Family of Sean Bell Website
But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like
a never-failing stream! -Amos 5:24
God will always get the glory while Sean Bell gets his rightful story...
Justice Will Be Done.
Updates:
Mon. May 25, 2009: Ms. Valerie Bell is a founder of M.O.N.A. (Mothers Of Never Again). M.O.N.A. is“Where Embracing The Memories of Our Loved Ones Empowers The Continued Fight For Change”
In this spirit M.O.N.A. has planned:
DAY OF REMEMBRANCE
PLACE: ADAM CLAYTON POWELL JR. STATE BUILDING PLAZA
ADDRESS: 163 WEST 125TH. STREET, NEW YORK, NY 10027
DATE: MON. MAY 25th. 2009 TIME: 12:00p.m.-3:00p.m
ALL ARE WELCOME TO COME OUT ON THIS DAY & STAND WITH
MRS. BELL AND OTHER FAMILIESWHO LOST LOVED ONES TO GUN VIOLENCE IN NEW YORK CITY STREETS
PLEASE BRING A PICTURE OF YOUR LOVED ONE
TO HOLD UP AND STAND IN SOLIDARITY AND UNITY
IF YOU WANT YOUR LOVED ONE’S NAME TO BE CALLED OUT, SEND THE NAME AND DATE OF LOSS TO MONANOVEMBER25@GMAIL.COM
Weds. April 15: 2009: Family of Sean Bell and supporters meet with local community board 12 during the hearing for the proposal to rename the street "Sean Bell Street." The community board voted Gods favor: 30 YES, 7 NO. Love and Blessings from the Bell family, and thank you all for your prayers and continuous support. Here are some photos by the steadfast Lem Peterkin (click thumbnail photo to enlarge):
Weds. March 18, 2009: Family of Sean Bell and friends meet with local community board to urge street renaming for "Sean Bell Street." Next meeting on April 15th.
Tues. Nov. 18, 2008: Sean Bell's loved ones meet with federal prosecutors; 'serious' chances of case going forward. Read more.
Oct. 8, 2008: Sympathetic Judge Rules Sharpton and 7 Others Guilty in Sean Bell Protest, But Gives Light Penalty, Rest of protestors, including courageous Nicole Paultre Bell, have cases dismissed. Read more.
Thurs. June 19, 2008: Sean Bell Shooting Leads to Overhaul in Police Undercover Work. Police Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly’s announced 19 changes in undercover procedures — including a new requirement that officers be tested for alcohol consumption in all cases where they have been involved in a shooting that results in injury or death. Read more.
Weds. June 18, 2008: Prosecutors said charges will be dismissed against 154 of the protesters. Another nine pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct. Because of the high volume of arrests, 61 cases, including those of Bell and Sharpton, are still pending in Manhattan. Read more.
Sunday, June 15, 2008: As stars strolled down the red carpet at the Tony Awards at Radio City Music Hall, five protesters waved signs and shouted, "I am Sean Bell. We are Sean Bell. We are all Sean Bell." Read more.
Sat. June 14, 2008: The remembrances of Sean continued in the southeast Queens community on Saturday, as residents in the area banded together for a march and a celebration of his life, a mark of the togetherness that has blossomed in the community in the wake of tragedy. People from all over the southeast Queens community marched in solidarity with Mr. William Bell, Sean's dad, who gave the most poignant speech of the day, who talked about what Father’s Day meant to him now that he had lost his son. Read more.
Friday, May 30, 2008: Hundreds of bicyclists joined the protests over the Sean Bell shooting verdicts in Manhattan Friday evening. Rev. Al Sharpton spoke and rode. Bell's fiancee Nicole Paultre Bell thanked the crowd for their support and Bell's father William Bell struck a light note, "Justice is nice, but I just wanted to see Rev. Al ride a bike!" See for yourself.
Tues. May 20, 2008: Seven police officers involved with the Sean Bell shooting were slapped with internal NYPD disciplinary charges. Read more.
Tues. May 13, 2008: New York is studying a proposal to add tiny cameras to police-issued handguns. Supporters say footage from these 5-ounce devices could be used in the legal proceedings that sometimes follow police shootings. Read more.
