Plan To Rename Street For Sean Bell Draws Some Criticism

Plan To Rename Street For Sean Bell Draws Some Criticism

 

By: Grace Rauh

 

Although the City Council is expected to approve a plan to rename a Queens street after police shooting victim Sean Bell, some politicians and law enforcement agents are criticizing the measure. NY1's Grace Rauh filed the following report.

 

Some members of the City Council want to rename Liverpool Street in Jamaica, Queens "Sean Bell Way," as a way to mark the site where an unarmed man was shot and killed by police officers on his wedding day in 2006.

 

Read more: http://ny1.com/8-queens-news-content/top_stories/110660/plan-to-rename-street-for-sean-bell-draws-some-criticism

Am I the only one that is completely UNsurprised by this move by the City Council? Naming a street after this degenerate is exactly the sort of thing that I expect from this City. The letter that the DEA sent out to all the Council members was spot-on; if I can find it online i'll post it.

I just don't understand this 'facination' to rename streets in the first place. Just have every streets use numbers. No biases there, it's fair and equal.

Although there isn't a need to rename the street, Sean Bell was just about to attend his wedding when some cops who weren't thinking decided to unload their stream of bullets into his damn car. Yes, it enraged me somewhat... What did this guy do besides prepare to go to his wedding?

What did this guy do besides prepare to go to his wedding?

I don't know, I heard he also did something along the lines of driving a car into a cop, but that's irrelevant. :confused:

I see... Oh well... Still somewhat sad to think about this little story...

It is a very sad story, especially when you consider Sean Bells' previous arrests for narcotic sales and firearms possession. Why someone would deliberately choose the criminal lifestyle is beyond me.

Another sad aspect of this story is that officers were put on the stand to defend themselves for defending themselves.

Here is the text of the letter sent by DEA President Michael Palladino to all of the City Council members:

Dear Councilmember:

 

 

It has come to the attention of the Board of Officers of the Detectives' Endowment Association that the New York City Council has, once again, proposed naming a street in Queens after Sean Bell, who was shot on November 25, 2006 in a confrontation with members of the New York Police Department. We understand the street naming matter is to be voted upon by the full City Council within the coming week, and we wish to express our deep dismay that the City Council would choose to commemorate Sean Bell in this most inappropriate manner.

 

 

Street naming is an honor that is bestowed upon those who contribute positively to their community, be it through local activism or community service, contribution to American arts and letters, sports, politics, or through outstanding accomplishment or heroism. Mr. Bell and the criminal life he chose did not, and does not, fit into any of these mandated categories, and there is nothing in Mr. Bell's background or his death that is deserving of such an emblem of respect.

 

 

It appears as though the New York City Council, at this particular time, has rushed this Bell street naming resolution through committee, quickly and quietly. While most resolutions take weeks and months to pass through committee and then to a full Council vote, the Sean Bell street naming appears to be an attempt by certain members of the Council to ram this outrage through, on a fast track, before the newly elected members of the Council take office in January 2010.

 

 

While it is indeed tragic that Mr. Bell's parents lost their son, and Ms. Paultre lost her fiancée, the facts of the case were established in a court of law, despite many Council members' and others' attempts to place their own public relations spin on the situation.

 

 

Mr. Bell had several arrests to his credit, including the sale of narcotics and firearms possession. On the night before his wedding, he chose to patronize a problematic strip club in Queens where the police had been called (via 9-1-1) 26 times within the year. During the night of November 25, 2006, there was an undercover police operation investigating underage drinking and forced teenage prostitution, among other potential criminal situations. Mr. Bell and his friends got into an altercation with another club patron, whereby Bell and his colleagues bragged about retrieving a firearm. Mr. Bell's level of intoxication was twice the legal limit, and disobeying police orders to stop his auto, he used his vehicle as a deadly weapon.

 

 

Bell drove his car into a Detective, striking his leg, and then proceeded to drive his vehicle into a police van coming up the street. Rather than stop his vehicle at that point, Bell attempted to flee by putting his car in reverse and backing up. He struck a building wall, and then again accelerated the car forward, barely missing the same Detective. He then rammed his vehicle into the police van again. Mr. Bell would most likely be alive today had he not been intoxicated behind the wheel of his automobile and had he simply complied with the Detective's orders to stop his car.

 

 

In 2006, 16 police officers in America were killed in the line of duty because someone used their car as a deadly weapon and struck them. Yet, our three Detectives had to withstand trial for manslaughter and reckless endangerment; they faced 25-years-to-life for defending themselves in this dangerous situation.

