Yer a funny guy newbie. Do you do Standup?
If NYC was so 'civilized' they (aka Bloomie) wouldn't have to stomp all over the US Constitution. Like the 2nd, 4th, 9th, 10th and 14th Amendments.
Posted on 04/25/2008 6:22:46 AM PDT by Dallas
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
A judge has acquitted three NYPD detectives of all charges in the shooting death of 23-year-old Sean Bell on Friday. Bell was gunned down in a hail of 50 bullets outside a Queens strip club on what would have been his wedding day in November 2006.
The highly anticipated verdict, which many see as holding far-reaching social ramifications for New York City and its police force, comes after seven weeks worth of testimony without a jury.
Detectives Gescard Isnora and Michael Oliver, faced up to 25 years behind bars for manslaughter charges, while Det. Marc Cooper faced a year in jail on reckless endangerment charges.
The detectives, who were responding to complaints about prostitution at the club, have claimed they fired their guns only after Isnora identified himself as a police officer and Bell's car nearly ran him over.
Oliver fired 31 shots in the incident, Isnora fired 11, and Cooper fired four times.
Defense attorneys had said there was evidence that Bell was drunk and "out of control" when he left the club. Witnesses overheard Bell exchange curses with another patron, and heard one of the passengers in the car, Joseph Guzman, who was also shot, say to someone, "Go get my gat," slang for gun. They had also argued Bell had tried to run over Isnora with his car.
Investigators found no gun at the scene.
Prosecutors argued that Oliver would have found there was no threat if he had "paused to reassess" while firing the 31 shots. They said that Cooper fired wildly, with one of his shots even hitting an elevated airport train station. And they alleged that Isnora failed to display his badge in a clearly visible manner and wait for backup, and gave contradictory orders to Bell and his friends.
Bell was supposed to be married at Community Baptist Church in Jamaica the same day of the shooting. On Thursday night, that hallowed ground became the site of a spiritual rally of sorts as an entire city waited for a verdict that had been anticipated for months.
Inspirational words were uttered by the Rev. Al Sharpton for the community and Sean's family.
"We have no hate. We have no malice. We seek no revenge. We put in God's hands. And in God's own time this city will deal with justice," Sharpton said.
Bell's fiancé and mother have been overwhelmed by the unwavering support they've received since his death.
"I want to start by thanking you all (for) sticking by my family – my other mother and my other father and me. And supporting us because God knows we need it," Nicole Paultre Bell said.
Outside the courtroom, the NYPD had preparing for any post-verdict scenario or protests.
"We certainly have no reason to expect violence," NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly said Thursday. "There's been many demonstrations, memorials, marches since the incident took place. We've done things that the public would expect us to do to prepare for any contingency."
Added Bishop Lester Williams: "How can you celebrate officers who are supposed to take care of you and are now going to jail, if that is the case? And then how can you celebrate if they don't go to jail. The loss that that family will [have to] endure [will last] forever, so there is no victory. We have to sit down and make sure this does not happen again."
Stay with wcbstv.com and CBS 2 for continuing coverage of this developing story.
(© 2008 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
Let the riots begin!
Any locals know if the situation is tense? Calm?
Honey, pop some corn. This is going to be interesting to watch.
Wow.
Any thing the Rev Al says, just apply the opposite.
Very interesting indeed. It's Hillary's state. Who does she side with? The cops for the white/union vote or the black citizens for theirs?
We'll see....
Got the Police scanner on and they’re just marching around in the neighborhood according to one LT very peacefully. I think they’re waiting for later.
It is a good day to not be in New York City.
How soon before hussein obama weighs in?
They are not going to riot - this is 2008. Believe it or not, this is a civilized city. And there is a lot of security. If Sharpton continues to take a calm approach, things will settle down.
I'm on CDT so I need to adjust for an hour.
Do you know if the Judge was black or white, etc?
Yer a funny guy newbie. Do you do Standup?
If NYC was so 'civilized' they (aka Bloomie) wouldn't have to stomp all over the US Constitution. Like the 2nd, 4th, 9th, 10th and 14th Amendments.
I hereby proclaim this "Free Big Screen TV and Baskteball Shoes Day."
The Union of course, she has lost the black vote already no matter what happens I think.
The defense made one great decision: let a judge, not a jury, decide.
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