Mon. May 12, 2008: The House Judiciary Committee, chaired by U.S. Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.), will hold a noon forum at the Customs House in lower Manhattan. This forum will center on "...ensuring improved policing and greater public confidence in the fairness of the response to tragedies such as the Sean Bell case," the release said. Speakers include Deborah Ramirez, professor at Northeastern University; Chris Stone, professor at Harvard; and the Rev. Al Sharpton. Committee members - Reps. Jerrold Nadler (D-Manhattan) and Bobby Scott (D-Va) will attend. Non-members, NY State Sen. Malcolm Smith (D-Queens) and U.S. Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-Far Rockaway) will also attend. Read more.
Mon. May 12, 2008: New figures released today about the police practice of stopping and frisking people on the streets showed: (1) blacks account for more than 50% of those stopped, while only 26% of the population. (2) That police officers stopped more people — 145,098 — during the first three months of 2008 than during any other quarter in the six years the department has reported the data. The NYPD is being sued by three different organizations to force it to release the data for independent review.
Sun. May 11, 2008: A police group and a local lawmaker gathered Sunday at police headquarters to express outrage, after a white police officer got aggressive on the highest-ranking African-American officer in the NYPD. Chief Douglas Zeigler -- who heads the Community Affairs unit -- was confronted by two officers while sitting in his parked car last week. Police say one of the officers tried to force open Zeigler's door, even after the chief had identified himself. Read more.
Fri. May 10, 2008: A Quinnipiac University poll released yesterday found three results: (1) that voters by a 4-to-1 margin called on NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly to impose departmental penalties on the cops. (2) The majority of voters also said a special prosecutor should handle future cases of controversial police shootings. Lastly, (3) overall, 57 percent of the 1,790 registered voters surveyed between April 30 and May 5 disagreed with Justice Arthur Cooperman's verdict , while 30 percent agreed. The only sub-group, white voters, backed Justice Arthur Cooperman's verdict 48 to 34 percent illuminating a sharp racial divide in New York City. Read more.
Thurs. May 9, 2008:
Mr. & Mrs. Bell and Nicole Paultre Bell and family meet with Governor David Patterson. Read more. Related article.
Wednesday, May 8, 2008
Many thousands of passionate people protested at 6 different places. 216 peacefully arrested. Many bridges blocked. Crowds chant "We are all Sean Bell" and count from 1 to 50 demanding Justice for Sean Bell. NYTimes | NY1 News Top Story & Video | Washington Post | Daily News | New York Times (Weds. pm version) | Gothamist | NY Post
One Police Plaza at 3pm : Hundreds of protesters led by Rev. Al Sharpton begin to assemble. Whenever the Bell parents pass by people people cry out "we love you." A lot of emotion.
3-3:30pm: The crowd is shoehorned down long rows of barrricades that end 100 yards before the entrance to police headquarters (One Police Plaza). People form a circle and chant and march with placards. Drummers and a man with a bullhorn are in the center along with a couple dozen reporters and media with cameras and large video camera.
Click Thumbnails to See Larger Image
3:30-4pm: Rev. Sharpton addresses the crowd by loudspeaker 100 feet from the baricade to the entrance to police headquarters then moves to the baricades with the Bell family and those planning to be arrested. There are many large television cameras jammed against the baricades, too many to allow many of the arrestees to get to the baricades.
4pm: Rev. Sharpton moves away from the baricades and the crowds follow. Speeches. Media interviews Bell Family.
4:15pm: The Bell Family moves from the baricades, down the row of baricades and towards City Hall. Rev. Sharpton and crowds follow down Centre Street and Park Row towards the entry of the Brooklyn Bridge.
4:30pm: The crowd has swelled to many thousands of people and dozens of news trucks and scores of large video cameras and Park Row is hopelessly overcrowded and traffic stopped. Outbound traffic onto the Brooklyn Bridge is stopped.
4:45 - 5:15pm+:
• Queens Midtown Tunnel outbound: Open and closed, intermittently.
