Brooklyn, NY – Prosecutors say they won’t seek jail time for a New York City police officer convicted of manslaughter for accidentally shooting an innocent man in a Brooklyn stairwell.
Brooklyn District Attorney Kenneth Thompson said Wednesday that he believes a prison sentence isn’t necessary for Officer Peter Liang. The 28-year-old rookie officer was convicted in February in the death of Akai Gurley.
Gurley was killed in 2014 after Liang accidentally fired a shot into a stairwell while on a routine patrol. Prosecutors argued Liang’s actions were reckless and that he shouldn’t have had his gun out. Liang’s lawyer said Gurley’s death was tragic, but not a crime.
Thompson says justice will be served if Liang serves five years of probation. He will also recommend a term of home confinement and community service.
As reported by Vos Iz Neias