It seems that true justice will not be forthcoming for Peter Liang, the cop who killed Akai Gurley. Gurley, an unarmed father, was walking up a dark stairwell in a Brooklyn, New York, apartment complex when he was shot by Liang. Gurley was not a criminal and was doing nothing illegal, but Liang was an inexperienced rookie cop who claimed he was startled by a noise. Liang offered no first aid to Gurley, and according to testimony, he and his partner were more concerned about who was going to call their sergeant to report the shooting. In February 2016, Liang was found guilty of manslaughter and official misconduct and was expected to face up to 15 years in prison.
However, Brooklyn District Attorney Kenneth Thompson said Liang shouldn’t spend so much as a day in prison. Thompson wrote in a letter to Supreme Court Justice Danny Chun that Liang posed no threat to the community. His letter reads in part “Because the incarceration of the defendant is not necessary to protect the public, and because of the unique circumstances of this case, the People do not believe that a prison sentence is warranted.” Instead, Thompson has recommended probation, community service and a form of house arrest.
The decision by the DA to not push for prison time for Liang has outraged Gurley’s family. Gurley’s mother, Sylvia Palmer, found out about the DA’s decision through the news media and was distraught. Members of the community are equally outraged. “We are outraged that District Attorney Thompson’s sentencing recommendation for former NYPD Officer Peter Liang includes no jail time. Liang entered a stairwell in the Pink Houses with his gun drawn — against NYPD protocol. He shot unarmed Akai Gurley, who was doing nothing wrong. Then he attempted to cover up his wrongdoing rather than assist Gurley, who lay dying on the floor. These are criminal actions, for which Liang should be held accountable,” said Loyda Colon, co-director of the Justice Committee.
It will now be up to Justice Danny Chun to decide Liang’s fate at a sentencing hearing scheduled for April 14, 2016.