• Outbound Brooklyn Bridge: Closed from the Centre Street approach, blocked by One Police Plaza/City Hall/Rev. Sharpton-Family protest
• 124th & Lexington Avenue approach to Triborough Bridge blocked by 125th Street protest
• Labor protest at Varick & Houston Streets blocked the Holland Tunnel outbound. Canal Street closed.
Rev. Sharpton, Sean Bell's fiancée Nicole Paultre Bell, father-in-law Mr. Paultre, shooting survivors Trent Benefield and Joseph Guzman, and over 100 supporters knelt in Pray-In for Justice on Park Row in front of City Hall and the Brooklyn Bridge. Then they were arrested and taken away in a police wagon to the loud chants of thousands of supporters. The Rev. Al Sharpton, who coordinated the protests, was among over 200 people citywide who were arrested by the police for "Justice for Sean."
7pm: Many protestors from several sites are still being processed on misdemenor charges of blocking traffic. All are expected to be released tonight, but this information has not been confirmed.
Click Thumbnails to See Larger Image
See urbanblitz photos of the 125th Street protest (including square ones above, thank you, talented urbanblitz).
Do you have a photo page to share? Email us.
Monday, May 5, 2008 (New York, NY) –
Reverend Al Sharpton, President of National Action Network, will lead a citywide "pray-in" on Wednesday, May, 7th at six locations around New York City to lead up to an eventual citywide shut down this Spring. Joining Rev. Sharpton in civil disobedience will be Mrs. Bell, Nicole Paultre Bell, Joseph Guzman, Trent Benefield and other community and religious leaders to call upon the United States Department of Justice to intervene in the case.
According to Rev. Sharpton, participants in Wednesday's "pray-ins" at six locations across the city should be prepared to go to jail to protest the acquittals of the three detectives. "If you are not going to lock up the guilty in this town, then I guess you'll have to lock up the innocent," says Rev. Sharpton. Rev. Sharpton said protesters at each location would get down on their knees in prayer. He said he hopes the acts of civil disobedience will continue until an eventual citywide day to shutdown NYC later this Spring.
The 3:00 p.m. Gathering Points for the May 7th Citywide Slowdown and Pray-Ins:
(1) 125th and Third Avenue (led by W. Franklyn Richardson, Chairman of National Action Network) (#6 to 125th (& walk a block east) or #2, 3 to 125th (at Lenox/Malcolm X, equiv. 6th Av & walk 5 blocks; Bx15, M60, M100 or M101 crosstown bus or M98, M101 uptown "3rd Ave" bus.]
(2) Third Avenue and 60th Street (Led by National Action Network senior staff) [#4, 5, 6 to 59th St. (at Lex) or N, R, W to Lexington Av. (at 59th); F to Lexington-63rd St.]
(3) 34th and Park Avenue (Led by National Action Network Senior Staff)
[#6 to 33rd St.]
(4) Varick and Houston Street (Led by Hazel Dukes, NAACP and Labor leaders) [#1 to Houston (at Varick St. & 7th Av. So.; A, B, C, D, E, F, V to W. 4th (at 6th Av.)]
(5) One Police Plaza (Led by Rev. Al Sharpton. Nicole Paultre Bell, Joseph Guzman and Trent Benefield will be at this location)
[J, M, Z to Chambers St.; 4, 5, 6 to B`klyn Bridge-City Hall; R, W to City Hall; 2, 3 to Park Pl.;
A, C to Chambers or B`way-Nassau; N to Canal St.; M1, M9, M15, M22, B51 bus; maps at
http://tinyurl.com/yeoqbs/, http://tinyurl.com/yea6ub/
(6) House of the Lord Church, 415 Atlantic Avenue, btw Bond & Nevins Streets, Brooklyn, New York (Led by Rev. Herbert Daughtry)
A, C, G to Hoyt-Schermerhorn; 2, 3, 4 or weekday 5 to Nevins St. (at Flatbush); Q, R or weekday B or M to DeKalb Av. (at Flatbush); F to Bergen St. (at Smith); D to Pacific St./Atlantic-Pacific; map at: http://tinyurl.com/6afc2j/
Please sign up for civil disobedience by signing up at www.razonreal.com/seanbellcontact.html to register with National Action Network for the organized actions or call (212) 690-3070.
