This weekend, NYPD officers killed an unarmed Black man, in a hail of 50 bullets. Join us in making sure the officers, as well as the NYPD, are held accountable.

On Sunday morning, Sean Bell should have been getting ready for his wedding. Instead, he was zipped into a body bag--killed by a hail of 50 bullets shot by New York City police officers.¹

Bell's death fits into a pattern of police misconduct and is hauntingly similar to the murder of Amadou Diallo in 1999--another unarmed young Black man killed by 41 NYPD bullets. Mayor Bloomberg has promised a full investigation, but if the Amadou Diallo case offers any lesson, it's that the District Attorney's office is too close to the police to investigate them.

The only way to achieve justice is through an independent special prosecutor, with no ties to New York City law enforcement. It's the first step to ensure that justice is served.

Join us in demanding that Mayor Bloomberg and Police Commissioner Kelly begin an independent investigation and institute changes to provide real accountability, now:

http://colorofchange.org/nypd/

The killing of Sean Bell is not an isolated incident. It's part of a pattern of violence against civilians by the NYPD that has been mostly condoned, and is usually outside the public eye.

In the last three years, there has been an increase of 25% in civilian complaints against the NYPD. In the last two years, there has been an increase of 12% in lawsuits filed against the NYPD for false arrest, assault, excessive force or other wrongdoing.² But it's extremely rare for officers to face serious consequences for such abuses.

The problem isn't bad cops--it's a lack of any real accountability. The NYPD is a force of over 37,000 uniformed officers--more people than in many small towns. In any large group of people without a real system of accountability, you're going to get the kind of corruption and abuse that we're seeing with the NYPD.

Real change will only come with external oversight, which so far, the NYPD has vigorously opposed. And city leadership has refused to force the issue. Sean Bell's death reminds us that we have to demand more.

An independent special prosecutor to handle the investigation of Bell's murder is a first step to justice for Sean Bell and reform of the NYPD. Please join us in demanding that Mayor Bloomberg and Commission Kelly provide it:

http://colorofchange.org/nypd/

Thank You and Peace,

-- James, Van, Clarissa, Gabriel, Liat and the rest of the ColorOfChange.org team
   November 29th, 2006

References:

1. "Mayor Calls 50 Shots by the Police 'Unacceptable'," The New York Times, 11-28-06
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/28/nyregion/28shoot.html

2. "Failing to Protect," New York Daily News, 11-28-06
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/ideas_opinions/story/475078p-399631c.html