Nov 26, 2007 6:17 am US/Eastern
Vigil Held On Anniversary Of Sean Bell Shooting
Bell Tolls 50 Times For Each Shot Fired
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
Exactly one year after he was shot and killed by police -- there are new calls for a 'Sean Bell Law.' Bell was shot by officers just hours before he was to be married. At an emotional tribute Sunday, family and friends called for justice.
Bells rang 50 times, one for each police bullet shot at Bell. His fiancee, Nichole Paultre Bell collapsed into the arms of Reverend Al Sharpton. At 4 am, the bells rang on the same street exactly one year after the 23-year-old unarmed man was shot to death by police officers on what was to be his wedding day. Also present at the all night candle light vigil, was Joseph Guzman - who was severely wounded with Bell after celebrating at Bell's bachelor party. The 100 plus people then marched to a nearby church for a morning sermon by Rev. Sharpton.
"There's no reason why three unarmed men face 50 bullets," said Sharpton
Police initially said officers thought Bell, Guzman and companion Trent Benefield were armed, and that Bell's car hit an undercover officer who then shot. No gun was ever recovered as officers shot 50 times, including 31 shots from detective Michael Oliver. On Feb 4th Oliver, Gescard Isnore, the undercover officer, and Marc Cooper go on trial for manslaughter and reckless endangerment.
At the start of Saturday night's vigil, Bell's fiance spoke of how she and their children missed him.
"I want justice, but no matter what happens, it won't bring Sean back," said Nicole Paultre Bell.
The all night vigil ended with a Sunday sermon at the Praise Tabernacle Church. About a half mile.
Some saw the shooting as symbolic of excessive police force against black New Yorkers. Bell was black, as are Benefield and Guzman. The officers are white, Hispanic and black.
After the shooting, the New York Police Department commissioned the RAND Corp., a think tank, to look for ways to reduce the risk of so-called "reflexive" or "contagious" shooting -- the phenomenon of officers firing an excessive barrage of bullets in a chain reaction.
Paultre Bell has filed a lawsuit against the department, the city, the indicted officers and two others who were not charged. Her suit argues that the officers were poorly trained and opened fire without provocation.
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