May Justice Prevail

The Queens grand jury hearing evidence in the fatal police shooting of Sean Bell - in a fusillade of 50 bullets following his bachelor party - has heard from all five police officers involved in the case and has begun their deliberations.
Bell’s death on November 25 sent shock waves throughout the city. His death was characterized as an execution by Bishop Lester Williams, the clergyman who was to marry the couple. In rallies and protests led by Rev. Al Sharpton and southeast Queens politicians including Senator Malcolm Smith, many called for Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly to resign.
Even Mayor Bloomberg conceded that the five police officers in the undercover operation gone wrong used “excessive force” in the shooting. There were calls for the State to appoint a special prosecutor to oversee the investigation from Norman Siegel, the attorney representing the family of Sean Bell, and several community activists.
We editorialized against that idea, advocating that Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown can be trusted to be fair, thorough and impartial.
The New Black Panther Party (NBPP) led an angry community in demanding justice. Imam Akbar, National Minister of Justice with the NBPP stated, “These are our streets today. The community has a voice.” Following Bell’s funeral in December, there were calls to boycott “the white man’s store” by Dr. Malik Zulu Shabazz, chair of the NBPP.
There was a 50-day, ’round-the-clock, protest staged in the bitter cold of winter across from the 103rd Precinct by friends and family of Sean Bell and his two friends injured in the fray, Joseph Guzman and Trent Benefield.
Now, as we await the grand jury’s findings in the case, we echo the sentiment of the leaders of the community - all of the friends and family of the victims as well as the politicians and religious leaders - who have called for justice to step up and keep the peace.
There must not be angry crowds, fists thrust in the air, spewing hate and venom in misdirected riots. There must be calm and confidence that justice will be done, no matter the findings of the panel of 23 men and women on the grand jury.
We pray our leaders can really lead and prevent any potential violence from erupting.
Bell’s fiancé Nicole Paultre (who now uses Bell’s last name) said on an appearance on CNN’s Larry King Live, “I have faith that we will definitely get justice,” and added that she harbors no ill will toward the NYPD. “To be honest, I’m not really angry, I’m just trying to be strong. We want justice. My family and me, we want justice. That’s what we are praying for.”
We share her prayers.