DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITERS
Courtesy of the New York Daily News
The Queens judge who cleared three city cops of killing Sean Bell has ordered all evidence from the controversial case turned over to the feds, sources said Thursday.
Supreme Court Justice Arthur Cooperman released the evidence so the Justice Department could begin weighing whether there are grounds to try the detectives on civil rights charges, the sources said.
Queens prosecutors met with Bell’s parents and fianc/e, Nicole Paultre Bell, to assure them they’re cooperating with the feds “even though the trial is over,” sources said.
The Bell family later huddled with Gov. Paterson at his Manhattan offices. Paterson vowed to “look into” creating legislation that would require cops who fire their guns on duty to undergo alcohol testing.
The sitdowns came a day after the Bell family took part in massive but peaceful demonstrations aimed at pressuring the feds to go after detectives Marc Cooper, Gescard Isnora and Michael Oliver.
The Rev. Al Sharpton vowed there would be more “civil disobedience,” but not until after a public forum Monday with members of the House Judiciary Committee.
Wednesday’s protests resulted in 196 arrests in Manhattan and 23 more in Brooklyn, most for disorderly conduct. While most suspects were quickly released, nine people wanted on outstanding warrants spent the night in jail – including Paultre Bell’s father and brother.
Her dad, Emmanuel Paultre, was wanted for a 1998 trespassing charge. The 2002 warrant for Johnell Hankerson was for loitering with a gambling device.
“I did more time than the police did, and that’s amazing,” Emmanuel Paultre grumbled.
