re-post from open forum (courtesy of BETO916)
A Queen's judged just ruled that all three of the NYPD that killed Sean Bell. Detectives Michael Oliver and Gescard Isnora were tried on 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 tried on a charge of reckless endangerment.
Apparently the judge said that they prosecution didn't prove itself beyond a reasonable doubt.
NEW YORK - Three detectives were acquitted of all charges Friday in the 50-shot killing of an unarmed groom-to-be on his wedding day, a case that put the New York Police Department at the center of another dispute involving allegations of excessive firepower.
Justice Arthur Cooperman delivered the verdict in a Queens courtroom packed with spectators, including victim Sean Bell's fiancee and parents, as at least 200 people gathered outside the building.
The verdict provoked an outpouring of emotions: Bell's fiancee immediately walked out of the room, and his mother wept. Officer Michael Oliver, who fired the most shots, also cried.
Outside the courthouse, which was surrounded by scores of police officers, many in the crowd began weeping after hearing the verdict. Others were enraged, swearing and screaming "Murderers! Murderers!" or "KKK!"
Before announcing the verdict, the judge made a statement indicating that the police officers' version of events was more credible than that of the victims.
"The people have not proved beyond a reasonable doubt that each defendant was not justified" in shooting the victims, Cooperman said.
About the version of events offered by the victims and other prosecution witnesses, he said, "At times the testimony just didn't make sense."
Bell, a 23-year-old black man, was killed in a hail of gunfire outside a seedy strip club in Queens on Nov. 25, 2006 — his wedding day — as he was leaving his bachelor party with two friends.
Oliver, 36, and Gescard Isnora, 29, were charged with manslaughter while Officer Marc Cooper, 40, was accused only of reckless endangerment. Two other shooters weren't charged. Oliver squeezed off 31 shots; Isnora fired 11 rounds; and Cooper shot four times.
A conviction on manslaughter could have brought up to 25 years in prison.
A Queen's judged just ruled that all three of the NYPD that killed Sean Bell. Detectives Michael Oliver and Gescard Isnora were tried on 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 tried on a charge of reckless endangerment.
Apparently the judge said that they prosecution didn't prove itself beyond a reasonable doubt.
NEW YORK - Three detectives were acquitted of all charges Friday in the 50-shot killing of an unarmed groom-to-be on his wedding day, a case that put the New York Police Department at the center of another dispute involving allegations of excessive firepower.
Justice Arthur Cooperman delivered the verdict in a Queens courtroom packed with spectators, including victim Sean Bell's fiancee and parents, as at least 200 people gathered outside the building.
The verdict provoked an outpouring of emotions: Bell's fiancee immediately walked out of the room, and his mother wept. Officer Michael Oliver, who fired the most shots, also cried.
Outside the courthouse, which was surrounded by scores of police officers, many in the crowd began weeping after hearing the verdict. Others were enraged, swearing and screaming "Murderers! Murderers!" or "KKK!"
Before announcing the verdict, the judge made a statement indicating that the police officers' version of events was more credible than that of the victims.
"The people have not proved beyond a reasonable doubt that each defendant was not justified" in shooting the victims, Cooperman said.
About the version of events offered by the victims and other prosecution witnesses, he said, "At times the testimony just didn't make sense."
Bell, a 23-year-old black man, was killed in a hail of gunfire outside a seedy strip club in Queens on Nov. 25, 2006 — his wedding day — as he was leaving his bachelor party with two friends.
Oliver, 36, and Gescard Isnora, 29, were charged with manslaughter while Officer Marc Cooper, 40, was accused only of reckless endangerment. Two other shooters weren't charged. Oliver squeezed off 31 shots; Isnora fired 11 rounds; and Cooper shot four times.
A conviction on manslaughter could have brought up to 25 years in prison.
