Three NYC Police Officers in Sean Bell Case >> Not Guilty!
This morning a Queens, NY, judge determined that three NYC police officers charged with emptying their guns on Sean Bell’s car, killing him and injuring two others, justifiably feared for their lives. Not Guilty!
Judge Arthur J. Cooperman said the prosecution’s witnesses, including Bell’s friends injured in the car that night, Joseph Guzman and Trent Benefield, weren’t believable, “at times, the testimony of those witnesses just didn’t make sense,” Cooperman said.
Consider this, it’s late at night, you and some friends, leave a bar and head to your car. You’re going about your business and turn around to see someone has a gun pointed at you. The guy is screaming for you to do.. something. All you see is the gun.
You’re the driver. You hit the gas to get away from this person. This person, who turns out to be an undercover cop, sees this as you trying to flee the scene - which you are. Shots are fired. The car crashes, can’t get away. You head in the other direction. Now the cops (you didn’t even see the other guys yet) believe you are coming at them and empty their clips. 50 shots fired!
The cops claim they identified themselves. What else would they say?
They thought they were being shot at - no gun was found.
They were basically charged with reckless endangerment. How they weren’t at least found guilty of that is amazing to me. What else is considered reckless behavior?
Judge Cooperman didn’t believed it was important if the cops identified themselves or not. He said they were justified in stopping Sean Bell’s car, because of a supposed argument inside the bar between one of Bell’s friends and another customer. I’m going to get my gun... were the key words. Cooperman believed this gave the officers reason to believe that Sean Bell and his friends had a gun. That’s why they followed them outside and stopped their car.
The right to stop the car isn’t the question.
Did they identify themselves as officers is THE ONLY THING THAT MATTERS.
A Shotgun to the Face Experience
Years ago, I was the driver of a car, a bunch of friends in the passenger seats, when cops surrounded the car. Took us completely by surprise. We had just turned the corner. Stopped for a minute in the middle of the block and I turned around to see a shotgun pointed at my face. Flashlights shining through the windshield, spotlight through the rear, and a mustached, scowling cop’s face. What did we do?
That’s what we asked them. Never got an answer. They took my license and registration and determined that we weren’t >> criminals.
These were uniformed officers. Who knows what would have happened if they were just.. some guys with shotguns. That’s still amazing to me. A pump shotgun, like something you’d see in a movie. They weren’t in a squad car, it was one of those big task force trucks.
That wasn’t the only time we were ‘surprised’ by cops..
After a high school talent show, a fight broke out in front of the school. Not involved. Like everyone else, we watched with excitement from across the street. Fifteen minutes later, we’re going on our way, talking and walking down the block when a car screeches to a stop.
Some guy jumps out, my friend approaches him with open arms. As if to say.. What’s the problem? Without a word >> the guy tries to kick him in the balls. The rest of the guys in the car, who we can now see are undercover cops, come running for the rest of us.
We take off.. One guy got caught and lumped up with a walkie talkie.
Our crime? I think we were breathing fresh air.
More important to the story at hand, we looked at the situation - an unidentified threat - and got the fuck out of there.
Sean Bell and his friends did the exact same thing. It’s what, Joseph Guzman testified to.. “I thought it was over.”
Well.. a judge didn’t believe that at all.
Joseph Guzman, one more time.. “You know what needs to happen?” Mr. Guzman said. “This needs to happen to your family.”
☼ What's Your Opinion? ☼
dude…i was watching to the news unfold this morning in utter shock! you thought you heard mention of a gun, didn’t ask to see a gun, didn’t identify yourselves as policemen, and because you thought you saw movement, you decided to open fire.
no gun was ever found.
how the hell is 50 shots justifiable????
i remember one news station saying that either the judge or one of the police officials stated that this verdict will send the message to the whole NYPD that if this situation happens again, they will be treated fairly.
That just means it’s open season.
I am outraged as well with the decision…but the reality is this…there will be a lot of cops killed…I am sure due to this verdict. God pray for all the minorities!!!!
i shared this story with a co-worker after reading it myself. his outlook, as a middle aged white man was completely different from mine, a young black woman. in his eyes, the victims had something to hide. i don’t see where he got that from. i don’t see how that could justify all the gunfire. i don’t see how nobody saw it to be weird that the police reloaded and continued to fire at unarmed men. i am angry and disgusted at the verdict. change needs to come. i feel powerless as i am sure many of us do.
