Lets Wait and See First.
RF23 - www.keepingitright.blogspot.com

With the indictments of the officers involved in the Shawn Bell incident coming down yesterday. One has to take time and let the evidence against these officers play out. And one, has to have an open mind about the facts and illusions of this case. I find that you can't jump to conclusions just because a Grand Jury said that based on heresay evidence and circumstantial evidence that it is the end all tell all of the case. I pray and hope that the citizens, black, white or whatever of New York let the evidence speak for itself and the truth, no matter how painful, is let out.

The one thing, one has to take in perspective is that both sides of the aisle deserve justice. If the evidence against the officers involved is strong and can't be disputed than justice for the family of Shawn Bell would prevail. On the other hand if the evidence and witness collaboration is strong than the officers would prevail and have a right to go on with their lives without the branding of being killers. I imagine it's bad enough to have the blood of any human being on your hand.

The one thing the black community needs to be is patient and willing to accept all of the evidence, whether they like it or not. Next, if the trial does not go towards justice for the family of Shawn Bell and it's proven that Bell or his crew did fire a weapon on police, then the judicial process works, just like it did for Michael Jackson and OJ Simpson.

Another thing that needs to be realized, I along with the rest of country saw in horror as Rodney King was beaten by four officers in Los Angeles. I thought the video spoke for itself and the only thing I wanted to see or hear is "why" and "how." Why would you beat a man who was obviously at that point not resisting? and How could you beat a man with such malice? And trust me, the answers would not be good enough.

The case in New York in which a Haitian man was shot to death by NYPD, inexcusable at best. The brutal attack on another man in NY is unacceptable and who can forget the hanging death of Ron Settles in Signal Hill, CA?

You know one of the premises of being a good, law abiding citizen is that you follow the rules of society. You show some kind of common courtesy, hell live by the "golden rules," and if you can't do that, keep it simple, Don't do to others, that you don't want done to you. Other words if you are rowdy, pants hanging on your thigh thug. And you bring attention to yourself, because you're a vulgar piece of crap...Don't be surprised that peoples perspective of you is negative. If you walk around all tatted and ragged up and throwing set signs...don't be surprised if its your face that hits the hot hood of the city's finest. Same thing goes for the person, who ain't all of the above, but associates with the individual, he or she has known since the days in the sand box. One rival gang does not distinguish who is in or not. You're guilty by association. Is it tragic? yes, Is it sad? yes and the same tragedy and sadness goes for Shawn Bell. Regardless if he was associated with or not, he was in the wrong place probably with the wrong people and it cost him. Now no one should get a medal for getting married and the fact that the media is portraying the whole tragedy as "grooms murder" is irresponsible. And I would back the same statement if it were five gangsters who shot Bell.

Now the community is up in arms and buzzing about another police and black man shooting. Well not that much buzzing, because they didn't get the perfect storm of police involved shooting. It didn't have the right formula for the media to pack the wagon and head east to cover all "white" officers and a black offender/victim.

You can see the disappointment in Al Sharpton's eyes knowing that two of the five officers involved in the shooting were black themselves.

So in an essence, Al is right, we should not treat the indictments handed down to these police officers as a victory...They just may win the war.


2005 Expanded Crime Data: http://www.fbi.gov/ucr/05cius/offenses/expanded_information/murder_homicide.html

Quick Note within Crime Data:
(2005)
Law enforcement reported 533 justifiable homicides. Of those, law enforcement officers justifiably killed 341 individuals, and private citizens justifiably killed 192 individuals.