Sean Bell Shooting: Was it Really a Racial Issue?
The officers alleged that Guzman had a gun, a claim that was never substantiated because no weapon was ever recovered. The public outcry for charges to be brought against the officers resulted in this case being filed. One of the loudest voices in this case, calling for justice, was Reverend Al Sharpton, claiming that the shootings were racially motivated. Several peaceful protests were held, following this incident, by people from all walks of life who felt that the officers were unjustified in their use of deadly force.
What I don't understand about the allegations that these shootings were racially motivated, is that 2 of the officers charged are men of color. These were not gun-toting rednecks. These were NYPD officers, trained to keep the peace and maintain public safety. The cries of "KKK" following the announcement of the verdicts were clearly unwarranted. While excessive force may have been a factor, the judge had to base his decision on evidence. The law says "Innocent until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt." Conflicting testimony from the prosecution's witnesses, forced the judge to question their credibility. It left too many variables out in the open to determine, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that the officers were unjustified in their use of force.
The officers claimed that they heard Guzman say "Yo, get my gun." The officers also claim that Sean Bell attempted drive his minivan into one of the officers, which they took as a threat to their safety and responded accordingly. While the prosecution's witnesses deny those claims, they were unable to prove, with 100% certainty, that the officers did not have any reason to fear for their safety. If an officer fears for his personal safety, the safety of the public or the safety of their fellow officers, they have every right to neutralize the source of that threat.
In a perfect world, the officers would only use the minimum force necessary (i.e. shooting a leg or arm), but this is not a perfect world. We have no idea what was running through the officers' minds before and during the shooting. We do not know how much of their motivation came from fear and adrenaline. One thing I do know is that the KKK had nothing to do with it. And the fact that 2 of the 3 officers charged in this case were men of color leads me to doubt the allegations of racism at all. What annoys me the most is that Al Sharpton, the publicity hound that he is, jumped on this case for the sole purpose of getting his own name in the headlines. If it had been a Caucasian or Hispanic man that had been killed by the same officers, he would never have gotten involved in the first place.
The bottom line is that excessive force can occur at any time, regardless of race, religion or sex. Why was this case not treated strictly as an excessive force case? Why was the subject of race constantly pounded into the media and the minds of the public when the officers involved were different races that came from diverse backgrounds? These were not cookie cutter cops that were popped out of a neo-Nazi training camp. So why are they being treated as such? I just don't understand why these men, who put their lives on the line everyday, in one of the most dangerous cities in the country, are being treated like criminals for doing their jobs. Their reactions may have been flawed, but I highly doubt that their motivations were anything but the concern for the safety of their fellow officers, the public and themselves.
Published by Carroll Bou
30 yrs old, from AZ, but currently in NC. Married mother of 4. Enjoys writing articles on a variety of topics. View profile
Shooting Incident: Stray Bullet Enters Home in Marquette, IowaA stray bullet entered a house as the family sat down for dinner - it went through two walls and a mirror.- Songs About Racial Harmonysongs about racial harmony
Police Officer's Perspective: Sean Bell's DeathI am a police officer in a town of approximately 20,000 citizens. I have been employed in this manner for over 14 years, and have spent the last eight as a plain clothes detective.
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3 Comments
Post a Comment(previous comment continued) ... stories changing so often, how are we supposed to absolutely positive about what happened? 4) Yes, put their lives on the line. Officers are killed on a regular basis. They put their lives on the line every time they put on that shield. Obviously, Officer Oliver used excessive force. I have never disputed that. As for Diallo & Louima, those incidents happened years ago and had nothing to do with these officers. 5) If every detective wore a uniform and drove a patrol car, they'd never catch anybody. Suggesting that they should do otherwise is ignorant and foolish. While excessive force and incompitence may have been a factor, I have a very hard time believing that it was the result of racism, especially considering 2 of the 3 charge were black.
In response to Shamontiel... 1) "moreso than any other race" - Are YOU kidding ME? How would you know? My husband is Puertorican. I have seen the horror in my children's eyes when their father was pulled out of the car, thrown on the ground and cuffed because of a blown tail light bulb. I was the one trying to keep them calm and warm when I was forced to take them out of the car so the K-9 unit could search for non-existant drugs. This type of thing has happened to us several times, and countless more to other latinos, asians and arabs that we know. You cannot say that they are harder on blacks than any other because you have no idea how everyone else is treated. 2) You're telling me that Isnora was a self-hating African-American, and so is every other black NYPD officer? Seriously? Black cops are all racist against blacks? Give me a break. 3) Were you there? Did you see what happened? Do you know what was running through their minds? No? Didn't think so. With the st
Are you kidding me? 1) The reason that people say the case is racially motivated is because the NYPD has historically come down harder on African American young men moreso than ANY other race, whether it's by Black cops or White cops or Latino cops. 2) Officer Isnora approached Sean Bell's car with a gun before Sean Bell backed up. Bell backed up because Isnora started shooting. 3) The cops were sitting by Bell's car listening to the whole dispute between Sean Bell and the driver of the SUV. If they were so concerned about a gun, they should've focused on the SUV driver who patted his pocket. 4) Put their lives on the line? So is that why one emptied his clip and reloaded? Is that why Diallo was shot 41 times? Is that why Abner Louima had a broomstick shoved up his ass? 5) The minivan had no police recognition on it whatsover. As far as Bell was probably concerned, this was a robbery turned into murder.