Vol. 72/No. 21      May 26, 2008

The hearing, organized by Representative John Conyers, focused on reforms that could overhaul police departments in New York and nationwide, which many capitalist politicians point to as the way to end “excessive-force deaths.”

The hearing comes after last month’s acquittal of three undercover cops on trial for the killing of Sean Bell, 23, in a hail of 50 bullets. The shooting and the subsequent acquittal led to protests around the city. Today’s hearing is the latest attempt by politicians to calm down the outrage over the case and quell any street protests.

Among the reforms recommended by academics and activists were community-based boards with the power to hire and fire police, withholding federal funding to police agencies that did not address “misconduct,” and a permanent statewide prosecutor to investigate police brutality cases.

One proposal was for the creation of a national database to track racial profiling and the use of “excessive force.”
 
 
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