Slain groom’s family vows to fight — in court

They're not giving up
An exoneration in a criminal investigation also wasn't an obstacle for the families of Patrick Dorismond, an unarmed black security guard whose family won a $2.25 million settlement from the city after his shooting by a narcotics detective in 2000, or for relatives of Timothy Stansbury, who settled for $2 million after the 19-year-old was shot by a startled officer on a Brooklyn rooftop in 2004. Grand juries had declined to indict in either case.

That doesn't mean that the road to victory will be easy for the Bell family, even in civil court.

The long trial of detectives Michael Oliver, Gescard Isnora and Marc Cooper produced some moments damaging to the family's claim that the officers had no cause to fear for their safety.

Judge Arthur Cooperman noted in his written decision on the case that some of the prosecution witnesses who had given the most damning account of the officers' conduct had changed their stories regarding the circumstances of the shooting, which he said "had the effect of eviscerating" their credibility.

While not mentioning him by name, the judge also appeared to refer to Guzman as he described a witness with a criminal history and a poor demeanor on the witness stand. Guzman had been combative as he was cross-examined about the shooting and has served jail time. The police detectives said they decided to confront Bell's party as they left the strip club because they believed Guzman was going to his car to retrieve a gun after an earlier argument.

Yet, even considering those factors, Conason said it might be in the city's best interest to settle, rather than risk polarizing citizens by defending the detectives' conduct in court.

"I would hope they figure, 'Enough of this. It's not good for the city. It's not good for the department,'" Conason said. Sharpton said he would meet with members of Congress in an attempt to elicit their help getting the Justice Department involved in the case.

Regardless of what the city decides to do, Bell's family and his friends say they aren't going to give up.

"We got a long fight. We still here. We still in it," Guzman said.

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