"Where we are going those that know won't say and those that say don't know," explains lead organizer Rev. Sharpton. Volunteers for arrest must be over 18 years of age; not have any type of open warrant or owe parking tickets or other fees to the City; submit emergency contact information, bring state or federal issued ID, and provide name, address, contact information and birth date to the organizing team to secure your fast release from jail and follow the instructions of National Action Network Team Contact and Legal Support.
• This is a peaceful protest which will be a violation and NOT A CRIME!
• You may spend anywhere between 4 – 24 hours in jail, depending on the precinct and volunteer turnout.
Otherwise please come and support at any of the above six sites and be there by 3pm.
THIS IS A NON-VIOLENT EFFORT. IT IS AN ORGANIZED COLLECTIVE STATEMENT AGAINST AND UNJUST, INHUMANE, AND RACIST JUDGMENT! IT IS A POLITICAL STATEMENT. IT IS NOT A CONFRONTATION WITH THE POLICE.
For previous email, please follow this link CALLING ALL CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE ACTIVISTS AND SUPPORTERS!
http://www.razonreal.com/seanbellcdcallout.html
PRAY FOR JUSTICE!
Friday, May 2, 2008:
In an exclusive interview Friday, Bell’s parents described the moments after they found out their son had been killed.
Speaking with NY1’s Dominic Carter on Friday's edition of Inside City Hall, Valerie and William Bell said they found their son handcuffed on a gurney in Jamaica Hospital after he died. See Video & Read more
Friday, May 2, 2008:
Protestors held a rally outside the 103rd Precinct in Queens where the three acquitted detectives worked.
"The cops have to realize that they can't just go around shooting people and asking questions afterwards," said one protester. "They have to realize that we are human beings and they have to treat us like human beings."
"We're out here today because a week ago today, a judge let go the police who murdered Sean Bell in cold blood," added another. "They sent a message last Friday that the lives of black and brown youth in this country are worth nothing, and we're out here today to say that we're drawing the line."
May 2008:
Nicole Paultre Bell speaks toEssence for her first print interview since the disappointing verdict. Here she recalls the blow of having her hopes dashed, the taunting phone calls she has received—which may have originated from the Manhattan office of a prestigious police union—and why she says the struggle is only just beginning. Read more
Tuesday, April 29 , 2008:
Three days after a trio of detectives were cleared of killing the young bridegroom in a 50-bullet barrage, Joseph Guzman led Rep. John Conyers through the pouring rain from the Kalua Cabaret - the Queens night club where Bell had held his bachelor party - to the spot where he died. With them were Bell's fiancée, Nicole Paultre Bell, his parents and Trent Benefield, the other survivor of the Nov. 25, 2006, shooting.
"We want to make sure justice is served, and we send a message not just to law enforcement but to young people that these types of tragedies have to end in this country," Conyers told them earlier.Read more
Friday, April 25, 2008:
Ms. Paultre Bell said, “The justice system let me down” amid protests New York Times
Leaders call for a permanent, independent prosecutor to handle police crimes and more. Article in the Washington Post
"Is this 1955 Alabama?" asked Mr. William Bell, the slain victim's father, after the verdict. "Somebody has to answer that for me." It's not, but no one could be blamed for wondering. Article from the Village Voice
New York Times article with protestors holding signs reading "I am Sean Bell" in Harlem.
Friday, April 25, 2008, 9:20am:
Justice denied -- all 3 police officers acquited of all charges. 50 shots fired at 3 unarmed, peaceful men -- and Sean killed on his wedding day -- and not even a reckless endangerment charge for one cop. Justice is not colorblind in Queens. Widespread protest spurred on by overactive police outside the courtroom including helicoptors and armed police arresting people needlessly & shouting "no media" (end) while they shoved video cameras to the ground outside the courtroom.
April 9, 2008, CBS 2 HD: Sean Bell's Parents End Silence, Wait for Justice. Emotionally Spent, William & Valerie Bell Make It Clear to CBS2 HD Just How Much They Miss Their Son. Read article
Watch video
