Sharpton, others arrested in NYC protest of acquittal in cops in fatal shooting

Thursday 08th May, 05:38 AM JST

NEW YORK —

Civil rights leader the Rev Al Sharpton was arrested Wednesday as he and hundreds of demonstrators blocked traffic to protest the acquittal of three detectives in the 50-bullet shooting of an unarmed black man on his wedding day.

Sharpton, two survivors of the shooting and the slain man’s fiancee were among about a dozen people arrested on disorderly conduct charges near the base of the Brooklyn Bridge. Police led away demonstrators at several other bridges and tunnels in the city.

The protests were part of a coordinated campaign to urge federal authorities to investigate the November 2006 shooting of Sean Bell. Three officers were acquitted of state charges last month.

Sharpton, shooting survivors Trent Benefield and Joseph Guzman, and Bell’s fiancee, Nicole Paultre Bell, lined up and peacefully put their hands behind their backs as police put plastic handcuffs on them. Sharpton and Bell were placed in a police vehicle.

The civil rights leader is seeking a federal civil rights probe into Bell’s shooting outside a Queens nightclub. The case raised questions about police use of deadly force in minority neighborhoods.

Sharpton had promised recently to “close this city down” with civil disobedience.

Bell was black, as are his friends Benefield and Guzman; the three officers acquitted in the case are Hispanic, black and white.

U.S. attorney spokesman Robert Nardoza said the case was under review, but he declined to comment further.

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Associated Press reporters Bonnie Ghosh and Ted Shaffrey contributed to this report.

Latest 15 of 22 Total Comments Show All

Nessie at 02:50 PM JST - 8th May

The cops have more experience doctoring their stories into consistency. Hard to go up against that.
smithinjapan at 04:58 PM JST - 8th May

"smith, you don't think this case was a farce."

What are you on about, lad? I DO think this case was a farce.... no WAY the cops needed to fire more than 50 bullets into a car without ANY prompting whatsoever. And as so many have pointed out (in the protests and comments, etc.,), it's not the first time a judge has sided with the police in extremely over-aggressive trigger happiness.

So... tell me why it is you think I don't think this case is a farce, my friend... I'm curious to know where you reach your judgements.

Skip: You're wrong about Sharpton being there meaning it's bad for the case; the man is indeed regarded as an extremist and quite beyond bias, but the fact that he was there is part of the media frenzy, and he carries a huge amount of public support that will, if anything can, pressure the feds into opening up further investigation.
smithinjapan at 05:00 PM JST - 8th May

"From what I've read it was a case one one story vs. another, with the accusers' stories having inconsistencies."

You mean the accusers with all the bullets in them who may have had a bit of a hard time recalling all the details while they were being shot up like swiss cheese (and that's a FACT!), vs. three buddy-buddy cops who would have had PLENTY of time to make up and concur on their stories. Even if they weren't charged with manslaughter, they should EASILY have been brought up on excessive force charges.
skipthesong at 05:29 PM JST - 8th May

smith: As I have told you, I lived in NYC; actually still do. My point was that all across the city, people are nuts over this case and I have yet to hear one comment in support of the cops.. however, Sharpton, as much public support he carries, he also carries a lot of negative support as well.

But, maybe on this case, you are right. This is one case that I feel is a legitimate case that does warrant a large scale protest. So, I'll back off.
super delegate at 05:41 PM JST - 8th May

People squeal and whinge about shootings like this but NY is doin it right. London's new Tory mayor has tapped Rudy Guiliani's top cop to help his crime-ridden capital, probably the worst in Europe, implement the same zero tolerance policies that have transformed New York.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?inarticleid=564304&inpageid=1770
skipthesong at 05:46 PM JST - 8th May

question: We all know the cops messed up. Should accept a verdict or protest to over tune it? If we choose to over tune it, when does it stop?
smithinjapan at 05:47 PM JST - 8th May

Skip: "however, Sharpton, as much public support he carries, he also carries a lot of negative support as well."

I agree with you 100% -- he does carry a lot of negative 'support', and if you check my last comment you'll see that I pointed that out. My main point was that it doesn't matter; he gets MASSIVE support whether it's warranted or not (I think it is, this time), and unfortunately, in this day and age that's all that counts whether it's right or wrong. The Feds will eventually buckle if he keeps it up because, as is indicated by some of the people waiting to get onto the bridges or into the tunnels, they'll support it so long as it's peaceful, so it will only attract more. In turn, this will attract more people = more pressure.

"But, maybe on this case, you are right. This is one case that I feel is a legitimate case that does warrant a large scale protest. So, I'll back off."

Don't say 'I'll back off'; it seems to insinuate your opinion is not warranted or you are unjustly applying some kind of pressure of your own. You're entitled to say and try to backup whatever you choose. You're trying to make me stand up for and/or defend my comments is nothing bad at all, so long as it's as objective as it can be. In short, you said nothing at all wrong, I was just refuting your points, as you did (some of) mine.

I'm glad we agree this case is messed up, if anything.
skipthesong at 06:03 PM JST - 8th May

Well, I was talking with a friend who have liked to go out there but since Sharpton is leading it, she felt discouraged. Perhaps many here don't know but he has caused a lot of pain and he has push away a lot of very good/strong support with his rash outbursts. For all know this seems only the second out of his many protests that is warranted.
capone at 06:15 PM JST - 8th May

sharpton is exactly where he belongs...hopefully they don't release him
skipthesong at 06:24 PM JST - 8th May

capone: Al has garnered far too much support in recent years, since the Dinkins days.

"arrested on disorderly conduct charges near the base of the Brooklyn Bridge" They were actually at the entrance/ramp on, thus disrupting traffic and there were other protests blocking the tunnels (both L and H) too. So the protest did go on all over the city.
SuperLib at 10:03 PM JST - 8th May

had a bit of a hard time recalling all the details

Well you've sure sold me on the conviction.
adaydream at 12:05 AM JST - 9th May

Better to have protest that are fairly orderly, then have what we've seen in Watts in years pasts.

I was astounded that there wasn't at least a finding of guilty for excessive force, if nothing else.
SuperLib at 04:31 AM JST - 9th May

skip, I know what you're saying. I don't really have an answer that will make the anger go away. I'm one of the few people I know who is convinced that OJ Simpson is guilty but is also convinced that the prosecution screwed up the trial so much that a not guilty verdict seemed appropriate.

We can't have a system where the accusers are allowed to walk in and say, "Yeah, isn't it obvious?" The US has a problem with convicting innocent people as well (one of the many reasons why I don't support capital punishment). If we want to continue to protect those people we have to accept the fact that the trail still has to be performed and the case still has to be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. Most comments are about the number of bullets fired as if a conviction should just be some kind of rubber stamp. Why not just skip the trail?
SuperLib at 04:34 AM JST - 9th May

trail = trial....typo city
Bgood41 at 12:32 PM JST - 10th May

Assuming that excessive forces had been used, however it is naive to believe the victims are innocent in this case. When two wrongs put together, it does not make it wright. Al Sharpton makes a living out of these type of situations. How about 10% social justice + 90% self-interest? Do not feel bad if this formula does not apply to you! The burden will be upon the tax payers citizen of N.Y. It has to be a constructive solution when these peoples are cool headed by putting their self-interest aside. I am such a dreamer, obviously...Hello, Anyone out there!!!