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BRAVE FACES OF ‘SCARED’ COPS

EACH morning, De tective Michael Oli ver walks into the Queens courtroom and forces a stern gaze.

He rotates his neck like a boxer, puts on a pair of eyeglasses and listens intently to painful testimony from felons, strippers and a cowardly lieutenant – all of whom claim he’s a trigger-happy cowboy – without cracking a scowl.

Each day, Detective Gescard “Jesse” Isnora sits in his seat and closes his eyes, never daring to look at anyone. He seems to be praying.

These cops went on trial last week for manslaughter in the death of Sean Bell, who was gunned down, unarmed, after his bachelor party in November 2006. Detective Marc Cooper is also charged with reckless endangerment.

From here in the cheap seats, the case appears to be coming apart at the seams, with witnesses constantly tripping themselves up.

But a source sympathetic to the defense told me the men are “genuinely scared and genuinely upset” about Bell’s death. Isnora “goes home every day and sits in front of ESPN.”

“They know their lives have changed forever,” the source said.

This was supposed to be a case about racist cops shooting a black man for no good reason.

But after a week, the only witnesses have been ex-cons, New York’s “second best” pole-dancing stripper, plus a police lieutenant who ordered his men to “Move in!” – then hid in his car rather than risk getting shot.

Even so, it’s no sure thing these men will walk.

The case was supposed to be about race. But from the get-go, the defense knocked that down. Isnora is African-American, as is Cooper. Oliver is of Syrian descent – which would make even the Rev. Al Sharpton define him as a person of color.

This case was supposed to be about guys enjoying Bell’s bachelor party, before gunshots forever silenced the fun.

But Bell’s pals described the Kalua club as a joint chockablock with hookers, drug dealers and sleazy exotic dancers who coerce patrons into buying them overpriced drinks.

Stripper Marseilles Payne testified she watched as a colleague was slapped in the face by a male customer, behavior that’s tolerated there. Bell’s felonious crew watched men threaten one another with guns.

“These witnesses are sporting felony drug convictions like they’re MVP awards,” cracked Michael Palladino, president of the Detectives Endowment Association.

We heard from Lt. Gary Napoli, the ranking officer who barricaded himself inside his car when things got hot – and did not hear cops shout, “Police.”

Justice Arthur Cooperman might punish Oliver for firing 31 of the 50 shots – although it may have taken less than 10 seconds. And Cooper’s shot hit a train station, where a bystander could have been struck.

In the end, the judge alone will decide whether to make the tragic death of Sean Bell a whole lot worse by taking down these cops.

andrea.peyser@nypost.com