As sad as the Sean Bell murder by three New York cops is, their not guilty verdict cannot possibly come as a surprise. It would have been surprising for them to be found guilty.
Rarely, and I can't think of one instance now, is a law enforcement officer found guilty in shooting a civilian. Unfortunately, that is how our justice system works sometimes.
My heart goes out to Sean Bell's fiancée and family. A not guilty verdict such as this just forces family and friends to relieve the pain of the first time they learned of the loss of their loved one. I can respond from personal experience.
What happens in the days following the verdict remains to be seen. People are angry and need to vent that anger in a manner that will not result in their arrest. The ongoing protests are a good start. New York government and law enforcement leaders must find a way to deal with this. They can start by terminating the employment of NYPD Detectives Michael Oliver, Gescard Isnora and Marc Cooper.
