Are people of color safe in N.Y.?

Friday, after nearly two months of one of the most controversial trials of police accused of murder in New York City's history, Judge Arthur Cooperman announced that he found the NYPD police officers who killed Sean Bell and seriously wounded his friends Trent Benefield and Joseph Guzman not guilty on all charges.

"This scandalous verdict is another reminder that the courts will fail the people of New York City over and over again when it comes to trying police violence," said PJ member Latanya White. "While people of color, immigrants, and queer people are brutalized by the police and left with physical and emotional scars, the police continue to get off easy. It's outrageous.

"Peoples' Justice is appalled by the Queens District Attorney's lackluster prosecution of the officers, which many observers and attorneys believe contributed to the acquittals, and demands that this case be re-tried by federal prosecutors based on civil rights violations. Furthermore, Peoples' Justice calls for an independent prosecutor in all past and present cases of police misconduct and violence."We're reminded of Amadou Diallo all over again. We're reminded of Abner Louima, Anthony Baez, Eleanor Bumpers, and all others who have died at the hands of the NYPD's killer cops," said PJ member Joo-Hyun Kang of CAAAV: Organizing Asian Communities. "The DA's failure to prosecute the police is further evidence that all cases involving police brutality must be handled by an independent prosecutor.

The acquittal of NYPD Detectives Michael Oliver, Marc Cooper, and Gescard Isnora continues the mockery of justice and fairness that began even before the start of their trial. The defense attorneys originally requested a change of venue for the trial. When this request was denied, they were granted a request for a bench trial, thus denying Queens’s residents the chance to hold the officers accountable for the killing. During the trial, the defense attempted to malign Sean Bell's character and morals – implying that his killing was somehow justified due to his character – as well as those of his friends. The defense attorney representing one of the police officers, for example, repeatedly called Benefield, a “thug”."Clearly, the defense's attempts at character assassination worked," said PJ member Glo Ross of FIERCE. "Once again, the court system has failed New Yorkers, and the NYPD and its killer cops got away. We need to remember that the NYPD took someone's life that night and seriously wounded two others. The fact that the police officers responsible for this crime are being let off without so much as an insignificant punishment only sends them a message that they can get away with murder again. Now, it is up to New Yorkers to keep the NYPD in check.

Just wrong, more proof that people of color are not safe in a country that we helped built. We live in a sad sad world. Let me know what you all think of this.
Till next time….