On the morning of November 25, 2006, Sean Bell, a 23-year-old unarmed African American man, was shot and killed by New York City Police Department officers in the borough of Queens. The shooting occurred just hours before he was scheduled to be married. Bell was leaving his bachelor party at the Kalua Cabaret, a strip club that was under police surveillance for alleged prostitution and drug activity.
He was in his car with two friends, Joseph Guzman and Trent Benefield.
As Bell and his friends were leaving, an argument took place outside the club. Undercover detective Gescard Isnora claimed he heard one of Bell's friends say, 'Go get my gun.' Fearing a weapon was involved, Isnora followed the men. As Bell's car pulled away, it struck an unmarked police minivan. Detective Isnora, believing someone in the car was reaching for a gun, opened fire. Four other officers joined in, firing a total of 50 shots into Bell's vehicle. Bell was struck four times and died from his injuries. Joseph Guzman was shot 19 times and Trent Benefield was hit three times; both men survived their severe wounds. No weapon was ever found in Bell's car.
The shooting led to widespread public outcry and criticism of the NYPD. In March 2007, a grand jury indicted three of the five officers involved. Detectives Gescard Isnora and Michael Oliver, who fired 11 and 31 shots respectively, were charged with first- and second-degree manslaughter, as well as other charges. Detective Marc Cooper, who fired four times, was charged with reckless endangerment. All three detectives pleaded not guilty and opted for a non-jury trial. In April 2008, a judge acquitted all three officers of all charges, stating that the prosecution had not proven their case beyond a reasonable doubt.
Following the acquittal, the U.S. Department of Justice conducted an investigation but concluded there was insufficient evidence to bring federal civil rights charges against the officers. The Bell family filed a civil lawsuit against the city of New York. In July 2010, the city agreed to a settlement, paying $3.25 million to Sean Bell's estate. Joseph Guzman received $3 million and Trent Benefield received $900,000. The NYPD did take internal disciplinary action. Detective Gescard Isnora was fired from the police force in 2012. Detectives Oliver and Cooper were allowed to retire. The other two officers involved in the shooting remained on the force.
