chanel
Silver Member
Now it seems Mr. Holder has also upset Reverend Al Sharpton--by refusing to bring a federal case against the police officers who shot Sean Bell in November of 2006. (The officers were acquitted of state charges in April of 2008.)
In a press release, the Department of Justice said it had conducted a "comprehensive independent investigation" of the event--including double-checking the ballistics tests performed by the NYPD--and found there was insufficient evidence. "Neither accident, mistake, fear, negligence nor bad judgment is sufficient to establish a federal criminal civil rights violation," reads part of the statement.
Sharpton Also 'Disappointed' in Holder | The New York Observer
In short, Bell’s death the night before his wedding was a tragedy — and remains an horrific loss for his loved ones — but it was in no way a crime.
Finally, note that this determination comes from a Justice Department that boasts of its increased civil-rights prosecutions during the first year of the Obama administration.
So, if New YorkÂ’s usual suspects canÂ’t convince Attorney General Eric Holder . . . well, case closed.
Read more: Sean Bell: case closed - NYPOST.com