smok3y
04-28-2008, 04:32 PM
Police acquitted over NY shooting
A judge in New York has acquitted three police officers who shot dead an unarmed man hours before his wedding.
Sean Bell, 23, who was black, was shot as he left a strip club in the suburb of Queens in November 2006.
Two detectives, Michael Oliver and Gescard Isnora, faced charges of manslaughter. A third, Marc Cooper, had been accused of reckless endangerment.
The case had generated accusations of police racism and brutality, and there were angry protests outside the court.
Mr Bell's fiancee, Nicole Paultre Bell, walked out of the packed courtroom as soon as Supreme Court Justice Arthur Cooperman cleared the three officers of all charges.
"The people have not proved beyond a reasonable doubt that each defendant was not justified" in firing, the judge said.
The defendants had opted to not be tried by a jury.
Mr Bell and two friends were apparently trying to drive away from the Kalua club when the shooting occurred early on the morning of 25 November 2006.
Mr Bell was killed and his friends both seriously injured.
Mr Isnora, who with his colleagues was investigating a prostitution ring, said he had followed the trio to their car because he believed they were going to carry out a drive-by shooting.
No gun was found in the car.
Critics argued the officers had used excessive force in firing 50 shots at the car.
A spokesman for a police union, Patrick J Lynch, told reporters that the verdict proved police officers could expect "fairness" in court.
New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg said in a statement that he accepted the authority of the court to decide the case.
"There are no winners in a trial like this. No verdict could ever end the grief that those who knew and loved Sean Bell suffer," he said.
The US Department of Justice said it was conducting a review of the shooting to decide whether a federal crime had been committed.
There was outrage at the verdict among Mr Bell's family and supporters.
Angry scenes outside court following the verdict
Inside the courtroom, Mr Bell's mother sobbed and gasps were heard as the verdict was announced.
Outside there were shouts of "murderers" from among the dozens of protesters gathered.
Some wept on each other's shoulders, while others shouted "No justice in America!"
Veteran civil rights campaigners Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson criticised the outcome, saying the case was about police accountability, not race.
Mr Jackson said the decision was a "travesty of justice".
Two of the acquitted officers were black.
BBC NEWS | World | Americas | Police acquitted over NY shooting (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/7367198.stm)
Man how the hell can they get away with this? Its so wrong..:mad:
If a police officer was shot once they person would get the death penalty, but if 3 police officers shoot a UNARMED man 50 times, havin to reload the gun and continue shooting, they get away with it..
What is every ones elses thoughts on this?
FUCK THE POLICE!:rambo:
A judge in New York has acquitted three police officers who shot dead an unarmed man hours before his wedding.
Sean Bell, 23, who was black, was shot as he left a strip club in the suburb of Queens in November 2006.
Two detectives, Michael Oliver and Gescard Isnora, faced charges of manslaughter. A third, Marc Cooper, had been accused of reckless endangerment.
The case had generated accusations of police racism and brutality, and there were angry protests outside the court.
Mr Bell's fiancee, Nicole Paultre Bell, walked out of the packed courtroom as soon as Supreme Court Justice Arthur Cooperman cleared the three officers of all charges.
"The people have not proved beyond a reasonable doubt that each defendant was not justified" in firing, the judge said.
The defendants had opted to not be tried by a jury.
Mr Bell and two friends were apparently trying to drive away from the Kalua club when the shooting occurred early on the morning of 25 November 2006.
Mr Bell was killed and his friends both seriously injured.
Mr Isnora, who with his colleagues was investigating a prostitution ring, said he had followed the trio to their car because he believed they were going to carry out a drive-by shooting.
No gun was found in the car.
Critics argued the officers had used excessive force in firing 50 shots at the car.
A spokesman for a police union, Patrick J Lynch, told reporters that the verdict proved police officers could expect "fairness" in court.
New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg said in a statement that he accepted the authority of the court to decide the case.
"There are no winners in a trial like this. No verdict could ever end the grief that those who knew and loved Sean Bell suffer," he said.
The US Department of Justice said it was conducting a review of the shooting to decide whether a federal crime had been committed.
There was outrage at the verdict among Mr Bell's family and supporters.
Angry scenes outside court following the verdict
Inside the courtroom, Mr Bell's mother sobbed and gasps were heard as the verdict was announced.
Outside there were shouts of "murderers" from among the dozens of protesters gathered.
Some wept on each other's shoulders, while others shouted "No justice in America!"
Veteran civil rights campaigners Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson criticised the outcome, saying the case was about police accountability, not race.
Mr Jackson said the decision was a "travesty of justice".
Two of the acquitted officers were black.
BBC NEWS | World | Americas | Police acquitted over NY shooting (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/7367198.stm)
Man how the hell can they get away with this? Its so wrong..:mad:
If a police officer was shot once they person would get the death penalty, but if 3 police officers shoot a UNARMED man 50 times, havin to reload the gun and continue shooting, they get away with it..
What is every ones elses thoughts on this?
FUCK THE POLICE!:rambo: