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Photograph of a young boy participating in Sunday's protest march by Stephen Chernin/AP
Yesterday, the House Judiciary Committee Chair John Conyers visited the site where Sean Bell was fatally shot by police officers. He was accompanied by people including Bell's friends, Joseph Guzman and Trent Benefield, who were also fired at, and the Reverend Al Sharpton.
Conyers said he spoke to U.S. Attorney Michael Mukasey and that he would work on strategy with the committee, "We want to make sure justice is served, and we send a message not just to law enforcement but to young people that these types of tragedies have to end in this country." A representative from the Detectives' Endowment Association stopped Conyers during his visit, requesting that the he meet with them as well; Conyers seemed open to the idea.
Last night, Nicole Paultre Bell told NY1's Dominic Carter:
When I heard that decision I was devastated. What they're saying is that it was OK for the police to kill Sean. He can say that but I can't go home and tell my daughters it's okay that their daddy's dead because the cops did it. I can't tell my daughters that. They're not going to accept that.
Paultre Bell did tell Carter she accepted Detective Marc Cooper's apology, "I accept his apology. He looks genuine. Even sitting in court, he really did look like he was sorry for what happened but unfortunately it happened. Sad to say that's the only apology we got.” The other two detectives, Michael Oliver and Gescard Isnora, did not apologize.
Governor David Paterson spoke out about the case, saying he was surprised by the not guilty verdict and it could "arouse a mistrust" in the police, but added that discouraged people should wait for the federal investigation's and NYPD's next steps. As for Barack Obama's call for non violence after the verdict, Sharpton said Obama was grandstanding for white people, according to sources who spoke to the Post.
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Conyers said he spoke to U.S. Attorney Michael Mukasey
Mukasey is the Attorney General of the United States. Big difference. Or are there two guys with the same name?
There is an unwritten New York City curfew at sunset. After sunset, if you are male and not a white male, and if you are not at work, or at school, you have to stay home. Exception is if you have a female next to you, and she better be able to speak up for you.
Otherwise, Stay home.
Don't go to restaurants or theaters, or bars, after dark.
Cops can shoot you once or 50 times or 100 times.
Cops are always right. Forget logic.
Laws and justice are on the cops side.
I learned that from the New York Post or Daily News back in early 1980s.
For some reason, New Yorkers are not holding a rebellion to face this injustice against Sean Bell.
Are New Yorkers indifferent ?
I am surprised New Yorkers did not shut down the highways in the 5 boroughs to protest the decision.
Yeah, as a nonwhite guy in New York I always get harassed by the po-po
Reverend Sharpton and Wright's recent comments towards Obama are a prime example of what is wrong with the Black community. Here we have probably the most legitimate presidential candidate the Black community has ever had, and both Sharpton and Wright are making points of knocking him. This type of divisiveness has always, and will continue to be a major problem. It seems that a lot of other minority groups have truly come together to combat problems facing them as a whole.
Sharpton accuses Barack of "trying to grandstand in front of white people" because Barack stated "resorting to violence to express displeasure" (over the verdict) was "completely unacceptable and counterproductive." Also, a source close to Sharpton stated "[Obama] issues this statement and not a single rock had been thrown," said a source. "How does the candidate of change ask people to accept a verdict that is unjust?"
At no time did Obama say he agreed with the verdict. And as far as issuing a "no violence" statement, do you think that may have to do with the LA riots after the Rodney King verdict? Black people acting like animals, looting and burning their OWN NEIGHBORHOODS and beating - and in some instances - killing white people in the street. Gee, am I the only person that thought that might happen after this verdict?
I personally can't take any Black leader serious until someone starts to take as much time grandstanding about all the black-on-black crime that is going on as is done with everything else.
PathToWisdom:
I understand and respect your comment. However, I think a lot of New Yorkers (like myself) would respond with this: why is there no outrage when young black men are killed by other young black men?
Unfortunately, black-on-black violence is very prevalent in this city, yet it takes a black men killed at the hands of the police to spark such a response.
Regardless of that soapbox rant I just had, this verdict was a horrible, horrible disservice to the Bell family and NYC and the feds really need to do a better job than the Queens D.A.'s office did if they take on this case.
In this case, are the black police officers looked at as just police officers, and not black men? It doesn't matter the color of the skin if they are dressed in blue?
"i am sean bell."
oh the little things people completely ignore.
