In Police Trial, Ruling Urges Firing of Detective in Sean Bell Case

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A Police Department administrative trial has found that a New York City detective who fired his weapon during the 50-bullet fusillade that killed Sean Bell hours before his wedding five years ago did so outside of departmental guidelines, a law enforcement official said Wednesday.

After hearing evidence in the case, Deputy Commissioner Martin G. Karopkin, acting as the trial judge, ruled that the detective, Gescard F. Isnora, had acted improperly and recommended that he be fired for his actions during the shooting and for stepping outside his role as an undercover officer and thereby endangering himself and others, the official said.

As for a second officer, Michael Carey, who also faced departmental charges, Mr. Karopkin recommended that he be found not guilty of improperly firing his weapon and be allowed to stay on the force, said the official, who insisted on anonymity because the matter was continuing.

The shooting of Mr. Bell, 23, occurred early one morning in November 2006 as Mr. Bell drove with two friends away from a strip club in Jamaica, Queens, where they had been celebrating. It led to intense criticism of the tactics of undercover officers and a criminal trial of Detective Isnora and two other officers who fired at Mr. Bell; the officers were acquitted. Officer Carey and a fifth officer who took part in the shooting were not criminally charged.

full: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/01/nyregion/for-sean-bell-case-a-call-for-detective-isnoras-badge.html