Judge Nixes City Attorney's Bid For Delay in Bell Civil Suit

By Alicia Cruz
The Black Urban Times

Brooklyn Federal Judge Sterling Johnson
City attorneys requested a six-month stay of civil suit proceedings in the Sean Bell case, but had their request rejected Wednesday by Brooklyn Federal Judge Sterling Johnson.

Instead, Judge Johnson gave the lawyers until May 6 to decide whether they will represent the accused NYPD officers in the wrongful death suit the family of Sean Bell has filed.

Gescard Isnora and Michael Oliver were charged with manslaughter, felony assault and reckless endangerment. Marc Cooper was charged with reckless endangerment. All were acquitted in 2008 and later, Federal authorities said there was insufficient evidence to pursue federal criminal civil rights charges against them.


The officers were accused of murdering Sean Bell,23, the day he was set to marry his longtime love, Nicole Paultre-Bell.

Police fired 50 shots at Bell and two friends, Joseph Guzman and Trent Benefield on November 25, 2006. Guzman and Benefield were seriously injured.
Bell, who was leaving his bachelor party at Strip Club Kalua in Jamaica, Queens, died at the scene.

"It is time to move forward," said attorney Sanford Rubenstein, who represents Bell's fiance.

NYPD's Internal Affairs Bureau continues to investigate the actions of the officers.

Attorney Richard Signorelli, who is representing officer Michael Cary, told the judge that the NYPD would decide whether to discipline the officers within six months. Cary, who testified at the trial of his fellow officers and was found to have fired shots at the scene was not charged criminally.

If the NYPD investigation concludes that the four violated department procedures during the shooting, city attorneys could refuse to defend them and the city will not indemnify them if a jury awards the Bell family a monetary settlement.



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