The verdict is in and the three New York City detectives who shot Sean Bell to death outside a strip club in Queens just hours before he was to be married, have been found not guilty. Bell, who was unarmed, was killed in a blaze of 50 bullets - one of the detectives even stopped to reload his semi-automatic. (source)Justice Arthur Cooperman said he found problems with the prosecution's case. He said some prosecution witnesses contradicted themselves, and he cited prior convictions and incarcerations of witnesses. He also cited the demeanor of some witnesses on the stand.
Here's the background on the case:
The strip club was under investigation by a NYPD undercover unit looking into complaints of guns, drugs and prostitution. Undercover detectives were inside the club, and plain-clothes officers were stationed outside.
Witnesses said that about 4 a.m., closing time, as Bell and his friends left the club, an argument broke out. Believing that one of Bell's friends, Joseph Guzman, was going to get a gun from Bell's car, one of the undercover detectives followed the men and called for backup.
Bell, Guzman and Trent Benefield got into the car, with Bell at the wheel. The detectives drew their weapons, said Guzman and Benefield, who testified that they never heard the plain-clothes detectives identify themselves as police.
Bell was in a panic to get away from the armed men, his friends testified.
The detectives thought Bell was trying to run down one of them, according to their lawyers, believed that their lives were in danger and started shooting.
In a frantic 911 call, police can be heard saying, "Shots fired. Undercover units involved."
A total of 50 bullets were fired by five NYPD officers. Only three were charged with crimes.
Detectives Michael Oliver and Gescard Isnora were found not guilty of charges of manslaughter, assault and reckless endangerment in the death of Sean Bell, 23, and the wounding of two of his friends. Detective Marc Cooper was acquitted of reckless endangerment.
This is gonna get ugly.
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