We Have to do Better Pt. 13

I am not surprised. BUT I AM ANGRY. AND WE ALL SHOULD BE.

Detectives Gescard F. Isnora, Michael Oliver, and Marc Cooper were declared innocent of all charges against them today by judge Arthur J. Cooperman. There was no jury in this trial, per the officers' choice. This was the verdict that Ray Kelly and police officials were concerned might cause unrest across the city, so expect upped police presence around town today. According to ABC in New York, Sean's ex-fiancée, Nicole Paultre-Bell, stormed out of the court upon the news. We'll tell you more when we hear reactions from Sean Bell's family, lawyers, and the officers themselves. Already, the Bell family has vowed to continue this battle further.

The takeaway from Judge Cooperman's verdict seems to be something he said while delivering it: "Carelessness is not a crime." Credibility issues were also at the heart of the not-guilty decision. Meanwhile, after the trial, Police Commissioner Ray Kelly was quick to say: "We don't anticipate any violence." When asked what he thought of the result, he replied, "it's inappropriate for me to comment on the verdict."

Since when is "carelessness" not a crime??? What about "Manslaughter?"

Source

MANSLAUGHTER - The unlawful killing of a human being without malice or premeditation, either express or implied; distinguished from murder, which requires malicious intent.

Killing a person while doing an act of mere wantonness, is manslaughter as, if a person throws down stones in a coal-pit, by which a man is killed, although the offender was only a trespasser.

When death ensues from the performance of a lawful act, it may, in consequence of the negligence of the offender, amount to manslaughter. For instance, if the death has been occasioned by negligent driving. Again, when death ensues, from the gross negligence of a medical or surgical practitioner, it is manslaughter.
--b--

And that is at the very least! It's judgment would have been merely a Pyrrhic victory for a battle we've been fighting since the inception of race as a tool for control. There simply is no beating this system. These cops are now to continue to be on the force? They are to still be considered protectors of the peace? How is that possible? The fact of the matter is this folks: we are SO far away from the mountain top.

We live in a nation riddled with injustice and a community stunted with complacency
Born out of revolution but imbued with inequality
The bell it tolls for Sean and those who know no sense of what it means
To feel at least the peace of mind of seeing history redeemed

-Deev