Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee are encouraging the Justice Department to broaden its investigation into the shooting death of Sean Bell, the unarmed New York City man who was gunned down by three city police officers.

After last week’s state court acquittal of the three officers, Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers Jr. (D-Mich.) convened a meeting in New York City’s Queens borough on Monday to discuss whether Bell’s civil rights were violated and whether the officers could be subject to federal criminal charges. Joining him were Bell’s family and attorneys, as well as representatives from the city and members of the New York City congressional delegation.
Committee Democrats have not ruled out the possibility of hearings or even legislation, although it remains unclear what specific shape either would take.

Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.), who was at Monday’s meeting and who is a senior Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, said a committee strategy is being developed “that may very well include legislation.”

“And we will be pushing Attorney General [Michael] Mukasey for a thorough and expeditious investigation by the Justice Department,” Nadler added.

However, immediately following the acquittal of NYPD officers Marc Cooper, Gescard Isnora and Mike Oliver, the Justice Department announced that it was opening a civil rights probe.

“The Civil Rights Division and the United States Attorney’s Office have been monitoring the state’s prosecution of this case and, following the review of all the evidence, will take appropriate action if the evidence indicates a prosecutable violation of federal criminal civil rights statutes,” read a Justice Department statement that was issued on Friday, April 25, just hours after state Supreme Court Justice Arthur Cooperman acquitted the three officers.

But for some Democrats — including members of the Judiciary Committee and lawmakers who represent districts in and around New York City — that might not be enough.

Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.), who represents the district in which Bell lived and where the shooting took place, was also at Monday’s meeting in Queens. He said that a letter to Mukasey asking for a “thorough and complete” investigation is already in the works.

Meeks, who said he was shocked at the verdict, said he hopes that a letter will include signatures from members of the Judiciary Committee as well as other members of Congress.

“Chairman Conyers was listening to Rev. [Al] Sharpton and some of the attorneys about what had taken place and was reviewing various possibilities under the federal code as to what the Justice Department can do,” Meeks said.

“We have agreed to draft a letter — and we’re hoping to get the signatures of various members of Congress — to the Justice Department letting them know of our interest in them reviewing and investigating this matter,” added Meeks. “Without presupposing any outcome, we’re going to ask them to take a thorough and complete look at it, and all possible charges, whether they be criminal or federal.”

Republicans on the Judiciary Committee reacted coolly to the Democrats’ initiative and indicated that they would not likely join in their efforts.

“The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division is already conducting an independent review of the Sean Bell shooting,” said ranking Republican Lamar Smith (Texas). “The Judiciary Committee should be careful not to interfere with the pending federal investigation.”

One Democratic committee aide said the end game may be as simple as using correspondence, legislation and even hearings “on issues that are ancillary to or at the heart of what this case brought out” to keep the heat on the Justice Department to expedite its investigation.

Bell was holding his bachelor party at a Queens nightclub on Nov. 25, 2006, when he and two friends were shot in a hail of 50 bullets. The club was subject to an undercover police investigation on the suspicion of prostitution.