Today all three of the police officers indicted were acquitted on all counts. The defendants opted to have Justice Arthur J.Cooperman make a ruling rather than a jury. The ruling was handed down in a state supreme court in Queens.
In the ruling, Justice Cooperman cited the fact that testimony by Guzman, and Benefield did not make sense. He also cited the fact that they had a pending 50 million dollar lawsuit against the city. After the ruling was made, the family, led by Sharptonand several others went to Bell's graveside in Port Washington, Long Island or a memorial service. Sharpton, Bell's family, and the rest of the crowd left after the services without incident.
This is ridiculous. It just shows the injustices that we have in America still to this day with cops getting off for crimes that regular citizens, especially those of color wouldn't.
On what some of hip-hop artist have to say about the verdict:
Ice Cube: “This is just another example that the justice system in America views a black life as worthless.”
Chamillionaire:“It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know that shooting an innocent, unarmed man 50-plus times is an excessive use of force,It scares me to know what type of power is given to people who are supposed to be protecting us from harm.”
UGK’s Bun B: “The verdict is almost as tragic as the incident.”
DJ Drama: “To wake up and see that — as much as things change, the more they stay the same. Anybody with a voice, you gotta use your voice and speak on it when you see injustice. That’s what I think it is: injustice.”
For more information on the family or the slaying visit: www.justiceforsean.net/
This forum will center on "...ensuring improved policing and greater public confidence in the fairness of the response to tragedies such as the Sean Bell
