephus "Bobby" Johnson, Oscar Grant's Uncle. "'God loves you, God loves your family,' and an hour and a half later he was murdered. So for me to see that on his phone, is going full circle."

His death sparked outrage of police brutality and waves of protests nationwide. Grant's family have since fought for better laws about police use of force. The family says they try to bring some form of systemic change in his name.

"I just encourage families to don't give up," Johnson said. "Continue to pursue justice for your loved one."

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