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Police acquitted over NY shooting | Police acquitted over NY shooting |
(30 minutes later) | |
A judge in New York has acquitted three police officers who shot dead an unarmed man hours before his wedding. | A judge in New York has acquitted three police officers who shot dead an unarmed man hours before his wedding. |
Sean Bell, 23, who was black, was shot as he left a strip club in the suburb of Queens in November 2006. | |
Two detectives, Michael Oliver and Gescard Isnora, faced charges of manslaughter. A third, Marc Cooper, had been accused of reckless endangerment. | Two detectives, Michael Oliver and Gescard Isnora, faced charges of manslaughter. A third, Marc Cooper, had been accused of reckless endangerment. |
The case had generated accusations of police racism and brutality, and there were angry protests outside the court. | |
Shouts of "No!" erupted in the crowd as word of the verdict spread, said reports. Some people wept on each other's shoulders. | |
Some protesters marched outside the courthouse, shouting "No justice in America!" | |
Protesters were angered by revelations that between them, the officers had fired 50 shots at the car - a use of force they argued was excessive. | |
But the police officers insisted they suspected one of Bell's companions was armed. | But the police officers insisted they suspected one of Bell's companions was armed. |
Packed court | |
Bell's fiancee, Nicole Paultre Bell, was accompanied by the veteran black civil rights campaigner Rev Al Sharpton as she arrived at the courthouse before the verdict. | |
The three detectives denied the charges against them | The three detectives denied the charges against them |
Rev Sharpton has led many of the protests around the case, but has argued it is not about race but about police accountability. | |
Two of the acquitted officers were also black. | |
In the packed Queens courtroom, Supreme Court Justice Arthur Cooperman cleared the three officers of all charges. | |
Bell and two friends were apparently trying to drive away from the Kalua club when the incident occurred early on the morning of 25 November 2006. | |
The police officers who fired were among five undercover officers who had been investigating prostitution allegations at the club. | The police officers who fired were among five undercover officers who had been investigating prostitution allegations at the club. |
Bell was killed and his friends were seriously injured. | Bell was killed and his friends were seriously injured. |
Mr Isnora said he decided to follow the trio to their car because he believed they were going to carry out a drive-by shooting. No gun was ever found in their car. | Mr Isnora said he decided to follow the trio to their car because he believed they were going to carry out a drive-by shooting. No gun was ever found in their car. |
The defendants had opted to have a judge decide the case rather than a jury, arguing that pre-trial publicity could have prejudiced jurors. |