50 Bullets, No Conviction

[cal04]

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/26/opinion/26sat1.html?ref=opinion

A State Supreme Court justice’s decision to acquit three police detectives in the November 2006 death of an unarmed man was stunning in its thorough absolution of the officers who fired 50 bullets at Sean Bell and two companions as they sat in a car outside a strip club.

Justice Arthur Cooperman found the three — even one officer who reloaded his gun to squeeze off 31 rounds — not guilty of all charges of manslaughter, assault and reckless endangerment.

As all New Yorkers should, we respect Justice Cooperman’s verdict, but we do not believe all questions of accountability were resolved. Mr. Bell’s family has said it plans to pursue a civil lawsuit, and federal prosecutors are examining the case. We hope they bring answers.

Large questions remain about the New York Police Department. In recent years, when police have killed unarmed men, they have been, almost without exception, black. The detectives on trial said that they believed Mr. Bell, Joseph Guzman and Trent Benefield had a gun, and based on that suspicion they fired away. No gun was found. Similarly, in 1999 police fired 41 bullets at Amadou Diallo, an unarmed African immigrant who was just reaching for his wallet. The acquittal of four police officers after that killing, which occurred during the racially challenged leadership of Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, set off unrest in which scores were arrested.

[sasquatch]

1. I'm reminded of that scene at the end of "Boondock Saints" in the courtroom

I guess that is the only way the family of Sean Bell will get justice.

[no_hypocrisy]

2. Sean Bell is the latest name on a growing list of NYC residents who have died

at the hands of city police, all of whom were residents who were in the wrong place at the wrong time with the wrong cops.

Eleanor Bumpers

Avner Luima

Gideon Jeffries

Patrick Dorismond

Amadu Dialo

Sean Bell

[Demeter]

3. Judicial Proof That People Don't Kill People

anonymous bullets do. By accident.