April 24, 2008
City Waits for Tomorrow's Sean Bell Shooting Trial Verdict
Tomorrow morning at 9 a.m., Judge Arthur Cooperman is expected to announce a verdict for the three police officers on trial for the shooting of Sean Bell.
Mayor Bloomberg said he's not worried about the reaction, telling reporters yesterday, “I think people in this city have come a long way from the time when people rushed into the streets and tried to tear apart society.” Bloomberg also made a point of speaking with the Reverend Al Sharpton and Bell's fiance Nicole Paultre Bell before Sharpton's press conference demanding a conviction.
Still, time-off leave for cops has been canceled for four days starting tomorrow, in anticipation of post-verdict riots. Bell was unarmed when he was fatally shot by undercover police officers on November 25, 2006 (the police officers also injured two of his friends). It was just a few hours before his wedding. Police claimed they thought Bell and his friends were armed and were going to confront another patron of a Queens strip club.
The NY Times reports on the club, the Kalua Lounge, which is still operating in spite of having its liquor license yanked (the Times calls it a "juice bar with strippers"). The co-owner said, "We have our clientele still coming. I guess the alcoholic ones are going to stop coming.”
Bell's parents spoke to the Daily News. They felt Detective Michael Oliver, who fired 31 of the 50 shots, would "come in[to the courtroom] with arrogance, like he just didn't care. Like, 'So what, I killed somebody, it don't mean nothing.' Like it's a joke," believe the defense attorneys disgraced their son's memory and cannot bear an acquittal. William Bell said, "I cannot just see them going free like that, they can sit home and laugh and talk with their family. I don't think it's fair to us, at all."
Oliver and Detective Gescard Isnora is charged with manslaughter, reckless endangerment and assault, while Police Officer Marc Cooper is charged with reckless endangerment. WNBC's Andrew Siff explained the possible punishments if they are convicted:
Manslaughter 1 is a B felony punishable by up to 25 years in prison.Manslaughter 2 is a C felony punishable by up to 15 years in prison.
Assault 1 is a B felony punishable by up to 25 years in prison.
Reckless Endangerment in the first degree is a Class D felony punishable by up to 7 years in prison.
Reckless Endangerment in the second degree is a Class A misdemeanor punishable by up to 1 year in jail.
The B felonies (first-degree manslaughter and assault) carry a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years in prison. The minimum sentence on the other charges can be probation.
|
Time will tell. I'm just glad I don't have an electronics store.
whatever. If they riot it's gonna be in east queens yo. Brooklyn's got the rich blacks so you no they ain't gonna mess their own shit up. And all the blacks in manhattan are UPS drivers so you might not get your packages.
wow, racist much
ain't gonna be no riot unlike what happened in Montreal the other night when they made it into the next round. and, it's just the playoffs.
and, this is coming from a guy who wants to see one.
Oh, there were looters, too.
The Bell family seems sensible, and Nicole exudes a complete heartfelt sweetness. Sean Bell hung out with a bad crowd and was at a bad place at the worst time. You can tell a lot about by someone by the friends they keep. Similarly, Reverend Al keep some pretty ugly friends and he has been all over Nicole and this case from the get go. Al Sharpton is a shit stain, and if not because he is likely a government rat, should be the one facing judgment and a long prison sentence. Unfortunately, Judge Cooperman has a great reputation for being a good judge. And a good judge would exonerate these cops from criminal liability, on all counts. And then there will be riots.
"Those Who Forget the Lessons of History Are Doomed To Repeat It."
It has nothing to do with race, or maybe it does.
Sean Bell parents are hypercritical as is Nicole. They are portraying Sean Bell has some outstanding citizen who was enrolled in college or who was doing something positive for society.
Sean Bell parents should ashame of themselves of raising their son to live the gangsta life.
For one I'm happy the NYPD killed this thug.
Steven. Don't hold back on your feelings about this case.
"believe the defense attorneys disgraced their son's memory." Huh? and what was that memory? He knocked up his girlfriend twice and he almost got married. What memory are we talking here?
No riots, the NYPD is just showing support for
their fellow officers by this extra 1000 cops
on the beat.
I think there was no criminal intent and the
Federal civil rights will find these officers
guilty of denying Mr.Bell his civil rights by
well,killing him.
I would not wish to be a cop making a split second decision on shooting or be shot at.
I would not wish to be late at night in an SUV in
that hood in Queens,either.
A NYC Corrections officer was murdered by predators
in his own garage who wanted to steal his motorcycle
"Maybe we could take it for free" hardly an outcry
about this sad event from a few days ago.
I believe the memory in question is that he only got arrested 3 times. Twice for dealing crack and the other time for firearms possession.
See I told you people the dude was kind of clean. Only one firearms possession on his record and it's not spelled out if the firearm was a semi automatic or a full automatic weapon. What has this world come to?
Forget about the dealing crack shit. A dude who is going to get married has to raise some green to pay for the bachelor party and shit.
Can someone please explain to me what this whole thing is about? From what I read we have two sets of assholes out in the early morning hours, one set drunk on booze and who knows what else, and the other drunk on their own perceived power trip. Set one struts there shit and confronts set two and all hell breaks loose. One extreme asshole from set two decides that he has to empty not one, but two clips at the alleged perps. If it wasn't for the extreme prejudice that the asshole from set two showed, it wouldn't be much of a deal.
It wasn't a racially motivated shooting.
I still think it was a racially motivated shooting.
Either way, I'm staying out of my town in Eastern Queens tonight until I'm sure things aren't out of control - I think my friends outside of NYC need some love today. :|
NOTHING is going to happen. Why do people think that NY is going to break out in riots if the Verdict goes the wrong way? We've come a long way from the 70's.
This isn't about race. This is cop vs. thug. These jerk-offs dress like thugs, act like thugs, talk like thugs, and then they're shocked when they get treated like thugs.
If these guys were hanging out in the lower east side drinking PBRs and wearing skinny jeans - they might be mocked but not shot.
Bell and his friends put themselves in this jackpot. Fuckem.
what "thug" or sane person would say,
"go get my gun"
I would answer, "go get it yourself" plain and simple. Go get it yourself.
Shouldn't one properly say "Go get my gun, please."?