Rally held against cleared NYPD officers

4/26/2008 NEW YORK Tears of joy and outrage followed the announcement of the verdict outside a courthouse Friday. The judge, who heard the case without a jury, cited inconsistent testimony and questionable credibility of witnesses in delivering the decision.

The officers gunned down 23-year-old Sean Bell outside a Queens strip club hours before his planned wedding.

Bell was black, as were two of the officers. But the case has stoked long-standing allegations of racism and excessive use of force on the part of New York City's police.

The Justice Department is still considering whether to bring a federal case against the officers and a civil lawsuit still looms.