Sean Bell shooting trial begins for 3 NYPD officers

Jet, March 17, 2008

Three New York police officers recently began trial in the death of Sean Bell, the unarmed man killed in a barrage of 50 bullets on his wedding day, with prosecutors portraying him as the victim of reckless, trigger-happy detectives.

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Lawyers for the officers argued that the shooting was not excessive and that it was justified because their clients had ample reason to believe the 23-year-old Bell and his friends were armed and dangerous as they left a Queens club in the early hours of Nov. 25, 2006 (JET, Jan. 2, 2007).

The case, being heard by state Supreme Court Justice Arthur J. Cooperman and not a jury, became emotional at times. The woman Bell was to marry, Nicole Paultre-Bell, who legally took his name after his death, wept as she testified about being summoned to the hospital where she learned Bell was dead.

Detectives Gescard Isnora and Michael Oliver are charged with manslaughter while Detective Marc Cooper is on trial for reckless endangerment. Oliver fired 31 shots, including the one that killed Bell. Isnora squeezed off 11 shots, and Cooper fired four.

Assistant District Attorney Charles Testagrossa told the judge that once the evidence is heard, "It will be clear that what happened cannot be explained away as a mere accident or mistake. It can only be characterized as criminal."

Isnora's attorney, Anthony Ricco, said there was evidence that Bell was drunk and "out of control" as he left the strip club after his bachelor party.

Oliver and Isnora face up to 25 years in prison if convicted; Cooper faces up to one year on the lesser endangerment count.

--Associated Press