Detectives in Bell shooting to retire

Two detectives involved in the November 2006 shooting of Sean Bell outside a Queens strip club the night before his wedding have made deals to retire from the NYPD with their pensions but with a loss of some vacation and sick leave, according to attorneys and union officials.

Det. Michael Oliver, 40, and Det. Marc Cooper, 44, agreed to retire as a way of settling administrative charges brought against them by the NYPD stemming from the 50-shot fusillade that took the life of Bell on Nov. 25, 2006, said Michael Palladino, head of the Detectives Endowment Association. The deal is subject to the approval of police Commissioner Ray Kelly.

Oliver and Cooper, who have been on desk duty since their acquittal of criminal charges in April 2008, agreed to the deals last week, according to an attorney familiar with the Bell case who didn't want to be identified.

Both detectives, as well as Det. Gescard Isnora, were acquitted in April 2008 at a nonjury trial of criminal charges stemming from the shooting outside the Club Kalua. Police said Oliver fired 31 shots, Cooper four shots and Isnora fired 11 times in a deadly confrontation that developed after Bell, 23, who police said was intoxicated, tried to drive away from cops after they tried to stop his car.

"I can confirm he is going to retire," said Cooper's attorney Paul Martin Monday.

James Cullerton, who is representing Oliver, couldn't be reached for comment. But Palladino said that both Oliver and Cooper have agreed to retire.

News of the deals came as administrative trials began Monday at police headquarters against Isnora, 32, and another cop, Michael Carey, 30, for their roles in the shooting. Isnora faces administrative charges that he violated police guidelines when he fired at Bell's car and that he improperly revealed his undercover role, said his attorney Philip Karasyk. Carey, who wasn't charged criminally, faces a department charge that he didn't follow NYPD firearms guidelines in firing three times.

Police spokesman Paul Browne said that any details about settlements wouldn't be released until the current departmental trial ends.

Bell's fiancee, Nicole Paultre-Bell, his mother, Valeria Bell and family attorney Sanford Rubenstein, attended the trial before NYPD deputy commissioner Martin Karopkin. Isnora and Carey, who are also on modified assignments, could face expulsion if Karopkin determines they violated police rules. Rubenstein said the retirements of Oliver and Cooper are what the Bell family wants.

"What I think is really important is that they will no longer be on the police," Rubenstein said.

Last year, the city agreed to pay more than $7 million to settle a federal lawsuit in the case. Bell's family got about $3.25 million.

Two other men seriously injured in the shooting, Joseph Guzman and Trent Benefield, also received settlements.