From WNYC’s The Brian Lehrer Show and the WNYC Newsroom, comprehensive coverage and analysis of the November 2006 shooting of Sean Bell and subsequent trial; including community reaction, commentary and an exclusive interview with NYPD Commissioner Raymond Kelly.
the madness of this is that NYPD has a warped since of reasonable force. while i think it is difficult to be a police officer in a city, much in less a city of 8.2 million, i think it is reasonable (if not necessary) to have a please force that understands that force is not the first and overwhelming options. with the cut in pay for officer i fear there will be more cowboys less law enforcement within the police force.
Mar. 28 2008 10:27 AM
Score: 0/0
Paulo
from Paterson, New Jersey
Even if everything the cops were claiming were true. Even if they identified themselves, even if they tried to hit them with their car, even if all of that were accurate (and I don't think it is)... does any of that justify the shear number of shots fired? And the fact that they actually shot one man as he was trying to get away? There have been cops going after a guy who actually had a gun, waving it threatening, and they didn't have to fire a single shot let alone completely discharge their weapons into a car, reload, and continue firing... these guys were cowboys. They thought they could do whatever they wanted.
Mar. 28 2008 10:19 AM
Score: 0/0
Gail Gans
from New York City
Surely, Sean Bell did not deserve to die because he was legally blind. None of what of I've heard from defense witnesses provide a reasonable person with a scenario in which 51 shots are fired. If Sean Bell had been a white middle class stock broker coming out of a Greenwich Village bar, would 51 shots been an acceptable response to any of this defense testimony?
Mar. 28 2008 10:17 AM
Score: 0/0
In Chicago
Just want to offer my thanks to you, Brian, and Arun and to WNYC generally for staying with this story in such a comprehensive way.
Mar. 28 2008 10:16 AM
Score: 0/0
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Comments [4]
the madness of this is that NYPD has a warped since of reasonable force. while i think it is difficult to be a police officer in a city, much in less a city of 8.2 million, i think it is reasonable (if not necessary) to have a please force that understands that force is not the first and overwhelming options. with the cut in pay for officer i fear there will be more cowboys less law enforcement within the police force.
Even if everything the cops were claiming were true. Even if they identified themselves, even if they tried to hit them with their car, even if all of that were accurate (and I don't think it is)... does any of that justify the shear number of shots fired? And the fact that they actually shot one man as he was trying to get away? There have been cops going after a guy who actually had a gun, waving it threatening, and they didn't have to fire a single shot let alone completely discharge their weapons into a car, reload, and continue firing... these guys were cowboys. They thought they could do whatever they wanted.
Surely, Sean Bell did not deserve to die because he was legally blind. None of what of I've heard from defense witnesses provide a reasonable person with a scenario in which 51 shots are fired. If Sean Bell had been a white middle class stock broker coming out of a Greenwich Village bar, would 51 shots been an acceptable response to any of this defense testimony?
Just want to offer my thanks to you, Brian, and Arun and to WNYC generally for staying with this story in such a comprehensive way.
Leave a Comment
Register for your own account so you can vote on comments, save your favorites, and more. Learn more.
Please stay on topic, be civil, and be brief.
Email addresses are never displayed, but they are required to confirm your comments. Names are displayed with all comments. We reserve the right to edit any comments posted on this site. Please read the Comment Guidelines before posting. By leaving a comment, you agree to New York Public Radio's Privacy Policy and Terms Of Use.