 

 

Throughout the Bell case, it was the testimony of Mr. Bell's own colleagues and friends that clarified the situation for the court. The dramatic admission on the witness stand by Mr. Bell's friend Joseph Guzman (a convicted felony drug dealer and robber) revealed that Bell, Guzman, and their third colleague, Trent Benefield, were all well aware that our Detectives, with their shields displayed and their guns drawn, were, in fact, police officers. Despite knowing this, they chose to ram their automobile into one of the Officers (even though they had a clear path of egress behind them). This revelation, and a full examination of the facts and the evidence in the case, led the Judge to the conclusion that our Detectives acted in good faith and were justified in defending themselves during the lawful performance of their police duties.

 

 

We urge every City Council member to familiarize his or herself with the trial transcript before voting and not rely on the sentimental spin and politically motivated fiction that has surrounded this case from its very beginnings.

 

 

Given the immutable facts of the situation, we vehemently object to naming a street after Mr. Bell. This is a terrible insult to all the men and women who have already had a street named in their honor and who greatly contributed in some manner to society. It sends a terrible message to law abiding citizens, to the youth of this City, and to the law enforcement community.

 

 

Sincerely,

 

 

Michael J. Palladino

President

Am I the only one that is completely UNsurprised by this move by the City Council? Naming a street after this degenerate is exactly the sort of thing that I expect from this City. The letter that the DEA sent out to all the Council members was spot-on; if I can find it online i'll post it.

No, I was not shocked at all either. The city sadly will name streets after POS drug dealers and gun runners, but hangs it's own police department out to dry on the word of some skell who was "roughted up" by the police.

The Job is dead and the city is a sinking ship.

The Job is dead and the city is a sinking ship.

Thanks to Bloomturd and Popeye, this city is on an express run to the shitty 70s again. Wonder what they'll do to stop it?

Thanks to Bloomturd and Popeye, this city is on an express run to the shitty 70s again. Wonder what they'll do to stop it?

Yep, the 70's are on the way and this shit won't stop. There dream is to make this the most liberal, open city with bike lanes everywhere, skinny people, organic food, and all the other bullshit. While some of it may be a good idea, they way they are going about it is the wrong way. They are leaving this place open for criminals and naming a street after this savage is just another nail in the coffin of NYC.

We're spiraling downward....

Please, watch the Nazi Banksters Crimes Ripple Effect at http://jforjustice.co.uk/banksters

Bad idea.

- A

Bad idea.

 

- A

Whoa, i'm shocked. Why do you think so?

Yep, the 70's are on the way and this shit won't stop. There dream is to make this the most liberal, open city with bike lanes everywhere, skinny people, organic food, and all the other bullshit. While some of it may be a good idea, they way they are going about it is the wrong way. They are leaving this place open for criminals and naming a street after this savage is just another nail in the coffin of NYC.

AKA Yuppified hell.

Maybe the rise in crime will scare them off. God, I hate yuppies. Pretentious phony f***s.

What happened to Sean Bell was police brutality. However, I believe that streets should be renamed only for people who did something heroic.

What happened to Sean Bell was police brutality. However, I believe that streets should be renamed only for people who did something heroic.

What about what happened to the detective that Sean Bell struck with an automobile? What was that?

Whoa, i'm shocked. Why do you think so?

You don't name a street in a major world city after some drug perp.

- A

Thanks to Bloomturd and Popeye, this city is on an express run to the shitty 70s again. Wonder what they'll do to stop it?

Nothing, Bloomberg only cares for his own kind, which I heard about this sometime ago. City is crying for money, meanwhile 8th and 9th avenues in Manhattan now have there own Bike lanes, so figure all the money spent into that, oh but wait, East New York gets neglected? Every ******* street that crosses Jamaica avenue is filled with potholes. What does that show you?

You don't name a street in a major world city after some drug perp.

 

- A

I have to say Andy...i'm glad you're finally seeing the light. PM me your address, i'll send you some excellent O'Reilly material to read. Get you caught up to speed, you know.

I have to say Andy...i'm glad you're finally seeing the light. PM me your address, i'll send you some excellent O'Reilly material to read. Get you caught up to speed, you know.

Bill O'Reilly is a pundit.

Pundits are full of s***

Therefore Bill O'Reilly is full of s***.

He is every bit as self promoting as Michael Moore, Rush Limbaugh, Hannity, Beck, and Mike Francesa. Though they all have different views and in the case of Francesa don't even cover politics, they are all out for money and take positions that will increase their ratings.

What happened to Sean Bell was police brutality. However, I believe that streets should be renamed only for people who did something heroic.

Incorrect. He attempted to kill a police officer. He got what he needed.

Naming streets is something that i personally should be reserved for heros, hard workers, positive game changers, inspirational leaders, etc. I wouldn't ever expect anything named after me unless i like cured aids or something.

- A

I'm all for Sean Bell. I hope the Street gets named after him!

Well, stuff happens, time to move on...

Why can't this world, our country alone just let things go. Bringing up negative events in history just draws more bad blood. The councilmembers should just leave the damn streets, case, and name alone.