AFTER 3 LONG YEARS THE JUDGE DENIES THE CITY'S REQUEST TO DELAY THE CIVIL SUIT AGAINST THE NYPD COPS INVOLVED IN SHOOTING SEAN BELL!

A federal judge in Brooklyn Wednesday gave city lawyers until May 6 to decide whether they will represent the NYPD cops charged in the wrongful death lawsuit of Sean Bell, the unarmed man gunned down on his wedding day.

Judge Sterling Johnson -- a former NYPD sergeant himself -- rejected the city's request for a six-month stay of the civil suit filed nearly three years ago but put on hold while the officers faced criminal charges and a civil rights investigation by the Brooklyn U.S. Attorney's office.

"It is time to move forward," said attorney Sanford Rubenstein, who represents Bell's fiance Nicole Paultre-Bell.

Three detectives -- Marc Cooper, Gescard Isnora and Michael Oliver -- were acquitted by a Queens judge of criminal charges stemming from the 50-shot barrage of police gunfire that killed Bell and seriously wounded two friends, Joseph Guzman and Trent Benefield.

The detectives, along with Officer Michael Cary, are defendants in the federal lawsuit.

Attorney Richard Signorelli, who is representing Cary, told the judge that he was informed by an NYPD lawyer that a decision on whether to discipline the four officers would be made within six months.

If the NYPD determines the four violated department procedures in the shooting, the city could decline to represent them and refuse to indemnify them for any monetary judgment determined by a jury.

James Moschella, an attorney for the Detectives Endowment Association, said he expected the three detectives to be subjected to official
questioning by the Internal Affairs Bureau shortly.

Outside court, Bell's father, William, said he looks forward to the officers having to answer for their actions in front of a jury.

"Maybe we might get a little bit of peace, but we can't get him (Sean) back," he said. "These four years have been hell."