Bell trial focusing on the evidence

As the trial of the three detectives charged with the fatal wedding day shooting of Sean Bell continues, the processing of the crime scene is coming under investigation.
On Monday, March 10, retired Detective David Rivera testified about collecting evidence at the scene the night of the shooting, November 25, 2006.
At the center of the testimony are plastic bags of marijuana allegedly found near Bell’s Maxima.
According to reports, prosecutors claim that the evidence cannot be tied to Bell or his friends, Trent Benefield or Joseph Guzman, both of whom were injured in the 50-bullet barrage, because no fingerprints were found on the bags.
Defense attorneys for the detectives, however, claim the drugs belonged to Benefield.
In earlier testimony, Detective Ellen Friedman said that she might have contaminated the scene, as she had been wearing no protective gear other than gloves.
“I didn’t take any precautions as to contaminating any bloodstains or any other evidence in the vehicle,” Friedman said in published reports.
Another point of contention is the claim by Lieutenant Gary Napoli - who led the sting at the Club Kalua that night - that, as the five detectives, including Gescard Isnora, Michael Oliver and Marc Cooper, fired their guns, he was reaching down inside his unmarked car for a police light.
When questioned by the prosecution, Rivera unequivocally denied finding the item.
This was not the first time Napoli has come under fire for his actions that night. He has been on modified duty in the almost year-and-a-half since the shooting, and may also face charges for “failure to supervise his officers,” according to published reports.
During Rivera’s time on the stand, vivid photos from the scene were presented as evidence, including shots of Bell’s bullet-riddled car and Benefield’s bullet-addled jeans.
Both Isnora and Oliver, who face up to 25 years in prison, have pleaded not guilty to manslaughter charges. Cooper, who may face a year in jail if convicted, has pleaded not guilty to a charge of reckless endangerment.