Community supports Bell family

Hours after Queens District Attorney Richard Brown unsealed the indictments charging two New York Police Department (NYPD) Officers with first- and second-degree manslaughter and a third with reckless endangerment, southeast Queens leaders held a community meeting to discuss the indictments and voice support for the family and friends of Sean Bell.
“Our borough is really very concerned about this incident,” said Queens Borough President Helen Marshall. “We want to see a better relationship with our police than we have right now.”
Political, religious and community leaders joined Sean Bell’s parents, William and Valerie Bell, at the Robert Ross Johnson Family Life Center in St. Albans calling for justice in the shooting where five NYPD officers fired a total 50 shots killing Sean Bell, 23, and seriously injuring his two friends Joseph Guzman and Trent Benefield outside a Jamaica nightclub.
“There will be change in this world because of my son,” said Valerie Bell.
Bishop Lester Williams, who is the Pastor of the Community Church of Christ in Jamaica and the person who was going to marry Bell and his fiancé Nicole Paultre the day of the shooting, said he was not satisfied with the indictments and thought all five officers should have faced charges.
While he called for calm from the community, he said he was also concerned about possible retaliation from the NYPD against the community as well as potential ramifications should the trial result in a not guilty verdict.
“The calm of this city rests upon this case,” he said.
Meanwhile, Brown and other community leaders quickly quieted chatter about a possible change in venue for the trial, similar to when the Amadou Diallo case was moved to Albany.
“Queens County is the most diverse county in the U.S., and therefore, we look forward to a fair and impartial trial taking place right here in Queens County,” said Congressmember Gregory Meeks, who organized a meeting.
While many people at the meeting expressed disappointed that all five officers were not charged as well as with the severity of the charges, Noel Leader, President of 100 Blacks in Law Enforcement Who Care, was one of the most outspoken.
“We have no confidence in DA Brown’s office to prosecute these officers, and we believe he needs to be taken off the case.”
In addition, City Councilmember James Sanders delivered an impassioned speech to those in attendance about how this incident should be the impetus for change throughout the city.
“This must be the straw that breaks the camel’s back - the camel of racism, the camel of discouraging, the camel of not being professional,” Sanders said. “There must be one law in New York City and all of us must obey that law.”