Sean Bell

People

Sean Bell

Outcome

unknown

Sean Elijah Bell (May 18, 1983 – November 25, 2006) was a 23-year-old unarmed African American man who was killed by New York City Police Department officers in a hail of 50 bullets outside a Queens strip club in the early morning hours of his wedding day. Bell and two friends, Joseph Guzman and Trent Benefield, were leaving Bell's bachelor party at Club Kalua when plainclothes and undercover NYPD officers opened fire on their vehicle. Bell was struck four times in the neck and torso and died at the scene. Guzman was shot 19 times and Benefield was struck three times; both survived but suffered permanent injuries. No weapon was found in Bell's car or on any of the men. Detective Michael Oliver fired 31 of the 50 shots, emptying his semiautomatic pistol, reloading, and emptying it again. Three officers were indicted on charges including manslaughter, but on April 25, 2008, Justice Arthur J. Cooperman acquitted all three in a bench trial, ruling it was reasonable for the officers to believe someone might have had a gun. The acquittal sparked widespread protests, including a "Day of Civil Disobedience" led by Reverend Al Sharpton on May 7, 2008, during which over 200 people were arrested, including Sharpton, Bell's fiancée Nicole Paultre Bell, his parents, and the two surviving victims. In 2010, New York City paid $7.15 million to Bell's family and the two survivors. In 2012, the officers involved were either fired or forced to resign following an internal NYPD administrative trial. Sean Bell was born on May 18, 1983, and grew up in Jamaica, Queens. He was a pitcher on the baseball team at John Adams High School in Ozone Park and studied acting in Flushing. Family members recalled he had dreams of being drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers. After the birth of his daughter Jada on December 16, 2002, Bell worked various jobs and was studying to become an electrician. He and his fiancée Nicole Paultre had a second daughter, Jordyn. The couple was scheduled to marry on November 25, 2006. On the night of November 24-25, 2006, Bell hosted his bachelor party at Club Kalua, a strip club in Jamaica, Queens. Unbeknownst to Bell and his friends, the club was under investigation by an NYPD undercover unit looking into complaints of guns, drugs, and prostitution. According to police, Joseph Guzman got into an argument with another man outside the club, and someone reportedly said "Yo, get my gun" as the group left. Detective Gescard Isnora, working undercover, believed a shooting was about to occur and followed Bell and his companions to their car. According to Isnora's account, he displayed his badge, identified himself as a police officer, and ordered Bell to stop the car. Instead, Bell accelerated and struck Isnora, then collided with an unmarked police minivan. Isnora claimed he saw Guzman reaching for a gun and yelled a warning to other officers. He then opened fire, shooting 11 rounds. Detective Michael Oliver fired 31 shots—emptying his 16-round magazine, reloading, and emptying it again. Detective Marc Cooper fired 4 shots. Two other officers also fired but were not charged. Guzman and Benefield gave a starkly different account. Guzman testified that "a black man with a silver gun" started shooting at them without ever identifying himself as a police officer. When the shooting stopped, an autopsy revealed Bell had been struck four times. Guzman was shot 19 times; he survived but was left with four bullets permanently lodged in his body, requiring a cane and leg brace. Benefield was shot three times and also survived. No gun was found in the car or anywhere near the victims. On March 16, 2007, a grand jury indicted three of the five officers. Detectives Gescard Isnora and Michael Oliver were charged with first- and second-degree manslaughter, first- and second-degree assault, and second-degree reckless endangerment. Detective Marc Cooper was charged with reckless endangerment. The defendants waived their right to a jury trial, opting to have Justice Arthur J. Cooperman decide the case. On April 25, 2008, Justice Cooperman acquitted all three officers on all charges. He ruled that it was reasonable for the detectives to fear that someone might have had a gun and that the prosecution had failed to prove criminal intent. Bell's fiancée Nicole Paultre Bell responded: "They killed Sean all over again." The acquittal sparked immediate outrage. Reverend Al Sharpton, who had been advising the family, announced a "Day of Civil Disobedience" for May 7, 2008. Hundreds of protesters crowded streets and blocked bridges across New York City, including the Brooklyn Bridge. Over 200 people were arrested, including Sharpton, Nicole Paultre Bell, Bell's parents William and Valerie Bell, and the two surviving victims Joseph Guzman and Trent Benefield. The protesters were later sentenced only to pay $95 in court costs. Civil rights advocates called for a permanent state-level special prosecutor to handle police brutality cases. The case drew comparisons to the 1999 killing of Amadou Diallo, another unarmed Black man killed by NYPD officers who fired 41 shots. On July 27, 2010, New York City reached a settlement with Bell's family and the survivors. The city agreed to pay $3.25 million to the estate of Sean Bell, $3 million to Joseph Guzman, and $900,000 to Trent Benefield—a total of $7.15 million. On March 24, 2012, following an internal NYPD administrative trial, Police Commissioner Ray Kelly announced disciplinary action. Detective Gescard Isnora, who fired the first shots, was found guilty of violating NYPD guidelines by using unnecessary force and was fired. Detectives Michael Oliver, Marc Cooper, and Lieutenant Gary Napoli were forced to forfeit all accrued time and leave balances and resign. Detective Paul Headley and Officer Michael Carey also faced discipline. Nicole Paultre legally changed her name to Nicole Paultre Bell on December 7, 2006, to honor Sean's memory. She founded the nonprofit organization "When It's Real It's Forever" to teach people—especially young African American men—their rights and responsibilities when stopped by police. She continues to hold annual events including Sean Bell Family Day and the Know Your Rights Sean Bell Summit. A street in Jamaica, Queens was renamed "Sean Bell Way" in his honor.