Three detectives were found not guilty Friday on all charges in the shooting death of Sean Bell, who died in a hail of 50 police bullets outside a club in Jamaica, Queens, in November 2006. The verdict prompted calls for calm from the mayor, angry promises of protests by those speaking for the Bell family and expressions of relief by the detectives.
Detective Michael Oliver, who fired 31 bullets the night of the shooting and faced manslaughter charges, said Justice Arthur J. Cooperman had made a “fair and just decision.”
Bell was Black and unarmed.
A few links to coverage on blogs:
There’s been extensive commentary on the case at Garvey’s Ghost for months; here’s the most recent post.
Skeptical Brotha: Officers in Sean Bell case acquitted
She Muses: systems of injustice
BlackPerspective.net: Sean Bell Verdict: Judge Reinforces Police’ License To Kill
Too Sense: 50 Shots = Not Guilty
April 25, 2008 at 8:11 pm
Thanks for the linkage.
April 25, 2008 at 8:44 pm
sondjata, no problem. It’s been interesting reading.
April 26, 2008 at 6:47 pm
“fair and just decision.”
There is an undercurrent here that is really disturbing, and it is one that seems very common in these types of incidents. It’s never enough that the person is found not guilty, there is always this sense of gloating over it. One would think that if it was truly a mistake, (and i don’t think for a minute this was) the guilt over the officers actions would be obvious and statements like the one quoted above would just never be made. It is such an ugly undercurrent to what is already a travesty.
April 27, 2008 at 5:16 pm
It is so barbaric.
April 27, 2008 at 7:29 pm
alto,
Yeah, I guess that’s why I cut the NYT quotn there. And that’s paragraph 2 of the whole article, where he gets to say his piece. I’ve read some of the cops’ statements to the victims’ families and it has that same kind of air of trying to sell the judge’s decision as reality.
profacero,
Yeah. There are pictures of the vehicle, with all the bullet holes marked … Jesus.
April 28, 2008 at 8:48 pm
I am very pleased to pass on the E for Excellence Award to you. In keeping with the rules, you must now pass this award on to 10 blogs you deem worthy of the E. Much obliged for all you do in the Blogsphere!
SjP
April 29, 2008 at 9:09 am
SjP,
I’m really honored. Thanks so much.
I don’t know how I’ll narrow down to just 10!
Tom