All right!
The three NYPD detectives accused of murdering a local ne’er-do-well named Sean Bell were acquitted on all charges this morning by Justice Arthur Cooperman. Detectives Gescard Isnora and Michael Oliver, faced up to 25 years behind bars for manslaughter charges, while Det. Marc Cooper faced a year in jail on reckless endangerment charges after an incident in which they attempted to stop and question Bell and his companions outside of a New York strip club after overhearing one of them say that they were going to get a gun following an argument with other patrons. Bell drove his SUV at the detectives and they opened fire, killing Bell and wounding his two posse members.
The judge heard evidence that Bell was drunk and "out of control" when he left the club. Witnesses overheard Bell exchange curses with another patron, and heard one of the passengers in the car, Joseph Guzman, who was also shot, say to someone, "Go get my gat," slang for gun. They had also argued Bell had tried to run over Isnora with his car.
In the immediate wake of this incident, the money-grubbers and publicity hounds descended. Race-mongers Louis Farrakhan, Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson began screaming about a culture of police brutality and wanton murder. Bell’s baby-momma put on a weird public “marriage ceremony” in which she adopted his name after his death and proclaimed herself to be a “widow” as she filed a multi-million dollar lawsuit against the city. Bell’s two surviving pals also sued for outrageous sums, and all three have been bankrolled and trotted out for press conferences by Farrakhan.
This was a case that never should have been brought. The police officers, all decorated veterans, were just doing their job when they confronted Bell and his gang. What happened next was all on Bell, who could have obeyed the police but refused to do so, choosing instead to try to hit one with his car. It didn’t have to go the way that it did, but the fault lie with Bell, not the officers, and neither his baby’s momma nor his criminal pals should ever see a dime of city funds.
I do understand why the prosecution had to try this case. I’m actually glad that they did, because a fair trial now puts to rest any claims of privilege or favoritism based on the officer’s status, and the acquittal vindicates them and lets them get on with their lives. The question now is how New York’s thug culture will react. Will they get all stupid and destroy their own neighborhoods like they did in the wake of the Rodney King verdicts? Or will they act like normal grown adults and accept the verdict calmly? The next few hours will tell.
Hey, I have to address Mr. Belgrove. I ask you sir, what would you do? If this 4000 pound weapon is coming at you. Do you protect yourself and go home to your family? It's obvious that you are not in Law Enforcement. At least I hope your not!!! Thank God these officers are alive to fight another day and protect people like you. OHHH, he was armed, with a vehicle!!
ReplyDeleteOne of the things that demonstrate that jokers like this "Mike Belgrove" guy haven't a clue what they're talking about is the way they harp on the "50 shots" mantra.
ReplyDeleteDude, once you make the decision to fire, it doesn't matter whether you squeeze off one round or fifty. You've made the decision to employ deadly physical force, and you were either right or wrong.
If the shooting had been unjustified, one round would have been too many. If the shooting was justified, every round in the magazine was righteous.
I don't expect to convince the cop-haters, but fortunately, there's at least one judge in New York who understands the law.
Thank God for a Judge with a brain.
ReplyDeleteNoW if Al Sharpton will shut up and leave town.And leave the Officers alone.The Officers have had enough pain.
Praise God it was found to be a good shoot!! Those poor officers have been thru hell and back with this and I am thankful they have risen above and have been found innocent.
ReplyDeleteThis Mike commenter has no clue what it is like to have someone attempt to kill you with their vehicle!! You are in a fight for your life just as if that person were holding a gun to your head. It is called vehicular homicide (or at least the attempt to in this case).
We had an officer here in my state just last year have to shoot a man who turned his vehicle on the officer and ran him over. The officer managed to get 2 shots off - it was the 2nd shot that finally stopped the man. The man was high and drunk and had been recklessly speeding thru a school zone while children were getting off school. He refused to stop for police and a pursuit ensued until he ended up in a ditch. When the officer went to approach the vehicle to check on the man, the man then turned the vehicle on the officer. I praise God the officer survived!!
People need to wake up and realize that we officers take every shooting incident seriously. We do not shoot unless absolutely deemed necessary. It is not a decision we take lightly.
Finally, someone else who sides with the cops against these guys. Is it sad they died? Yes. Did they force the cops move? Yes, and with fatal consequences. Cops are forced to make these decisions everyday, why do we make them the criminals?
ReplyDelete[See my blog comments on this.]
ReplyDelete