Bell Shooting Grand Jury Seemed "Careful"

Yesterday, a grand jury decided to indict three detectives in the shooting of Sean Bell, an unarmed black man who had been celebrating the night before his wedding day at a Queens nightclub. The charges were manslaughter for Gescard Isnora and Michael Oliver and reckless endangerment for Marc Cooper. Isnora fired the first shot, one of 11 he eventually fired, while Oliver fired the most, 31 rounds. Cooper fired 4 times; in total, the police shot at Bell and his two friends 50 times. Two other officers, Michael Carey and Paul Headley, were called to testify but were not charged. A Fordham Law professor told Newsday that the grand jury's decision to charge three cops and clear two others "suggested [the grand jury was] careful."

The Queens community seems relieved by the grand jury's decision. Bishop Lester Williams, who was going to officiate Bell's wedding but ended up speaking at his funeral, told the NY Times, "As long as I know that somebody got something, I can live with that." The Reverend Al Sharpton, who spoke on behalf of Bell's family and the two friends who were also injured in the gunfire, said, "Charges are not convictions. And convictions, even then, cannot bring back Sean Bell and cannot repair the damage to Joe and Trent." He added, "There is no joy, no vengeance, no party here. We are not looking for revenge. We are looking for it not to happen again."

Oliver, Isnora, and Cooper will be suspended once they are officially charged. While Carey and Headley were cleared, a police source said it was doubtful that they would get their guns back. Lawyers for Oliver, Isnora and Cooper said they were disappointed but would be prepared for the trial. Detectives' Endowment Association president MIchael Palladino warned people not to consider indictments as a proof of guilty: "The level of proof needed to indict is extremely low. As they say, they can indict a ham sandwich or even a rock."

The Times has a look at the jury's decision and the Daily News looks at what may lie ahead for the defense. The Post has an editorial slamming Sharpton's decision to equate Bell's death with the recent killing of auxiliary police officers in Greenwich Village as well as the penal code's definition of "use of deadly physical force."

The grand jury will officially announce its decision on Monday; the detectives were told to surrender then.

Top photograph of Sharpton by Shiho Fukada/AP; bottom photograph of Palladino of the detectives union by Bebeto Matthews/AP

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Jen Chung in News on March 17, 2007 4:34 PM

Comments [rss]

ts

ck - If that was Leonard Zelig, he'd be big and black and all Sharptoned out. He'd be doing the Sharpton Chameleon. Maybe five minutes after this pic was taken, he was.

katri cannon

the law is golden, at least it should be. we do need police or else there would be anarchy but without the law we would also have tyrrany. there's a very good reason why justice, not to be confused with just-us, is a blind woman with a scale. the law is not suppose to play favorites. yet another young black man has lost his life at the hands nyc police. when i was a kid it was a 10 yr. old kid named clifford glover shot for allegedly playing with a toy pistol,also in queens and many more since. here we are in 2007 and it has been my observation that this rarely if at all happens to white people and their children. what was the sean bell incident, just another oops. did any of the officers responsible for his death offer any condolences to his family? thank god there were'nt three deaths. may god bless the family and friends sean bell. also may god bless and protect reverend sharpton and his family and supporters and all good people who have the courage to speak truth to power

The Edge

oic

itz all ghood

It's all good in the end, the cops get to go home safe and sound. that's all that matters.

Right, ching? isn't that another "tin foil hat" type cliche?

Kev

I am clueless why sharpton was missing in action when the 9 kids died in the fire. Here you have african immigrants in need of support and 9 kids dead, mean while sharpton who is at his highest peak of publicity with the bell case is no where to be found. This is sad. There are other needs and issues in the poor communities which he can bring support to which do not all involve deadly shootings.

crv

I am also clueless why sharpton was hidden when the 9 kids died in the fire. Here you have African immigrants in need of help and 9 children dead whose families need support. Meanwhile no word from sharpton while he is at his highest peak of publicity with the bell case. How about just getting up there to say a word of encouragement to support those families in need. I agree there are other needs and issues Sharpton can support which do not always have to involve criminal cases.

Doctorted

The pimps Sharpton and Jackson are no where to be found when 9 children die for want of a smoke alarm battery or when 2 auxilary cops are murderd. The good news is that the majority of people of color see these 2 as nothing more than self-serving thugs who defend criminals and set the causes of their community back 50 years.

val

Will the fiance get any money in the end since she was never legally married to him?

ac

I feel bad for the poor fiance. SHe looks like she is barely holding on. Even with the makeover her look hasnt changed in these past 4 months. Her pain is very heavy and my prayers go out to her and her kids as well as the bell family. So sorry neither sean nor nicole was working. With Sean's death he left behind no insurance money for the kids but planned a huge wedding that he paid for. The whole story is very sad.

BODY GUARDS

While Carey and Headley were cleared, a police source said it was doubtful that they would get their guns back

Out of the two that were NOT indicted - one fired Three Shots and the other fired One shot.

It would seem at least that the 'One Shot' officer is worthy of some consideration about eventually getting his gun back if his record has been good.

itz a hard koc life

I totally agree,

look at Bell's fiance, I think someone gave her a makeover, a bob cut, pearls, tasteful conservative grey dress, silk blouse. Conservative earrings, too!

Totally opposite of that family photo with the high hair.

but that thug gotta go.

Suit

Someone buy that dude a suit. In the march he was wearing that same Yankee cap two sizes too big with an NBA patch jacket. Suit that boy up. The thug look doesn't help him at all.

or fat facts

maybe they heard the facts and came to their decision justly and fairly.

cytr

One wonders whether the grand jury based its decision in part -- or in whole -- on a desire to avoid civil unrest, which certainly is an illegitimate basis for an indictment. The indictment of three of the five officers who opened fire seems more like appeasement than evidence of careful deliberation.

5w30

Nah, it's ambulance chaser and race-baiter Sanford Rubinstein, famed Court Street attorney.

ck

Is that lone white guy in the top pic Leonard Zelig?

911 iz a toke

ain't that the truth. What about that 9/11 mother who's always at a press conference or protest. You know, the blonde one with a photo pin of her son.

She's always in the spotlight, more than their lawyer, Norman Siegal.

felice

You know, I'm not a big Sharpton fan. I think he's generally at it for his own publicity and whatnot. However, at the same time, I do think that had he not taken this up as one of his "causes", there is a good chance this would have all been swept under a rug--and if Sean Bell really was a totally innocent black guy enjoying his last night of "freedom" then, and there still isn't any reason to believe this wasn't the case--then we *should* want the police to be taken task for what happened.

People here complain that there is any fuss being made about the situation, but if Bell had been your brother, or husband, or cousin, and you belived that he was innocently shot down, you would be outraged and want someone to help you find out what happened and why. Regardless of his ethnicity.