JP LYNCH:
well said my friend. this crime was not racially motivated. if the black community wants the world to look at them differently, they need more people like obama, not sharpton or wright. obama is educated. an intellectual. a visionary. he does not promote violence. he speaks across racial divides and classes. he represents a group of people beyond racial divide, a group of people who are tired of the status quo and want immediate change.
Folks, 2 of the 3 cops indicted here were black. Many of the jurors were black.
The most of the perported perpetrators, many of the jurors, and the victims were black.
I just don't see what race has to do with this issue.
It's unfortunate all around, but it is illogical to say racism had anything to do with this.
The DA and the Defense presented their case. The jurors listened, and judged accordingly.
Is there some accusation that the jury did not receive accurate information? That would of course be an issue - but I would say the that is the city justice department protected their own, who in this case are black. It has nothing to do with racism.
I tell you - the media and sites like this are making it seem like the cops and jury were white. What gives here?
nonumentalart: I do think race had some part in this (we ALL have some type of predisposed judgment towards others whether we choose to admit or not), but I believe the larger issue is the attitude displayed by law enforcement officials as far as not having the same accountability that the rest of us are supposed to, and should, have.
I've read almost every post on Gothamist concerning the Sean Bell case, so I won't waste any more time on inane conjecture regarding the motivation of the P.O.'s or the victims. What I do know is that a life was taken in an extreme case of what appears to be bad judgment. I do not think there was any malicious intent on the part of the P.O.'s but that should not mean that there be no disciplinary action taken towards them.
Polemicist: Get your facts straight - THERE WAS NO JURY. The Judge issued the verdict.
http://www.city-journal.org/html/eon2006-12-04hm.html
that kid is sean bell? i thought sean bell was dead?
I find it laughable that more people lined up to buy Grand Theft Auto IV today in one store than marched for Sean Bell. Isn't that Ironic?
Is that little Sean Bell wannabe a boy or a girl?
That kid is a drug dealer who gets piss drunk the night before his wedding at a known criminal hangout?
Cute kid.
I wonder if Hollywood would be contacting Sean Bell parents and Nicole for a movie deal? We can also have a lookalike for Sharpton!
The legacy of thirty years of Al Sharpton and the Black Protest Industry: howling indifference. Even the lawyers couldn't care less anymore.
I too believe that if you are against the outrageously ignored murders of black people, you must start holding those freelance executioners responsible on a community level.
Families who grow criminals, might not be so eager to ignore their anti-social behaviors, if vigils and speeches were held at their homes.
Al Sharpton does not agree with me.
I am crushed.
I don't agree with that child wearing a sign stating "I am Sean Bell" because Bell did sell crack at one time so that is not a good example for a young one to wear. But also I'm glad that this picture shows that this is just not a black vs. blue issue as you can see THERE ARE WHITE PEOPLE MARCHING IN THE CROWD! I'm surprised this Sean Bell story doesn't have 60-70 replies, where is everybody? Now that they seen whites are also on the side of Sean Bell I guess they decided that this just wasn't a "black thing" story to reply on.
nonumentalart wrote: if the black community wants the world to look at them differently, they need more people like obama, not sharpton or wright.
I hadn't realized you represented "the world". Since you claim to, what should "the white community" do to make "the world" think differently about them?
Bush, Cheney, and that whole bunch, are some of the most amoral murderous, warmongering profiteers the world has seen since Hitler and Mussolini-- all whites. Catholic pedophilic priests, school spree killers, serial murderers, and violent white supremacists are pretty much all white.
Would you like it if you were lumped in with them, wherever you went, no matter what you were doing?
Imagine a nearly all non-white media, nearly always presenting you in the vilest manner possible. Then imagine going out and getting a little drunk at your bachelor party. A non-white cop does not identify himself, but starts shooting at you in your car. He's undertrained and afraid of you whites, who are so violent, and who aren't all visionaries. His partners join in, one of them emptying his weapon, reloading, and shooting some more. Dozens of bullets burn through you and your friends. You are dead.
Afterwards, you are blamed for your own murder, because you had a blemish or two in your past. Other non-whites joke about your death, and wonder why you and your kind don't act more like Ivy League graduates and/or presidential contenders.
Just imagine, nonumentalart.
Megs, just imagine going over the evidence and testimony. Are you very familiar with how everything happened that night?