Unarmed Man's Death Stuns NYC

The story of an unarmed African immigrant killed by police last weekend continues to rumble through New York City, reports CBS News Legal Correspondent Kristin-Jeannette Meyers.

Nearly a week after the shooting death of Ahmed Diallo, a 22-year-old immigrant from Guinea, New York City Police Commissioner Howard Safir Wednesday ordered all officers from the elite street crime unit to undergo a refresher training course. He also ordered a review of the unit's tactics

Also on Wednesday, the attorney for the four police officers involved in the shooting spoke to the media.

Stephan Worth said his clients, officers Kenneth Boss, Edward McMellon, Richard Murphy and Sean Carroll, thought Diallo was reaching for a gun when they shot at him.

Diallo was shot and killed by the four officers in the entryway of his Bronx home. The officers fired 41 shots, hitting Diallo 19 times.

Police found only a wallet and a beeper on the victim, who had no criminal record.

Worth said the officers identified themselves as policemen and showed Diallo their badges.

On Tuesday, thousands turned out for a rally to protest the killing of the West African man who worked as a street vendor.

The case has once again put the Mayor and the NYPD on the defensive and called into the question the behavior of New York City cops.

Mayor Guiliani defended the NYPD's record, saying "The use of force by the department, the use of weapons is down over the last four or five years dramatically."

The mayor postponed a Thursday trip to Texas in order to attend a prayer service for Diallo planned for Friday. Giuliani was to spend the night at the home of Gov. George W. Bush, a potential Republican presidential candidate in 2000.

The victim's mother, Kadiadou Diallo, has rejected Mayor Giuliani's offer for financial assistance. She arrived from Africa Tuesday afternoon to claim the body of her son.

"Justice must be done,"Mrs. Diallo said outside her son's Bronx apartment building.

Her husband, Saikou Diallo, is to arrive in New York Thursday. The couple plans to take their son home to Africa for burial on Saturday.

The officers involved have been taken off patrol duty while the Bronx District Attorney investigates the shooting.

The U.S. Attorney's office is also monitoring the case. As of Wednesday, a grand jury had not been convened to hear evidence in the shooting. The four officers involved have not yet been questioned about the incident.

One of the officers, Carroll, has said he is sorry for what happened and would cooperate 100 percent in the investigation.