Legislators Say Sean Bell Shooting Case not Closed

A coalition of New York legislators vows to seek redress for Sean Bell at the federal level, according to a statement released by Rep. Gregory Meeks on Saturday:

"We do not accept that this is the end of this case.  We have joined with the families and their attorneys in filing a complaint with the U.S. Department of Justice requesting an investigation of violations of the civil rights of Sean Bell, Joseph Guzman, and Trent Benefield.  Indeed, this afternoon the U.S. Department of Justice announced that it's Civil Rights Division, the United States Attorney's Office for the Eastern District, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation's New York Field Division will conduct an independent review of the facts and circumstances surrounding the Nov. 25, 2006, shooting of Sean Bell and two of his friends.

The statement is cosigned by elected officials from federal, state, and city government. Signatories include Rep. Charles Rangel, Congressional Black Caucus Chair Rep. Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick, Queens Borough President Helen Marshall, State Senate minority leader Malcolm Smith, four New York State assemblymen, and two New York city councilmen.