Sources: 3 of 5 Officers Indicted in Bell Shooting

ByABC News
March 16, 2007, 3:29 PM

NEW YORK, March 16, 2007 — -- ABC News has learned that three of the five officers involved in the Sean Bell shooting will be indicted. Sources say officers Marc Cooper, Michael Oliver and Gescard Isnora will face charges.

We do not know what the charges are however.

The grand jury reached a decision on Friday. That decision will remain sealed, as a matter of law, until they are released Monday.

Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown will hold a press conference Monday at 11:00 a.m. to announce whether charges will be brought against any of the five officers responsible for the shooting death of Sean Bell and the wounding of Trent Benefield and Joseph Guzman on November 25, 2006.

The grand jury was ordered to return to Kew Gardens in an ice storm this morning to resume deliberations. They met in secret for a third straight day, offering no clues as to why the deliberations took so long.

In his Friday radio show, Mayor Bloomberg continued to insist that New Yorkers should respect the decision, whatever it is and whenever it comes.

"If they indict people, some people will say they didn't indict enough and other people will say they shouldn't have indicted anybody," Bloomberg said. "If they don't indict anybody, then certain people will say that's justice, and others will say justice is not being served."

The deliberations were delayed Thursday after jurors heard from a last-minute witness, a man who claimed he saw someone with a gun, firing at the officers. Although sources say the man told the grand jury that the officers identified themselves that night, there is no indication he ever offered testimony about a man with a gun.

What he did say, however, puts him clearly at odds with every other known civilian eyewitness, including survivors Trent Benefield and Joseph Guzman.

One source has said this witness was a complete waste of time.

ABC News affiliate WABC in New York reported this story.