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NEW YORK -- Civil rights leaders demanded a federal investigation and vowed to march through the streets in protest after three police officers were cleared of all charges Friday in the killing of an unarmed man cut down in a hail of 50 bullets on his wedding day.

The verdict by Justice Arthur Cooperman elicited gasps as well as tears of joy and sorrow. Detective Michael Oliver, who fired 31 of the shots, wept at the defense table, while the mother of victim Sean Bell cried in the packed courtroom. Shouts of "Murderers! Murderers!" and "KKK!" rang out on the courthouse steps.

» Click to enlarge image Protesters react to the verdict in the Sean Bell case as they march Friday through the Jamaica neighborhood in the Queens borough of New York. Three detectives were acquitted of all charges Friday in the 50-shot killing of an unarmed groom-to-be on his wedding day in 2006, a case that put the NYPD at the center of another dispute involving allegations of excessive firepower.
(Jason DeCrow/The Associated Press)
» Click to enlarge image Joseph Guzman (right) and other passengers in the car are questioned Friday by journalists while leaving the Nassau Knolls Cemetery after visiting the grave of Sean Bell in Port Washington, N.Y. Three New York City police detectives were acquitted of all charges Friday in the 50-shot killing of the unarmed Bell on his wedding day in 2006.
Frank Franklin II | AP
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Bell, a 23-year-old black man, was killed outside a seedy strip club in Queens in 2006 as he was leaving his bachelor party with two friends. The officers -- undercover detectives who were investigating reports of prostitution at the club -- said they thought one of the men had a gun.

The slaying heightened tensions in the city and stoked long-standing allegations of racism and excessive use of force on the part of New York City's police, even though two of the officers charged are black.

In announcing his verdict in the non-jury trial, the judge said that the inconsistent testimony, courtroom demeanor and rap sheets of the prosecution witnesses -- mainly Bell's friends -- "had the effect of eviscerating" their credibility.

"At times, the testimony just didn't make sense," the judge said.

Police had assigned extra officers to the courthouse and had helicopters in the air to help deal with any unrest. But within an hour, the angry, weeping crowd of about 200 people outside the courthouse had scattered, and despite a few scuffles, no arrests were made.

Oliver and Gescard Isnora were acquitted of charges that included manslaughter, assault and reckless endangerment. The third officer, Marc Cooper, faced lesser charges.

Man hit with Taser by Oxford police dies Posted by Patrick O'Donnell April 24, 2008 19:37PM Categories: Breaking News, Education Kevin PiskuraUpdated at 9:10 p.m.

A former Walton Hills man who was hit with a Taser by Oxford police after a bar fight last week died just after 5 p.m. Thursday.

Kevin Piskura, 24, had been in critical condition at University Hospital in Cincinnati since the incident early Saturday morning.

Piskura was a 2002 graduate of Benedictine High School and a 2006 graduate of Miami University. He had moved to Chicago after graduating from Miami.

Hospital spokesman Don Crouse said he could not release details of Piskura's injuries. In a statement released through the hospital, Piskura's family requested privacy while thanking people for their support.

"Today, we lost a son, a brother, a family member and a friend," the family said. "The medical staff and everyone here at University Hospital were heroic in their efforts to save Kevin, and for that we are eternally grateful."

"In the end, it seems there was simply nothing more anyone could do," the family statement continues. "No one feels this loss more deeply than we do, however we still request that people refrain from rash judgment and wait until the independent investigation of this event is complete, lest tragedy lead to more tragedy."

In a written statement from Oxford Police, the city manager and police chief, "expressed their deepest sympathy" to the family and noted that the Butler County sheriff and prosecutor are investigating the incident.

A police report states that officers responded to the Brick Street Bar on High Street to help staff remove patrons about 2 a.m. Saturday. Though a companion of Piskura backed down when ordered to by officers, the report states, Piskura fought with police and bar staff.

He was warned that the officer had a Taser, then was hit with the weapon for several seconds. He was taken to a local hospital when he was unresponsive and later sent to University Hospital. Piskura's companion, Kevin Smith, also 24 and of Chicago, was cited for disorderly conduct.

Police used a X26 Taser model, which transmits electrical pulses through wires and into the body affecting the sensory and motor functions of the peripheral nervous system, according to the company's website. The energy can penetrate up to two cumulative inches of clothing, or one inch per probe.

Piskura's father Charles is a retired Bedford Police officer and his mother Mary teaches at St. Barnabas elementary school in Northfield.

In both cases neither victim was armed. Someone needs to take responsibility.  I realize that the police have a very dangerous job, but so do I. I've had years of training and one mistake could cause several lives. Never the less I will be held resposible. These case exemplify text book excessive force.