Nicole Paultre Bell will be outside the Municipal Building this morning, picking up endorsements from a number of unions and elected officials. The 26-year-old, whose fiance Sean Bell was killed in a fusillade of police gunfire hours before their wedding in 2006, is running for a City Council seat in Queens that was left vacant when Councilman Thomas White died in August. She told the NY Times last week, “In a million years, I never would have imagined this would have happened to my family. But I’m a strong woman trying to persevere — this was my calling." more ›

After some speculation, Nicole Paultre Bell will run for Thomas White's City Council seat. She confirmed her decision to the Daily News and said of her fiancé Sean Bell's death during a fusillade of 51 police bullets hours before their wedding, "What happened to me four years ago - I didn't expect that to happen. This is what life threw my way. It made me realize that there are serious problems out there." more ›

Yesterday brought speculation that the fiancee of the Queens man shot and killed by police before his wedding might run for the City Council seat left vacant with Councilman Thomas White's death. At White's funeral, Nicole Paultre Bell told the Daily News, "One thing that Tom White did tell me sitting in his office is the only way you can make change is getting involved, so I'll keep that in mind." more ›

As a funeral will be held for Queens City Councilman Thomas White today, there are rumors about someone who may run for his seat: Nicole Paultre Bell, fiancee of Sean Bell, the man who was killed when police opened fire on him and his friends hours before his wedding. Politico's Maggie Haberman reported yesterday that she was being asked by community members to run. According to the Daily News (which also notes that she's become politically active and is often at the Rev. Al Sharpton's National Action Network meetings), "Her lawyer refused to comment on the report, but coyly mentioned that she would pay her respects to White at his funeral today." more ›

A lawyer said that the city's $3.25 million payment to settle the wrongful death lawsuit of Sean Bell, who was killed in a hail of 50 bullets hours before his wedding, was the largest payout for a police shooting. According to Newsday, "The Bell settlement in the Brooklyn federal court case topped recoveries by Amadou Diallo ($3 million), Ousmane Zongo ($3 million) and Patrick Dorismond ($2 million), three other men who died in notorious police shooting cases in the city." more ›

The city reached a settlement with the family of Sean Bell, who was fatally shot by the police on the eve of his wedding in November 2006. His family will receive $3.25 million; his friends Joseph Guzman and Trent Benefield, who also injured from the 50 shots fired by undercover police, will receive $3 million and $900,000 respectively. The NYC Law Department Corporation Counsel Michael Cardozo said, "The Sean Bell shooting highlighted the complexities our dedicated officers must face each day. The City regrets the loss of life in this tragic case, and we share our deepest condolences with the Bell family." more ›

A day after federal investigators announced that there is "insufficient evidence" to pursue a civil rights case against the officers who shot and killed Sean Bell, relatives of the 23-year-old said they are after the officers' badges. "Myself and my family are going to do everything possible to see that these police officers are fired," said Bell's fiancee, Nicole Paultre-Bell. "There is a history of black men being killed by police officers, and something needs to be done ... We're hoping to eventually meet with President Obama, and that he'll do something, because this is a national problem." more ›

Two hundred sixteen people were arrested during pray-ins protesting the acquittals of three police detectives in the shooting of Sean Bell. The NY Times called the demonstrations "carefully orchestrated," as hundreds of (perhaps a thousand) people gathered at six different locations in Manhattan and Brooklyn, blocking traffic and attracting arrest. more ›

Hundreds of people gathered at six different locations in the city to protest the acquittal of three police detectives in the Sean Bell shooting. They blocked traffic at the Queensboro Bridge, Triborough Bridge, Manhttan Bridge, Holland Tunnel, Queens Midtown Tunnel and Brooklyn Bridge, and arrests were made at the Queens Midtown Tunnel and Brooklyn Bridge. more ›

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. more ›

The trial of three police detectives for the fatal shooting of Sean Bell has been a magnet for scrutiny. And lately, there are reports Bell's parents and fiancee disagree about how the case is going. more ›

A police detective detailed photographing the aftermath of the Sean Bell shooting as prosecutors entered 80 photographs into evidence. more ›

Under intense scrutiny from the community and media, the trial of three police officers in the fatal shooting of an unarmed man started today. Detectives Michael Oliver and Gescard Isnora face manslaughter charges while Detective Mark Cooper is charged with reckless endangerment in the 2006 death of Sean Bell, who was killed hours before his wedding when his bachelor party crossed paths with an undercover police operation. more ›

http://gothamist.com/2007/11/24/vigil_marks_one.php more ›