A judge in New York has acquitted three police officers who shot dead an unarmed man Naomi Campbell removed from plane ...
Great expectations for Dickens collection ... hours before his wedding.

Sean Bell, 23, was shot as he was leaving a party at a strip club in the suburb of Queens in November 2006.

Two detectives, Michael Oliver and Gescard Isnora, faced charges of manslaughter. A third, Marc Cooper, had been accused of reckless endangerment.

In a packed Queens courtroom, Supreme Court Justice Arthur Cooperman cleared the three men of all charges.

The case had generated accusations of police racism and brutality.

Shouts of "No!" erupted in the crowd outside the courthouse as word of the verdict spread, said reports. Some people wept on each other's shoulders.

Protesters were angered by revelations that the officers had fired 50 shots between them - a use of force they argued was excessive.

But the police officers insisted they suspected one of Bell's companions was armed.

Undercover

Bell and two friends were apparently trying to drive away from the Kalua club when the incident occurred early on the morning of 25 November 2006.

The police officers who fired were among five undercover officers who had been investigating prostitution allegations at the club.

Bell was killed and his friends were seriously injured.

Mr Isnora said he decided to follow the trio to their car because he believed they were going to carry out a drive-by shooting. No gun was ever found in their car.

(BBC)

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