NYC cops acquitted for murder..Sean Bell case

[240 is Back]

I think you know these things occur so rapidly there is no way to know what is really going on.

Correct.  Which is why they don't belong in prison - but they don't belong in police work either.

Most cops would have created distance/barrier between them and the situation, THEN assessed the situation.  These cops emptied their clips before attempting to make space in a situation where they didn't have all the information.  They were scared, whatever, and they made a mistake.  They shouldn't be cops anymore.

[Zaphod]

You're telling me he tried to ram the cops and they had to go to trial for shooting him?  

[jaejonna]

So...You think you're white?

uh no, im a chink...i thought you knew that ?

[Tre]

Because blacks dont pay child support anyway for all their "out-of-wedlock" children, use so much govt assistance, and over populate the prisons it makes perfect sense that blacks should actually pay more in taxes.

Quit putting Black men in prison and maybe, just maybe they will go to work. 

[stuntmovie]

Tony, another statement well said.

It is very evident that none (or most) of these GetBiggers have never faced the open end of a loaded weapon or even the thought that such a weapon even existed.

Believe me, your thoughts are "not your own" when that happens and an immediate load of shit in your knickers is not uncommon.

And you'll never even come close to knowing how your would react until it actually happens.

You can only know your future by looking back into it.

[Zaphod]

Quit putting Black men in prison and maybe, just maybe they will go to work. 

I think they are going to prison because of their work.

[tonymctones]

Quit putting Black men in prison and maybe, just maybe they will go to work. 

Make them quit breaking laws and maybe they'll get that chance

[stuntmovie]

Tre, isn't that something like putting the cart before the horse?

[tonymctones]

If they believed they were in danger, and they shot him, fine.  They don't belong in prison.

But if they were WRONG - then they need to lose their badge.

Because they have shown they don't have the judgment in stressful situations to restrain deadly force.  They didn't see his hands, so they shot him.  That's bad.

In those same circumstances, if I shot an unarmed man because I was confused - I would be in prison. Yes.  I'm saying they are cops so they get extra leeway in this situation - but they only deserve that leeway ONCE.  


When they accidentally cap two unarmed guys next month, it'll be society's fault for re-arming and giving life/death powers to men who have proven they can't use it properly.

Iono about taking away their badges but yes I agree that they should not necissarily be back on the streets, Maybe a desk job or some other form of job for the department. Do you think they should have waited until the guy had the gun out or was shooting at them. I mean where do you draw the line, its a tough situation.

[Moosejay]

Tony, another statement well said.

It is very evident that none (or most) of these GetBiggers have never faced the open end of a loaded weapon or even the thought that such a weapon even existed.

Believe me, your thoughts are "not your own" when that happens and an immediate load of shit in your knickers is not uncommon.

And you'll never even come close to knowing how your would react until it actually happens.

You can only know your future by looking back into it.

Excellent post, stunt....like I said...it happen so fast...you don't even know what hits you....

[Thin Lizzy]

When you look at the court transcripts and such, it seems that Bell's friends were his own worst enemy. A lot of defense witnesses were drug dealers and muggers. Heck, one of the fellas in the car was still playing the hard ghetto gangster role in front of the judge, shouting down lawyers, etc.... There were also witnesses contradicting themselves on weather there was talk of having/getting a pistol.

The cops were also smart in having it tried by judge and not a jury. When you look at the facts and take feelings out of it, there just wasn't enough to convict them.  

"Bell had been arrested three times, twice for drug dealing and once for a firearms possession.[7] In all cases, he was released on his own recognizance.[8] The New York Daily News reported that, according to unnamed law enforcement sources, Bell sold crack cocaine twice to a confidential police informant in August of 2006.[9] Joseph Guzman and Trent Benefield, also shot in the incident, had been arrested nine and three times, respectively, each having been arrested at least once for illegal firearm possession."

[Palpatine Q]

I think you know these things occur so rapidly there is no way to know what is really going on.

I remember watching one of those cop shows and the cop said to a guy who was out of control "I'm going home to my wife and kids tonight, so you better show me your hands NOW". How many vids have we all watched on Youtube where the guy DOES pull out a gun and start shooting?  I don't know what happened that night, but I doubt these cops just decided to shoot a guy 50 times for the fuck of it. Split-second...life or death, I'm shooting first and asking questions later. These weren't exactly church-going folk they were dealing with either. Cops get shot and killed in NYC every year. And this is coming from a guy who don't like cops all that much

[Moosejay]

Correct.  Which is why they don't belong in prison - but they don't belong in police work either.

Most cops would have created distance/barrier between them and the situation, THEN assessed the situation.  These cops emptied their clips before attempting to make space in a situation where they didn't have all the information.  They were scared, whatever, and they made a mistake.  They shouldn't be cops anymore.

That may be true...I agree.

But, let me tell you...here in New Haven...even though Yale is here...crime is so bad that cops hate going into the 'hood' when they are called.

