Detectives in Sean Bell Shooting are acquitted

[Thunder22]

www.cnn.com


wow.

[R8DX5]

yikes

[cmyX6go]

Yikes is right. This will not be pretty.

[Michelle]

Originally Posted by cmyX5go

Yikes is right. This will not be pretty.

[PersonaNonGrata]

Unfortunately there will likely be "unrest". More unfortunate, it has always been and continues to be made a racial issue. To wit:

"One woman shouted at a black police officer, "How can you be proud to wear that uniform? Stand down! Stop working for the masters!" Sean Bell was black."

"This case was not about justice," said Leroy Gadsden, chair of the police/community relations committee of the Jamaica Branch NAACP. "This case was about the police having a right to be above the law. If the law was in effect here, if the judge had followed the law truly, these officers would have been found guilty. ...

"This court, unfortunately, is bankrupt when it comes to justice for people of color."

Note that two of the officers are said "people of color".

These kinds of inflammatory remarks are what perpetuate and widen racial gaps and encourages a violent response a la Rodney King Festival. This should be judged on its merits, not the color of those involved.

Interestingly, I don't know why both sides agreed to a trial by judge. Both sides are entitled to a jury trial and a jury would have favored the prosecution I'd think. Just a curious fact....

[E61Silver]

http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/20...ial-like-this/

[Quicksilver]

Principally correct but in today's society all to often the people involved make decisions based on their perception of others and that perception's basis is race.

Not knowing the real facts of the case, the motivation of the shooter, or the intent or motive of the victim, i would be hard pressed to make an unbiased judgement. But it seems to me though that the rush to shoot seems to be the predominant answer.

Originally Posted by PersonaNonGrata

This should be judged on its merits, not the color of those involved.

[E61Silver]

Rev Al is on the TV now trying to make trouble.

Talk about a no good opportunist.

He called the trial a abortion of justice.

[Quicksilver]

Trying to make trouble about what???

Originally Posted by x54.4blue

Rev Al is on the TV now trying to make trouble.

Talk about a new good opportunist.

[PersonaNonGrata]

Originally Posted by Quicksilver

Principally correct but in today's society all to often the people involved make decisions based on their perception of others and that perception's basis is race.

Not knowing the real facts of the case, the motivation of the shooter, or the intent or motive of the victim, i would be hard pressed to make an unbiased judgement. But it seems to me though that the rush to shoot seems to be the predominant answer.

You may be 100% correct. The merits of the case are getting lost in the "other stuff". The judge's comments on the evidence will be ignored and the focus will be on the perceptions, as you stated. People also forget that it's not so easy to convict someone as it requires proof beyond a reasonable doubt. That's a pretty high burden.

Let's hope that the good people of NYC heed Rev. Sharpton's appeal for calm.