New Three-Part Series ‘AFTERSHOCK’ Explores The Life And Legacy Of The Late Sean Bell

The fatal 2006 shooting of Sean Bell by undercover NYPD officers ricocheted through New York City and left the country in a state of shock, as Bell’s family and the larger Black community struggled to come to terms with this devastation. Sean Bell, a 23-year-old father and soon-to-be husband, was leaving his bachelor party in Queens, New York, with his friends Joseph Guzman and Trent Benefield when they were confronted by undercover NYPD officers and targeted by a barrage of 50 bullets, killing Bell. Since this tremendous loss, Sean Bell’s fiancée, Nicole P. Bell, and his family have been striving for justice while honoring his legacy.

The forthcoming series ‘AFTERSHOCK’ continues to honor Sean Bell’s legacy while showcasing his family’s resilience as they maintain their fight for justice and navigate their grief in the aftermath of his death. The three-part drama series showcases Sean’s and Nicole’s life prior to this tragedy, while offering glimpses of his funeral, the longing of their daughters, Nicole’s pain in the wake of his passing, and the movement for justice within and outside of the courtroom. As Nicole P. Bell reflects in the film, “They took away my joy, my future,” and this series offers viewers an intimate look at this loss while fighting for accountability after the tragic loss of her fiancé.

‘AFTERSHOCK’ is A Manny Halley production. The series is written by Cas Sigers Beedles and directed by Alesia "Z" Glidewell. Nicole P. Bell, Yolanda Halley, and Rodney Turner II also serve as producers. Star features in this series include Rayven Ferrell, Bentley Green, Richard T. Jones, Richard Lawson, and more.

The series captures the strength and resiliency of the Bell family in the face of police brutality, and underscores the necessity for accountability and justice.

—Dominique Young