Damned if they do or don't...white or black...if they don't not respond fast enough....then they are absconding of their duties....if they do respond and shoot a perpetrator justly, then they are 'murderers'...

They can't win....it is a very tough, thankless job...being a cop.

[Moosejay]

"Bell had been arrested three times, twice for drug dealing and once for a firearms possession.[7] In all cases, he was released on his own recognizance.[8] The New York Daily News reported that, according to unnamed law enforcement sources, Bell sold crack cocaine twice to a confidential police informant in August of 2006.[9] Joseph Guzman and Trent Benefield, also shot in the incident, had been arrested nine and three times, respectively, each having been arrested at least once for illegal firearm possession."

haha...let me paraphrase one exchange btw judge and crook in this case:

"So, Mr. Johnson, can it be said that you have been a drug user for 6 years...?"

"Well, I haven't been counting the years..."

 

[Chick]

I was a cop...let me assure you all...there might have been cause to fire, but not 50 times. A simple warning shot may have sufficed...even a leg shot could have potentially brought the situation under control...non-lethal force.

I don't know all the details of the situation...but there are few (if any) reasons to have multiple cops shooting at the same target.

[Moosejay]

Chick...why DO you think it happened like that, then?

[The Ugly]

Because blacks dont pay child support anyway for all their "out-of-wedlock" children, use so much govt assistance, and over populate the prisons

Raise your hand if you're surprised.

[240 is Back]

Race SHOULD NOT be an issue here.  The cops who shot him were black, right?

What SHOULD be an issue is their judgment.  They are protected legally here, but they have shown in high pressure situations, they empty their guns into everyone they see.  

Do you want them to open up on someone next year, perhaps using your kid's preschool as a backstop?  Those 50+ bullets had to go somewhere after they were fired.

The men shouldn't be cops, that's it.

[Tre]

I was a cop...let me assure you all...there might have been cause to fire, but not 50 times. A simple warning shot may have sufficed...even a leg shot could have potentially brought the situation under control...non-lethal force.

I don't know all the details of the situation...but there are few (if any) reasons to have multiple cops shooting at the same target.

Thanks for that perspective, Chick.

I know you alone cannot solve all the problems, but is there any chance you'll return to law enforcement someday? 

[240 is Back]

I was a cop...let me assure you all...there might have been cause to fire, but not 50 times. A simple warning shot may have sufficed...even a leg shot could have potentially brought the situation under control...non-lethal force.

I don't know all the details of the situation...but there are few (if any) reasons to have multiple cops shooting at the same target.

I applaud that answer, Chick.  

I'm from a family that's strong LEO.   Some of my grandparents and uncles are cops.  It's a hard job, and they do get some leeway that others do not.

That being said, the people they shot were not a threat anymore.  They were 3 unarmed men in a car.  They were fuckups, sure.  But they weren't a threat and they didn't deserve to be fired upon.  

We've all done stupid shit - imagine if you and 2 of your friends were driving home with a buzz and the driver hit a cop car.  You're scared shitless, and the kid in the back is all pissed and yelling at the cops.  Suddenly they OPEN FIRE!  You're drunk, you had an accident, you belong in jail - but they put you to DEATH for it!

They went overboard and shouldn't be cops anymore.

[Chick]

Thanks for that perspective, Chick.

I know you alone cannot solve all the problems, but is there any chance you'll return to law enforcement someday? 

Not a chance..

[Chick]

Chick...why DO you think it happened like that, then?

Really hard to say..overzealous cops, perhaps.

UNless all the parties in the car suddenly stuck uzi's out the windows like in the movies...there is realy no reason for the open fire.

Even if an officer saw ONE guy with a gun in his hand...several commands would (should) be given to lower the weapon, show of hands, etc....

240 is 100% correct....there is no way to justify any of them returning to the force.

[240 is Back]

240 is 100% correct

It took me 15,000 posts.... but it finally happened 

[Tre]

Race SHOULD NOT be an issue here.  The cops who shot him were black, right?

What SHOULD be an issue is their judgment.  They are protected legally here, but they have shown in high pressure situations, they empty their guns into everyone they see.  

Do you want them to open up on someone next year, perhaps using your kid's preschool as a backstop?  Those 50+ bullets had to go somewhere after they were fired.

The men shouldn't be cops, that's it.

Truth be told, I did not take the race of the shooters into account at all...because that speaks to an internal issue for the Black community.  

[bigguns23]

How many seconds after he crashed into them did they shoot him?

I mean, yeah, send him to prison for bad driving, assault, DUi, whatever.

But killing him when he no longer was a threat?  No, you cannot do that.  I'm sure the cops had a confisuing situation, but they did make the wrong decision here.  They might not belong in prison, but they certainly don't belong back on the streets, where this can happen again.

They killed an unarmed man who didn't pose a threat to them. 

50 shots at one guy, sick.He was pulling out his wallet for fuck sake, not a ak47