Nearly three years before the tragedy of Trayvon Martin, there was Oscar Grant: the unarmed 22-year-old shot dead by a BART police officer in Oakland, Calif. early New Year’s Day.
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The story gained national attention as the incident was caught on digital cameras/camera phones and uploaded online for millions of viewers to watch. Johannes Mehserle, the officer, was eventually found guilty of involuntary manslaughter but served less than two years in the Los Angeles County Jail.
Now, Grant’s story is being told in a new drama titled Fruitvale produced by Academy Award winner Forest Whitaker.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Oscar winner Octavia Spencer and Red Tails’ Michael B. Jordan are in talks to lead the indie film’s cast.
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“Jordan will play Grant, the 22-year-old man who crosses paths with friends and enemies, family and strangers on his last day,” THR reports. “Spencer would play his tough and protective mother.”
The project is taking shape at a critical time as Martin’s case continues to unfold.
Production of Fruitvale is said to begin in July.