On his wedding day in Manhattan, Sean Bell was gunned down by 50 police bullets. Three New York police officers have been on trial for the past 8 weeks for manslaughter. Today, the judge acquitted them of all charges.

[Michael]Oliver, who fired 31 times and reloaded once, and [Gescard]Isnora, who fired 11 times, had been charged with manslaughter, felony assault and reckless endangerment. They faced up to 25 years in prison if convicted on all charges.

[Marc]Cooper, who fired four times, faced up to a year in jail if convicted of reckless endangerment. None of the detectives testified, although their grand jury testimony was read out loud at the trial.

The case was tried before Queens Supreme Court Justice Arthur Cooperman who decided the state didn't prove the charges beyond a reasonable doubt.

Cooperman said justification was used as a defense, he had to consider the "mindset of the defendants, not the victims. What the victims did, was more important to resolve the issues at hand than what was in their minds."

Barack Obama will win North Carolina by double digits. The demography of North Carolina assures it. And that big win will help assure Obama's hold on the pledged delegate lead and improve his chances for holding the popular vote lead. North Carolina matters.

But Indiana matters more. Why? Because the one unanswered question - the one I have been asking since Super Tuesday is can Barack Obama win the big contested states by capturing enough women, seniors and white working class men. Since Super Tuesday, only in Wisconsin and Virginia has Obama broken through 40% of the white vote in contested primaries, even while he was running the string of 12 victories in February. Let's review the data on the flip.

By Big Tent Democrat

Our Crime in the News coverage would be incomplete without mention of Wesley Snipes, who was sentenced today.

Snipes was sentenced to three years in prison Thursday for failing to file tax returns, the maximum penalty — and a victory for prosecutors who sought to make an example of the action star.

We should cringe when prosecutors or judges crow about "making an example" out of a defendant. Does fame justify suspension of our belief in equal protection of the law?

Suggested reading if you want to know more about the Snipes prosecution: (more...)

Rep. Jim Clyburn's (D-SC) behavior during the South Carolina campaign helped Obama a great deal in that primary. He really helped Obama become the candidate of African American voters in South Carolina and beyond. Of course, now Barack Obama has some trouble with white working class voters.

Now Clyburn is up to his old tricks, but I do not see the political logic to it. Barack Obama already will get at least 90% of the African American vote against Hillary Clinton. It is hard to imagine he can get much more. But Obama DOES need to improve his performance with white voters. Thus when Clyburn says:

By Big Tent Democrat, speaking for me only

Nancy Pelosi is just unbelievable. She is incapable of keeping quiet. Larry King asks her "do you think a unity ticket is a good idea?" Now, suppose you think it is not. What can you say? Here is a simple one - "It will be up to the nominee." Nothing more. But can Nancy Pelosi say that? No.

Nancy Pelosi feels compelled, by some unstoppable divisiveness in her, to offer her opinion that it is "not a good idea." More headlines tomorrow. Thanks for nothing Madame Speaker.

By Big Tent Democrat, speaking for me only.

Fire David Shuster

After being previously suspended for his sexist remarks, it is clear that David Shuster has no remorse. Shakes and Media Matters have the story:

During the April 22 edition of MSNBC Live, guest host David Shuster said to senior campaign correspondent Tucker Carlson: "Before we get to predictions, Tucker, I want to present you ... It's a pen. It's 'Jabber Jaw Pens.' And when you listen to it here." At this point, Shuster pressed the top of the pen -- a likeness of Sen. Hillary Clinton's head -- and the mouth began to move as the pen began audibly laughing. After the pen stopped, Shuster continued: "[I]n honor of being on the air with you for the first time in a little while, I present to you with a Hillary laughing pen." In response, Carlson stated: "I can't tell you, David, how much I appreciate this, how much I appreciate your going through Chris' mail while he's gone and how much I'm really going to miss that cackle. I hope it goes on forever. It's brought light to my life." Carlson also pressed the pen.

Shuster then said: "As we -- to the refrain of Hillary cackling, let's start with predictions tonight. What's going to happen?"

How could NBC possibly think this outrageous sexism could be acceptable? Fire David Shuster. NOW.

By Big Tent Democrat, speaking for me only

I am no fan of Rev. Wright, and for the sake of the Democratic Party, I wish he would keep quiet until after November, but I agree with this:

MOYERS:Here is a man who came to see you 20 years ago. Wanted to know about the neighborhood. Barack Obama was a skeptic when it came to religion. He sought you out because he knew you knew about the community. You led him to the faith. . . . You were, for 20 years, his spiritual counsel. He has said that. And, yet, he, in that speech at Philadelphia, had to say some hard things about you. How did those words...how did it go down with you when you heard Barack Obama say those things? . . .

By Big Tent Democrat, speaking for me

TINS:

They just don't get it. . . . [T]here's a big problem with the whole "electability" argument, anyway. Let's . . . say that Hillary is a sure thing, while Obama would likely lose. . . .

I. Wouldn't. Care. Anyway. And neither should you.

I. Do. Care. Anyway. And so should you.

It so happens that I think Obama is more electable than Clinton. But I must say there is really something wrong with the argument that I should not care that, for just one example, John Paul Stevens has just turned 88. I can not fathom how any progressive could write what TINS wrote. I really can't.

By Big Tent Democrat, speaking for me.

Remember this?

Now whatsay the Netroots?

Barack Obama is going where his campaign has never gone before: Fox News, where he'll be interviewed by Chris Wallace this weekend on Fox News Sunday.

For the record, I support the boycott of Fox News. I think Hillary Clinton was placed in a terrible position because of the extreme bias of NBC and the unwillingness of the Left blogs to criticize the anti-Hillary bias in the Media.

I also understand why Obama is dissing the Netroots now. They will never criticize him anyway. Why should he pander to them then?

By Big Tent Democrat, speaking for me

For this post, I am going to pretend that NBC's Keith Olbermann (and the normally fair and astute Chuck Todd) are hardworking journalists who are just misguided. I am going to offer a measured critique of what I think was wrong with their news reporting last night. Join me on the flip.

By Big Tent Democrat, speaking for me

As a Brown grad, I must denounce and reject this:

Seriously. I know it is funny to see The Moustache get pied, but it is just wrong. h/t Ezra Klein.

By Big Tent Democrat

The stupidity of Dem "Party Elders" is a remarkable thing sometimes. But this bit takes the cake:

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said Thursday that he may try to force undecided superdelegates to make their decisions in the Democratic presidential race if it stretches into June. Reid said he would consider writing a joint letter with Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) demanding that superdelegates make their endorsements public.

“The three of us, we may write a joint letter [to superdelegates],” said Reid. “We might do individual letters. We are in contact with each other.”

Here's a thought, let Obama defeat Clinton, if he can, instead of angering the Clinton Wing of the Democratic Party. Are they incapable of just being quiet?

By Big Tent Democrat