Regarding the Case Against Officers Charged in the Shooting of Sean Bell, Pitt Law Professor Does Not Foresee the Kind of Anger and Backlash That Occurred in Other New York Police Shootings

PITTSBURGH-In the case decided today in the State Supreme Court in Queens, N.Y., officers were found not guilty on all counts in the November 2006 shooting death of Sean Bell. David Harris, University of Pittsburgh professor of law does not foresee the kind of anger and backlash that occurred with earlier police shootings in New York 10 years ago.

Harris, a leading national authority on racial profiling who studies, writes, and teaches about police behavior and regulation as well as law enforcement, can discuss the following points in the case.

o Why did a judge hear the case and not a jury?

o Why were officers charged with manslaughter and not murder?

o How does the NYPD's record in civilian shootings compare to that of other departments?

o How can police avoid these kinds of incidents?

Harris' book "Profiles in Injustice: Why Racial Profiling Cannot Work" (The New Press, 2002) and his scholarly articles on traffic stops of non-White motorists influenced the national debate on profiling and related topics. He has testified three times in the U.S. Senate and before many state legislative bodies.

His book "Good Cops: The Case for Preventive Policing" (The New Press, 2005) uses case studies from around the country to suggest that citizens need not trade liberty for safety. He argues that they can be safe from criminals and terrorists without sacrificing their civil rights if law enforcement uses strategies based on prevention.

Harris has appeared on the "Today" show and "Dateline NBC" and has been interviewed by "The New York Times," "The Wall Street Journal," and "Los Angeles Times," among others. He served as a member of the Civil Liberties Advisory Board to the White House Commission on Aviation Safety and Security.

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4/25/08/tmw