I suspect a lot of us have experiences like this. Despite the anger we all justifiably have due to the injustice of the Sean Bell case, we need to harness this anger toward productive uses.
If things are ever going to improve for African-Americans, we have to redouble our efforts to gain social, political and economic power here.
Remember, time and demographics are both on our side. Whites now have a birth rate well below replacement in the USA, while the African-American population grows steadily both by natural growth and immigration from Africa, Brazil and the Caribbean. Even some Blacks immigrating to the USA from France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany and Spain. (BTW if any of you can speak Spanish and/or Portuguese, please encourage our Black brethren in Latin America, especially from Brazil, to emigrate to the USA. There’s strength in numbers.)
I know Blacks and Latinos have often been at loggerheads, but we’re natural allies—both fighting against White oppression, with Latinos having been invaded in multiple wars by the Anglos in Florida, the Mexican-American War and Spanish-American War. Latinos lost half of Mexico when Anglos invaded in 1848, and were ethnically cleansed by Anglos so that they could start slavery in the conquered territories. Blacks and Latinos today are natural partners in the fight for social justice, both fighting for affirmative action and against discrimination. Spanish is an easy language to learn, and the more that we reach out to each other, speak some Spanish ourselves, and support our Latino brothers and sisters, the more our alliance is cemented.
I’d say if anything, the key for us is to gain political power, and to do that, it’s best to concentrate ourselves geographically a bit more in a few states, where we will soon be the majority. On the one hand, we need Blacks throughout the country to demand our rights, but on the other, a better geographical focus is the key to political power, as it is throughout the world’s democratic countries.
IOW, we need to have our own “North American Nubia” where we have a demographic majority and political power. Some Deep South States are obvious candidates—Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana for example, all of which will soon be Black-majority within perhaps a decade. This would be a core of our nation.
But we can have a second North American Nubia (or North American Africana, whichever name you prefer) in the Upper Midwest—Michigan is one of the Blackest states in the Union, and much of Illinois is also strongly African-American in demographics, culture and social importance.
Some of my homies from college have even urged conversion to Islam for African-Americans. It’s not something I’ve considered myself, though I’ll acknowledge that at least for many urban African-Americans, they’ve done quite well after the conversion. Many having been in jail or kept out of jail, they become more focused and disciplined, as fathers they take care of their Black children and care better for Black women, stay away from drugs and violence and so forth. (interesting link a friend sent to me—<a href=“http://khalidali.bravehost.com/the_nubian_manifesto.htm”>The Nubian Manifesto</a> )
IMHO there are many different personal routes we can take for empowerment, but as a group, we must stay strong and focused and, again, have enough of a geographic concentration that we can gain political power. Just as we should ally with Latinos as they become the majority in their own homelands in Southwestern states and Florida, so should Blacks ally with Muslims in Michigan (who will soon be the majority in that state).
It’s obvious from our people’s history here, that we’ll survive only by standing up for ourselves. Political and economic empowerment are the central aspects of this.
I feel that justice has not been served. How is that not one of those police officers who killed Sean Bell is doing any time for it. His family has to continue to live life knowing that the men that killed him is still out in the streets doing “there job”, while Sean Bell isn’t alive. This is not the first time something like this happened. Amadou Diallo was another victim, who died in 1999 when police accused him of having a weapon and 41 shots were fired at him. Justice wasn’t serve for that case neither. So I wonder when is justice going to be served for those families that mourn over those who died do to false accusations????
I am not shocked at all. Did you notice how the white officer was so calm and cool in the courthouse while the black officers were shitting bricks. That’s because killing a black man was new to the black officers while the white officer knew he was going to get away with it. This is yet another sad day for blacks when a white officer can go into court having emptied his gun into a car RELOAD and empty the second clip and laugh and giggle about it. If I do that that would be called murder. To Al Sharpton, we are all tired of getting gunned down by police officers and peacefully protesting about it, when should the next step be taken???????
Right now i am lost for words, i am so angry and feel like the rug was pulled from under my feet and tears fall from the emotions caused from the injustice that we all saw this morning.
You know, Mayor Bloomberg said that ” we are a nation of laws” so in turn, where was the law when three undercover cops started shooting 50 rounds at Sean Bell and his friends. They were so reckless that they almost killed a Port Authority cop across the street.
Can someone tell me what crime they committed that night? And how many times does a person need to be shot before justice can be served…should we wait for the next poor soul to be shot 65 times or is that not enough? Maybe there should be a curfew for all Blacks and Latinos, lets say, by 8 pm they all should be in their homes.
ALL YOU DIRTY, CROOKED COPS, I ASK YOU THESE QUESTIONS! YOU ALL SHOULD HAVE THE BALLS TO ANSWER THESE VERY SIMPLE QUESTIONS. YOU ARE A DISGRACE TO THE UNIFORM AND A POOR EXCUSE FOR A HUMAN BEING. I HOPE THAT YOU NEVER GET TO TASTE THE SAME INJUSTICE THAT WE ( BLACKS AND LATINOS) GO THRU EVERYDAY.
To the Sean Bell family, my thoughts and prayers are forever with you and know that a piece of me died on that very same night and i really want to thank you for showing me just how strong your faith is considering the circumstances.
This is not justice. i dont know the whole story but i can’t think of any situation that would justify 50 shots at an unarmed group. If it was true that they hit an officer with their car it would have warranted an arrest starting with them disclosing themselves as officers, not directly with gunfire. But I can understand that a quick reaction may have led to a few bullets being fired. I just cannot understand 50 bullets without being fired back at. The fact that the shattering windows sounded like return fire is such a cop out. Pun intended.
My coworker and I discussed this yesterday. Shes a young white girl from the midwest and she argued on the side of the cops. Although she felt for Sean Bell’s family she said she thought that the cops were justified in firing those shots. They thought the group had a gun.
Me, I’m not latino or black. I’m Asian and I have never experienced any harassment from the police. But I truly believe this is a bad step backwards in our justice system. People say there was no racism because 2 of the cops were black. But I do think there is some racism involved (from the justice system). If the victims were not black would the same verdict have been rendered. 31 shots from one person and one gun. Having to reload and not having any return gunfire. That I can never understand.
You have to understand that your white friend will always think that shit like this is justice. They are trained at birth to want to see blacks killed. In their eyes it’s the American way.
Why is it in the black community that when the case goes your way it’s a great thing and when you loose you want to shut down the city. Why don’t you just burn it down like you have every other time things did not go your way. When will Al Sharpton be part of the solution and not the center of the problem. The dead guy in this case failed to follow police orders, tried to run down an officer and was killed for his trouble. If you try to run me down I will shoot first and ask questions later. I was not there and none of you were so let the court ruling stand and stop crying like a bunch of babies.
I love these white computer punks that wait until late at night to say some bullshit like this. You are just as punk ass as the cops talking about shooting someone. Are you going to tell me that you think it is justice to reload and keep on shootingat unarmed men? You probably will cause that is how you white ass people think because it doesn’t happen to your race. See had that been 3 white boys in that car this would have been handled differently. Why in the white community do your females f**k horses? Answer that bitch… I wish that you would try to shoot me I got something for your white ass.
I believe this was a tradgedy. However, the white guy is partially right. When a nationally publized trial is over and it does not go your way the black community is up in arms but if it goes your way you do not have anything to say.
Everyone in the world new OJ was quilty but the black community cheered when he was found not quilty or killing 2 white people.
And you call the white community names when you are just as bad if not worse.
drb, We cheered for OJ because not because he got away with the killings but that was for all the black people that are in jail for shit they haven’t done. We are up in arms over the 50 shots that were fired. We are up in arms over te WHITE COP reloading and continuing to shoot, murdering those “NIGGERS” is all that was on his mind. We are up in arms over black cops that become white once they become officers to try to fit in. That is what we are up in arms over. As for us being just as bad as the white community, When have you ever heard of black cops racially profiling. We can never be as racist as they are.
Well well I see I hit a nerve “Blambo”. At least when I have something to say I say it and put my name on it. Thats more than I can say for you. As for the time of day it was posted all I can say is I was up. I do have a question however. Why is it that a white dj using the word “NIGGER” is so bad when it is the term you use for yourselves. Why is it a hate crime when a white person assults a black person but it a simple little crime when it’s the other way around. Just so you know I am one of those people that could care less about your color. I care only about what is fair. If you can do the job you get the job. I want only the best for all. But I am damn tired of trying to defend what I belive in when people like you that stand to gain the most are pulling the rug out from under me all the time. Join the real world be proud of your name and use it when you complain. The US justice system may not operate to make all happy all the time but it sure as hell beats any other system on the planet.
