Contrary to the sign held by a woman at a December 2006 rally, 50 shots + New York City cops does not equal murder. It equals not guilty.

I was sitting on JFK-bound Jetblue flight when I heard the verdict. The miniature TV screen streamed live footage from outside the court house, occasionally cutting to video of Nicole Paultre Bell’s car en route to Sean Bell’s gravesite.

Across the aisle, a balding man in khaki shorts was watching the same channel. He nodded affirmatively to his wife. Indicating that justice had been served.

When I arrived in Brooklyn, I passed out. Claiming jetlag. Even though the flight was only two hours and I hadn’t left the Eastern Standard time zone. I woke up an hour later to sound of the Wendy Williams Experience, my afternoon guilty pleasure.

Callers chimed in representing every possible point of view – The decision was fair. The legal system is flawed. It’s about race. It’s about poor policing. Obama’s a black man, he should make a statement. Hillary’s our state senator, she should make a statement, et al. Williams repeatedly mentioned her young son. How could she protect him in a world where mistakes like this are made?

At the end of the show the normally unflappable host broke down in tears. Her co-host Charlamagne stopped short of calling for folks to riot. I thought about a poem for Amadou Diallo I heard Suheir Hammad read eight years ago.

Days later, I read the judges comments on the case. I wanted to know exactly how the verdict had been reached. Maybe I was missing something.

Turns out the burden of proof was on the people. (…Isn’t it always).

According to Judge Arthur Cooperman, the people did not prove the officers’ behavior was criminal beyond a reasonable doubt. Cooperman stated, “Questions of carelessness and incompetence must be left to other forums.”

I wonder when questions of carelessness and incompetence will be addressed.