  Oakland riots sparked by Oscar Grant verdict  Riots in Oakland
were sparked by a former BART officer's lesser involuntary
manslaughter conviction in the death of an unarmed man. Johannes
Mehserle was convicted Thursday in the 2009 New Year's Day
killing of 22-year-old Oscar Grant at an Oakland BART platform.
July 9, 2010 12:00:00 AM PDT Riots in Oakland broke out
following a former BART officer's lesser involuntary
manslaughter conviction in the death of an unarmed man.  Bay
Area Rapid Transit officer Johannes Mehserle was convicted
Thursday of involuntary manslaughter in the death of 22-year-old
Oscar Grant. Prosecutors sought a second-degree murder
conviction, and the lesser charge of involuntary manslaughter
touched off angry protests that led to dozens of arrests in
Oakland.  At least a dozen stores were damaged, including a
ransacked jewelry store and a looted Foot Locker store on
Broadway and 14th Street in downtown Oakland. Looters trashed
the store, leaving glass and shoes scattered everywhere.  Pro