Good Day
PLM
And Blambo please note that this “white computer punk” posted at 0234 am and that you posted your answer at 0245 eleven minutes later so I guess that makes you a ” black computer punk” You see it works both ways.
PLM
First Philip McCleary, this is a board for posting coments, only an idiot would give out their personal information. White people can’t use the word because most of the time when you guys use it you are using it to try to demean us. DJ’s and rap artist mostly say nigga not n***r, there is a difference. It is not always labeled a hate crime when a white person attacks a black, it is investigated and determined. You should know that. Explain how we are “pulling the rug from under you” Everything is handed to whites. I have a question for you. Why have studies shown that for the same crime black men will spend up to 6 times the amount of time in jail as whites. The US justice operates to make whites happy. As you can see when something happens to blacks You guys get away with it. Beastiality is all over the internet and your women are steady sucking and f**king dogs horses and all other animals. Isn’t that abuse to animals? how come that hasn’t been in the eye of our so-called justice system? I’ll tell you cause they are 90% white women that are doing that. Had they been black women surely they would be in jail but because it’s all white… it’s all right. Something to chew on…
Hey Blambo
If anyone thought you had a brain cell alive in that head of yours you have just proved them wrong. When you all become Americans and not african Americans, join the system, stop demanding to be better than anyone else then the system will treat you like everyone else. By the way lose Al Sharpton white folks think he is the problem. You have an anger problem and need help before you hurt someone. In 20 years of working for the system I have never seen anyone arrested because they were black, white or any other race. People are arrested for crimes and serve time based on the laws of the state they live in. If blacks are getting a longer term in jail I suspect that they have a longer rap sheet to support the longer time.
I hope you get the care you need before you get the time.
Peace
PLM
First, I have hated being called African-American because I dont know shit about Africa. Hey dumb f**k, If you have been working in the system for 20 years and haven’t seen nobody arrested because they are black that means that you are one of the racist f**ks that are doing this. What are you one of those punk ass cops that are shooting us and pulling us over because you fear us. I don’t demand to be treated better than anyone I demand EQUAL TREATMENT. I want to be able to walk down the street and not have my pockets checked because I am black, I want to drive down the highway and at the end of the month when the racist state police need to get their end of the month tickets in not be the on that they give it to FOR NO REASON. White folks think that Al Sharpton is the problem because they, just like your punk ass, don’t want to see us ever get the treatment that you guys get. You would have a f**king anger problem too it this shit happend to you and your people. But since I want to speak up “I am angry” no bitch I just want equality. The care that you claim that I need is called Equal treatment dummy. You still haven’t answered the question on why your women are getting away with f**king and sucking animals? You choose to duck that ha? The study that I am talking about was on TV and they had a group of lawyers predomenantly white and they all said that there is a race problem in the system and now I see why. It is because racist bitches like you work in it. WHy do you white men fear us? I’d really like to know.
I can tell by the lack of comments on this story that we are not angry enough about this situation. This is why cops continue to shoot and kill us. We need to come together people. Once again another black man shot and the cops get away and 4 days later the brother is forgotten about. How sad
I havent heard from Philip McCleary lately. Whats the matter Phillip? I guess the truth has finally shut your ass up. So you are one of those racist cops that are intimidated by us and became a cop because of that. Next time stay your racist cop ass off this site. It ain’t for people like you. I would still like to know, why do you white men fear us? The sad part is I get along with white men and women all day everyday. It’s just the police and the court system that fear us. But you are making your race look bad by doing this out of fear. I just want to know why? CAN YOU ANSWER THAT PLEASE.
i would first off like to start by sending my condolences to the bell family…..........now i got that out the way I BELIEVE THAT THAT VERDICT WAS COMPLETE AND TOTAL BULLCRAP!!!!!!!!!!! these 3 SO CALLED MEN were put on the force to do EXACTLY the opposite of their actions…...... if you ask me theyre all 3 SORRY A** COWARDS and it truly reduces me to tears to know that this man had everything to give to the world… he had a beautiful daughter and i believe wife to be and to have it all taken away in an instant at the hands of three of in my eyes the most IGNORANT men in this world…..they dont deserve freedom…freedom is life and they so trashfully took that away from sean bell…. they deserve to dwell in the very prison cell they put people in everyday because what they did was unjust and UNHUMAN….THEY ARE SAVAGE CREATURES WHO DONT DESERVE LIFE