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Brooklyn DA Recommends Probation Instead Of Prison For Cop Convicted Of Killing Innocent Man
By
Rebecca Fishbein
Published Mar 23, 2016
Modified Mar 23, 2016
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By
Rebecca Fishbein
Published Mar 23, 2016
Modified Mar 23, 2016
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Brooklyn District Attorney Ken Thompson has recommended that Peter Liang, the former NYPD officer convicted of fatally shooting an unarmed and innocent man while on patrol at an East New York housing project in 2014, be sentenced to five years of probation instead of serving time in prison.
Liang was convicted of killing of 28-year-old Akai Gurley last month, and faces up to 15 years in prison on a second-degree manslaughter charge.
But today, Thompson issued a statement advocating against a prison sentence, and reiterated that "there are no winners here":
Peter Liang was indicted, prosecuted and subsequently convicted by a jury because his reckless actions caused an innocent man to lose his life. There is no evidence, however, that he intended to kill or injure Akai Gurley. When Mr. Liang went into that building that night, he did so as part of his job and to keep the people of Brooklyn and our city safe. In sentencing a defendant, the facts of the crime and the particular characteristics of that person must be considered. Mr. Liang has no prior criminal history and poses no future threat to public safety. Because his incarceration is not necessary to protect the public, and due to the unique circumstances of this case, a prison sentence is not warranted. Justice will be best served if Mr. Liang is sentenced to five years of probation, with the condition that he serves six months of home confinement with electric monitoring and performs 500 hours of community service. I have provided this sentencing recommendation to Justice Chun. As I have said before, there are no winners here. But the sentence that I have requested is just and fair under the circumstances of this case. From the beginning, this tragic case has always been about justice and not about revenge.
Liang's attorneys have been attempting to have his conviction overturned.
Liang's sentencing is set for April 14th.
[UPDATE // 6:27 p.m.] In a statement, Gurley's family says that Thompson's recommendation "sends the message that officers can continue to kill Black New Yorkers without consequence."
Here is the statement in full:
“Today, Brooklyn District Attorney Ken Thompson’s Office recommended to Judge Danny Chun that NYPD Officer Peter Liang's sentence for killing our beloved Akai Gurley not include any jail time.
“We speak as Akai’s mother, aunt and stepfather. We are outraged at District Attorney Thompson’s inadequate sentencing recommendation. Officer Liang was convicted of manslaughter and should serve time in prison for his crime. This sentencing recommendation sends the message that police officers who kill people should not face serious consequences. It is this on-going pattern of a severe lack of accountability for officers that unjustly kill and brutalize New Yorkers that allows the violence to continue.
“District Attorney Thompson was elected on the promise that he would not allow officers to act as if they are above the law and that he would help restore confidence in the justice system. His sentencing recommendation is a betrayal of that promise and sends the message that officers can continue to kill Black New Yorkers without consequence.
“Officer Liang recklessly had his gun out and pulled the trigger that night, took no steps to assist Akai as he lay dying, and because of that our family has lost Akai forever. The District Attorney’s inadequate recommendation diminishes what Peter Liang did. It diminishes Akai’s death.
“Our commitment to see justice will not waiver. On April 14, when Judge Chun sentences Peter Liang, we will be there to lift up Akai’s life and demand justice. In spite of District Attorney Thompson’s failure to aggressively pursue justice for Akai, we hope that Judge Chun will take seriously the crimes for which Peter Liang was convicted, and appropriately sentence Liang to serve time in prison.
“Peter Liang has not served a single day in jail, and he must be held accountable. We need DA Thompson to show us that he is a man of his word and that police officers are not above the law.”
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Akai Gurley
ken thompson
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Peter Liang
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Rebecca Fishbein
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