The city of New York reached a settlement today on the shooting of Sean Bell by police. The Bell estate will receive $3.5 million and the remainder will go to the families of Joseph Guzman and Trent Benefield, who were with Bell on the night of the shooting.
Bell was shot on the night before his wedding in 2006.
"The Sean Bell shooting highlighted the complexities our dedicated officers must face each day. The City regrets the loss of life in this tragic case, and we share our deepest condolences with the Bell family," Corporation Counsel Michael A. Cardozo said when the deal was announced.
The settlement frees the city from having to admit any wrongdoing. The money will go to Bell's two children, and his fiancee Nicole Paultre-Bell. Three of the five officers involved in the shooting, where 50 bullets were fired, were tried and acquitted of manslaughter in a 2008 trial. The officers claim that they believed Bell and his friends were armed on the night of the shooting, but it turned out that they were not.
Nicole Paultre Bell, Sean Bell's widow, said this to Aol. Black Voices:
"No amount of money will provide closure for me. I lost the father of my daughters and my best friend on the day we were to be married."
Prominent black public figures were not at a loss for words when describing their response to the Sean Bell settlement. I reached out to Rev. Al Sharpton, Bennett College President Dr. Julianne Malveaux and Georgetown Professor Dr. Michael Eric Dyson to get their takes on the situation. Rev. Al Sharpton had this to say:
The settlement must all provide for their families but this in no way mitigates or repairs the permanent damage done to them and the pain it has caused them forever nor does it diminish the outrage in the community. We will always pursue justice for the family of Sean Bell, Joseph Guzman and Trent Benefield.
Dr. Malveaux said the following:
He should not have died, and the life in this settlement caution for each of us to take care of all of us and to be cautious and careful about the meaning of life. Both bullets and assumptions killed Sean Bell. Neither assault is acceptable.
Professor Dyson said this:
The Bell murder highlights the need for the end to racial profiling of minorities and police brutality against blacks. While the condition of the settlement precludes admission of wrongdoing, we all know that vicious racist practices often have lethal consequences for minority citizens.
Read each person's statement in its entirety here.
If President Barack Obama wants to speak on an issue related to race, he can speak on the Sean Bell incident. The Henry Louis Gates case is not a solid prototype for racial injustice, but the Bell case certainly is. The shooting of Sean Bell is one of the rare cases in which black men who are harassed by police actually find a way to receive justice (even though Bell himself paid the ultimate price). In most cases, justice is not served. Instead, victims are served with long prison sentences and a label of guilt that precludes them from ever being a part of our society again. That is something to think about.
Dr. Boyce Watkins is the founder of the Your Black World Coalition and a Scholarship in Action Resident of the Institute for Black Public Policy. To have Dr. Boyce commentary delivered to your email, please click here. 
Comments: (19)
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By: djkut on 7/27/2010 9:50PM
Well I am glad the families got some type of settelment out that situation. I wish it was more money and the cops did time but I hope recipients will create economic wealth with it and be able live better lives at the same time.
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By: Hispanic FINE LATINO LOVE WENDY WILLIAM TYPE WOMEN. on 8/19/2010 11:47AM
I Smile hearin the victims won millions well two of them the other ALMOST 1 million benefield,not sure why his is so low but i say still are "wealthier"no more drug sellin as allege benefield and GUZMAN did but i feel the fact GUZMAN who still walk wit limp get more money ALMOST THEN NICOLE PAULTREE BELL as her 2 sweet kids is highly ODD.that is weird,but rip to sean bell and even though they are RICH or more wealthy now rich status definitely i feel i hope at mid thirties and nicole and the guys guzman
and benefield INVEST it right and save some for a rainy day,do some GOOD wit it too we will see.
sad but RIP to sean.
from jose and lizette
nj philly nyc tri-state.
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By: Jazzbenzo on 7/28/2010 1:36AM
Thank you Jesus! Still it should be more...
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By: violet on 7/28/2010 12:12PM
thank you JESUS...that money didnt come from GOD..cause he insnt an enabler...look that up.. this family will waste the money on drugs/alcahol what the mom and dad did was wrong that is why the police were at their door...that is why the child was shot...cause ma and pa were NOT up standing people..yet i guess GOD can bless drugees as well.. i could be wrong ofcourse...
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By: jadina on 7/29/2010 1:04PM
what are you thanking jesus for? jesus do not provide blessings. God is the only one capable of doing that.
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By: Alie on 7/28/2010 5:50AM
Thank God :)
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By: djkut on 7/28/2010 9:59AM
Gary stop lying on Sean Bell !! Now u trying to do a curb ball by using his a criminal record and using it as that is why he tried to run over some cops ? I know a lot people with felonies that have never tried to run over cops ? So stop coming on the post lying u know those cops were wrong and that why u came on here to light some fire on the post, but 50 shots going into 3 people in a car and reloading and still popping them shells on them and they were coming out of strip club minding there business.
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By: carla ford on 7/28/2010 10:15AM
Gary Williams
I'm glad you're retired too, or there'd be alot more families planning funerals for dead black men in your district.
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By: aprlSEXY on 7/28/2010 11:04AM
To Gary Williams/Ignorant & Racist Bastard yourself!....HOW DARE YOU? THIS COULD HAVE HAPPENED TO YOUR SON OR SON IN LAW OR ANYONE WITHIN YOUR SORRY CIRCLE OF PEOPLE. HOW DO YOU EVEN LOOK AT YOURSELF IN THE MIRROR!....ITS NOT ABOUT RACE WHEN A COP(BLACK OR WHITE) ABUSES THEIR POWER(SERVE & PROTECT...NOT KILL THE FIRST BLACK EDUCATED FAMILY MAN YOU SEE & INJURE HIS FRIENDS. THAT COP SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN OUT OF THE WAY OF A MOVING VEHICLE.... BUT IM SORRY MAYBE YOU DON;T KNOW THE STORY ...THE COP WAS HIT CAUSE THERE WERE 50SHOTS GOING DIRECTLY INTO THAT CAR WHICH HAD THOSE GENTLEMEN IN IT. THERE WAS NO REASON TO USE SUCH FORCE, THERE WAS NO QUESTIONING OF THOSE GUYS BY POLICE IF THEY SUSPECTED SOMETHING WAS GOIN ON....FOR CHRISTS SAKE IT WAS A BACHELOR PARTY...THOSE COPS DELIBERATELY SAT OUTSIDE THE CLUB & WAITED...'HUNTED' THEM DOWN LIKE DOGS, AND DOGS THEY WERE NOT! I would like to say Im gonna pray for you but we all have to be careful of what we pray for.
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By: Steve on 7/29/2010 3:10PM
Folks, we have got to stop wasting time with the racist who invade our space. Just as their ancestors did..they enter something not made for them..then try and project their propaganda...
Let them watch us get organized and revitalize our communities. When they see they get no response they will leave..It's never easy killing roaches..it will take time...
By the way, their perspective would change if IT WAS THEIR CHILDREN! Unfortunately, it is not!
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