As the news came over the wire (via AP News) that the three New York City police officers that shot Sean Bell, and two of his friends, 50 times killing him on the early morning of his wedding would not be prosecuted I felt a deep sinking feeling in my stomach. How could this be? The three officers shot and killed an unarmed man and wounded others in the car. This should have been an easy win for the Bell family right? Wrong. You see, even with the eyewitness accounts, the other individuals that were in the car’s testimony, and other fellow officers on the scene attesting to what happened, there was insufficient evidence. You see, in our court system it’s not always about what’s right or what really happened it’s about being able to prove it without a reasonable doubt. The FBI felt as though “After a careful and thorough review, a team of experienced federal prosecutors and FBI agents determined that the evidence was insufficient to prove, beyond a reasonable doubt, that the law enforcement personnel who fired at Bell (and two friends, Joseph Guzman and Trent Benefield) acted willfully… Accordingly, the investigation into this incident has been closed.”
Mrs. Nicole Paultre- Bell and children
Now his family has to go through the ordeal of grieving all over again. This is not the outcome I expected at all. I at least thought that this would go to trial and let a jury decide their fate. This is not the first case to begin and end this way and it will nto be the last. The question is, how long will we allow this to happen? Whether it be from a trigger happy police officer or a thug on the block, the senseless violence has to stop. When are we going to put our foot down and take a stand for what is right? Whenever things like this happen people tend to wait on the Al Sharpton’s or Jesse Jackson’s to take the lead and do something but we each have a voice. As evidenced with the Jena 6 protests, day of blogging justice, E – rallies and such, this internet is powerful and if we use it correctly we can bring about the change that we want to see in this world.
Sean Bell is an example of a good young black man cut down in his prime, They have already won by killing him, let’s not let them win again by letting his death be in vein. Do something about it.
Think. Discuss. Engage.
Sincere
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