A former New York Police Department (NYPD) officer will not face jail time for accidentally shooting a man to his death in an unlit stairwell. The judge has reduced his manslaughter conviction to criminally negligent homicide on Tuesday.
According to NBC News, the 28-year-old former officer, Peter Liang, was patrolling a public housing project in Brooklyn, New York last November 2014. He fired his weapon once and the bullet ricocheted. The action killed Akai Gurley, who was in the unlit stairwell.
In February this year, a jury convicted Liang of second-degree manslaughter for the death of Gurley. NYPD then fired him shortly after the verdict was made. However, after the conviction was decreased, Justice Danny Chun said that Liang will be facing five years of probation and 800 hours of community service. Initially, Brooklyn District Attorney Ken Thompson suggested a sentencing of six months of house arrest and 500 hours of community service, ABC News reported.
Gurley's girlfriend, identified as Melissa Butler, was with the victim in the stairwell during the night of the shooting. After the verdict was made, she reportedly cried and was escorted out of the courtroom. Butler said in a statement that she never expected such to happen and is questioning what made the charges be reduced.
As for Liang, some supporters were outside the courtroom saying that the shooting was a tragic accident. The attorney of the former cop, Paul Shechtman, said there is no happiness in his client today and it has been very difficult for him. Shechtman said that they are still figuring out if they will appeal his conviction.
During the sentencing, Liang told the court that he never meant to fire the gun and apologized to the family of Gurley, Deseret News reported. He said that his life is forever changed adding, "I hope you give me a chance to rebuild it."
Liang is still facing two civil lawsuits. Kim Ballinger, the domestic partner of Gurley, announced in May that she was suing the former cop and the city for wrongful death. Butler also filed for the same back in February.
