Sean Bell and his fiancée Nicole Paultre
Seven officers who were involved in the 2006 shooting of Sean Bell were notified today that they may face NYPD administrative charges for their role in the incident. The notices of disciplinary action come almost a month since a judge found that Detectives Marc Cooper, Gescard Isnora, and Michael Oliver were not responsible for the death of Bell. The disciplinary charges were brought against:
- Lt. Gary Napoli for failing to prepare an adequate tactical plan before the undercover sting at Club Kalua was initiated
- Det. Michael Oliver for discharging his firearm outside the department’s guidelines
- Det. Marc Cooper for discharging his firearm outside the department’s guidelines.
- Det. Gescard Isnora for discharging his firearm outside the department’s guidelines and for taking enforcement action while he was undercover when there were other officers available to respond
- P.O. Michael Carey for discharging his firearm outside the department’s guidelines
- Det. Robin Knapp, a crime scene detective, for failing to follow proper procedures in the crime scene investigation
- Sgt. Hugh McNeill, a crime scene detective, for failing to properly supervise Det. Knapp
The charges can lead to loss-of-pay, suspension, or firing. The Police Department will reportedly wait until the Department of Justice brings charges (if any) in its investigation before taking any action. The NYPD administrative charges can be altered or dismissed completely upon further investigation in the interim.
