One day after the nation learned that Plaxico Burress accidentally shot himself at the Latin Quarters nightclub in New York; Mayor Michael Bloomberg called a press conference to comment on the investigation. Bloomberg stood at the podium and confidently stated, “I think it would be an outrage if we didn’t prosecute. Particularly, people who live in the public domain [that] make their living because of their visibility. They are the role models for our kids.”
In turn, Burress received a two-year prison sentence after pleading guilty to an attempted weapons possession charge. That’s 730 more days than the New York police officers that killed Amadou Diallo, Sean Bell and Omar Edwards. In each case, New York’s prideful mayors (Rudy Giuliani served as New York’s mayor during Diallo’s case) took a less authoritative tone when dealing with the suspects.
Amadou Diallo – An immigrant from West Africa who was shot 41 times by Kenneth Boss, Sean Carroll, Edward McMellon and Richard Murphy of the NYPD. All of the officers were acquitted.
Mayor Rudy Giuliani: “We’ve had terrible mistakes in this city when people have reacted to rumors and intuitions and feelings. Let’s let the situation run its course and then let’s react to the facts.”
Sean Bell – After leaving his bachelor’s party on the morning before his wedding, Bell is shot 50 times by plainclothes NYPD officers Gescard Isnora, Michael Oliver, and Marc Cooper. All three officers were acquitted.
Mayor Michael Bloomberg: “I can tell you that it is to me unacceptable or inexplicable how you can have 50-odd shots fired, but that’s up to the investigation to find out what really happened.”
Omar Edwards – A 25-year-old police officer who was shot three times by fellow NYPD officer Andrew Dunton. Dunton was never charged in the shooting.
Mayor Michael Bloomberg: “I don’t think race had anything to do with this. This was a terrible event that took place. I don’t know if accident is the right word. I don’t know whether our procedures were adequate enough. We’re going to look at that.”
Burress has owned up to his misadventure and seems prepared to deal with the outcome. But instead of severely prosecuting a guy who shot himself, the New York district attorney and political leaders should focus more on punishing the guys on their side who are murdering innocent individuals with impunity. –amir shaw
