Council Members Keeping Fighting Over "Sean Bell Way" Vote

Opponents of the proposal to rename a three-block stretch of Liverpool Street after Sean Bell — a 23-year-old who was killed by police in a barrage of bullets on his wedding day — continued to lash out against the plan even after City Council voted overwhelmingly to approve it yesterday. "A City Council that places a man who nearly ran over police officers in the same category as heroes who risk their lives for us all every day needs to no longer have the authority to do street renamings," said Councilman Vincent Ignizio (R-Staten Island), who according to the Post voted early in the meeting and left in protest.

Councilman Peter Vallone Jr. (D-Queens) was furious that the "Sean Bell Way" renaming was lumped with 69 other far less controversial renamings including proposal to name streets after Staten Island state Sen. John Marchi and boxer Sugar Ray Robinson. "It's a despicable position we're being placed in," Vallone said. "There is nothing about [Bell's death] that reflects positively on the city. He's a criminal. He was driving drunk."

But supporters of the renaming including Council Speaker Christine Quin (D-Manhattan) said that Sean Bell should be memorialized because of his role in city history and policy. "The truth is the death of Sean Bell, and the response thereafter, has caused significant change for the public policies of the city of New York," she said. "This isn't meant to be anti-police officer."' Following Council's 41-6 vote (with two abstentions), Mayor Bloomberg said he will sign into effect the "Sean Bell Way" bill so as not to "enflame the situation." Though Bell's fiance was outraged that the officers who fired 50 shots at her partner were found not guilty, she said the renaming was an important step in commemorating his legacy. “Finally, some form of justice,” Nicole Paultre Bell told the Times. “We’re glad that Sean’s death wasn’t in vain."

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By Ben Muessig in News on December 22, 2009 2:29 PM

Comments [rss]

votersofny

It's too bad the other two weren't killed as well. Bell was a hardened criminal with two drug dealing arrests and an armed robbery as his claims to fame.

The other two made this piece of garbage look good. One had over 9 arrests, carrying a gun in three of them and the other had a little less than that for similar crimes.

And before you start calling me racist, I couldn't care less what color any of them are, they're thugs first.

Stupid cops have got to learn to shoot better and we wouldn't have all these thugs in prison, they'd be in the cemetery with Bell where they belong.

sexisicilian

Ha!! Why don't we give all convicted drug dealers boulevards named after them where they sell their crack!!

jpeditor

I vote for the Al Sharpton Memorial Outhouse.

Snoopy

I think we should rename Sixth Avenue the Avenue of the Americas. And the West side Highway Joe DiMaggio Highway and the Triboro Bridge for what's his name. You know that guy that was from Massachusetts and his brother was the drunk senator who drove off a bridge. Help me here. He was an Irish guy. Kelly, Kilpatrick, something like that. What is it called now, the KFC bridge? Damn I wish I could remember all these names.

HypocraticOath

As much as I wish Vallone would choke to death on a big fat ballsack, I am in total agreement with him here. Sean Bell was a drug dealing loser who hurt his community instead of helping it.

And, speaking of helping, I would like Sean Bell's friends, family, and "fiancee" to have a large helping of shut the fuck up.

kazubes

What changed for the city after Sean Bell died like the dog he was? Political pandering at it's finest

Guest

Should of Used this pic instead:

http://digg.com/d31DZP5

marcasm

NYT - “When a child walks down the block, they’re going to want to know who Sean Bell is,” Ms. Paultre Bell said.

Mommy, who was Sean Bell ? Well son, he was a drug dealer who tried to run over the police with his car outside of a strip club.

jaycjay

"We’re glad that Sean’s death wasn’t in vain."

Really? His name on a few street signs makes it all worthwhile?

jchez

Is there an Amadou Diallo Alley? And that's a guy who was totally blameless.

jchez

Darn! You beat me to it!

trusenses

I agree with scrappy. People who have streets named after them have accomplished something. It's tragic how Sean Bell was killed but if he gets a street sign than many others who died in similar circumstances should get one. What's the difference between him and the others that he is getting a street sign?

NannyState

I find it ironic that they really want us to remember that thug. The designation won't last 10 years.

Gothamist_Cynic

It's just a fucking street sign. Waste taxpayer's money on something better.

ides_of_march

The people wanting to rename this street don't really give a crap about Sean Bell, they just want to stick it to the NYPD.

Outter Burrougher

what happened to him was sad, tragic for himself and his family and friends - but he never did anything worthy of being honored in this way. nicole, i'm sorry, but he doesn't have a legacy.

silver

I whole heartedly support renaming Greenwich Street to Osama Bin Laden Way, for his endless struggle for Islamic civil rights in America.

Clarice City

"Christine Quin (D-Manhattan) said that Sean Bell should be memorialized because of his role in city history and policy."

Really? A drug dealing gun smuggling low-life driving drunk out of a strip club and getting shot at as he tries to run over a police officer is a "role" in reshaping public policy? Most people just write to their congressman.

Petey

The miscreants that live in the city would rather glorify a drug dealer, and the politicians are complete idiots.

HOTCUP

do you really write to your congressman? that is some lame ass shit.

Son of Spam

Bad precedent. If we renamed streets after every person the NYPD shoots, Rand McNally would have to declare bankruptcy.

jaycjay

"Rand McNally would have to declare bankruptcy."

Funny, but actually most of these commemorative street names never make it onto any real maps. They don't even really replace the original names, which remain valid as addresses.

HOTCUP

that's what i said. this is ridiculous.

JacqueMehoff

we don't have the breakdown data for that yet.

let's work on the streets where the cops killed innocent people first.

Petey

Then lets start with someone other than a drunk drug dealer who tried to run over the cops with his car, after oen of them said what amounted to "go get my gun"

justthinkin

If the cops hadn't gotten in Sean Bell's way, none of this would have happened.

ed_Extinct

Instead of fixing the community-based issues from the core, a street naming debate is now at large... This is the kind of crap that encourages violence no matter if it be from police or criminal.