NYPD pig who killed unarmed Akai Gurley to facing sentencing. Update: Judge gives him 5yrs probation

Options
stringer bell
stringer bell Members Posts: 26,212 ✭✭✭✭✭
edited April 2016 in For The Grown & Sexy
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2016/04/19/nypd-officer-who-shot-unarmed-man-faces-sentencing/83221906/
NYPD cop who shot unarmed man faces judge, protest

Former New York City police officer Peter Liang faces sentencing Tuesday in the fatal shooting of an unarmed black man that sparked emotional protests from both sides of the controversial case.

Liang, 28, was on patrol in a housing project in November 2014 when he said he drew and accidentally fired his weapon in a stairwell. Akai Gurley, 28, was killed by the ricocheting bullet.

Liang, who is Chinese-American, was convicted of manslaughter in February and subsequently fired. Judge Danny Chun can sentence Liang to up to 15 years in jail.

Gurley's relatives started a Facebook page "Justice for Akai Gurley Family" that has drawn more than 1,300 likes. A post entitled "Pack the Court. Pack the Street" encouraged supporters to gather at the courthouse during Tuesday's sentencing to "demand accountability for the unjust killing."

Liang has his own supporters. His conviction prompted a protest in Brooklyn that drew thousands of them, including many Chinese Americans. Similar protests were held San Francisco and elsewhere, pressing a complaint that a Chinese-American officer should not be convicted of a crime when white officers seldom are convicted or even tried in shooting cases.

Last month, Brooklyn prosecutor Ken Thompson announced he would recommend six months of home confinement, five years probation and 500 hours of community service.

"His incarceration is not necessary to protect the public, and due to the unique circumstances of this case, a prison sentence is not warranted," Thompson said, adding that "There are no winners here."

Gurley's family expressed outrage at Thompson's decision.

"Officer Liang was convicted of manslaughter and should serve time in prison for his crime," the statement said. "This sentencing recommendation sends the message that police officers who ? people should not face serious consequences. It is this on-going pattern of a severe lack of accountability for officers that unjustly ? and brutalize New Yorkers that allows the violence to continue."

Last week Chun rejected a motion from Liang's lawyers that the conviction be tossed out on grounds that a juror had lied to claim a spot on the panel. Liang's lawyers accused juror Michael Vargas of having an anti-police bias and lying to hide his father's criminal past. Chun determined that Vargas had hedged but not lied — and that none of it had any impact on the guilty verdict.



Update:







· Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
«134567

Comments

Categories