The day after a police commission found a detective who touched off the fatal shooting of Sean Bell guilty of violating department guidelines, recommending that he be fired, Bell's fiancee said she stands "with a little less grief."
Nicole Paultre Bell made those comments at a press conference Thursday afternoon with the Rev. Al Sharpton, calling for the detectives involved in the 2006 shooting to be fired. "There should not be any deals worked out," Paultre Bell said.
A police trial commission found Detective Gescard Isnora, who dropped his cover and fired 11 shots at Bell and two friends inside a car outside a Queens strip club on his wedding day, guilty of violating NYPD guidelines. Officer Michael Carey was found to have acted properly, but still could be penalized.
"It's the first time someone in authority has said what we've been saying for five years," Sharpton said of the panel's determination on Isnora.
Isnora says he believed Bell's friend had a gun. He said he came out of his undercover role and fired because he had no other choice.
Department officials had previously said that Isnora wrongly fired and wrongly dropped his cover. They say Carey fired because Isnora did.
The trial commission's recommendation now goes to the police commissioner, who ultimately decides whether and how to discipline the officers.
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Commissioner Ray Kelly said Thursday that he needed time to review the case before making a decision.
Isnora was previously acquitted of criminal charges, along with three other officers.
Isnora's lawyer had no comment on the recommendation on Wednesday. The head of the Detectives Endowment Association, Michael Palladino, said he disagreed with the recommendation but wouldn't comment further until after the penalty phase.
