I didnt really realize how difficult it would be to deal with, you know, folks that were experiencing trauma on different levels, she said. Sylvia Palmer, mother of Akai Gurley, speaks outside state Supreme Court in Brooklyn after hearing NYPD Officer Peter Liang testify about Gurley's 2014 death in a housing project stairwell. Its a truly monumental and unprecedented show of force, demonstrating a level of organization and mobilization that neither I nor anyone else thought the community was capable of achieving and man, it was a breathtakingly powerful force to behold. [16] Police Commissioner Bill Bratton reported that there had been a spike in violence in the neighborhood over the preceding months with two homicides, two robberies, and four assaults.[16][17]. He said . In April, a judge reduced Liang's manslaughter conviction to criminally negligent homicide and sentenced Liang to five years probation and 800 hours of community service. "I never expected this to happen," Butler said. The other day, we endorsed Brooklyn DA Ken Thompson's call for ex-cop Peter Liang to do no prison time after his manslaughter conviction. Updated on April 19 at 4:30 p.m. EST. Farm Heroes Saga, the #4 Game on iTunes. I guess I came to as a concerned citizen, knowing that this is like, a really important issue and policing is essential and needs some like real real change. [56] On December 27, 2014, 200 people marched in Brooklyn to protest the fatal shooting of Gurley on the same day as the funeral for slain NYPD Officer Rafael Ramos, who was a victim of the 2014 killings of NYPD officers, despite calls from the mayor to postpone demonstrations. Death In The Stairwell: The Peter Liang/Akai Gurley Shooting Peter Liang Caitlin C Murphy Background In May 2021, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force began recommending initiating colorectal cancer screening at age 45 (vs. 50) years. Liang is not the only police officer who has taken an innocent life, and he should not be the only one held accountable for doing so. The late Brooklyn District Attorney Ken Thompson was not of sound mind during his final months in office, one of his top prosecutors told The Post on Tuesday. That money will be invested in annuities to provide around $10 million for Akaila over her life, the Daily News reported. [22] The department also insists that officers place their fingers on the trigger only upon encountering extreme and particularized danger. Q SO-KO, a new space in a converted Nagoya warehouse, is marking its arrival with an enticing two-hander entitled Placeness. All rights reserved, Long Island Driver Wanted for Running From Deadly 7-Car Pileup, Upper East Side Deli Killer Clad in Hazmat Suit Likely Serial Robber: Sources, Viral Kids' Star Ms. Rachel Is Taking a Break From Social Media After Backlash Over Co-Star Who Uses They/Them Pronouns, Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD), Flight Attendant Hit the Ceiling': 7 Hospitalized After Severe Turbulence Diverts Flight to Virginia, Woman Found Dead in NJ Motel Room: Law Enforcement, Check Your Change! Akai Gurley shooting: Officer Peter Liang convicted | CNN The film is inspired by real events that took place at the Louis Heaton Pink housing complex in Brooklyn on the night of Nov. 20, 2014. Landau, like Liang, was also within his two-year probationary period and his firing after the trial was permitted by his contract. Among those not convicted is Daniel Pantaleo, the cop who was caught on video killing Eric Garner, who posed no physical threat, by placing him in a clearly illegal chokehold for 19 seconds during which Garner stated that he couldnt breathe 11 times. Some 40 people gathered at the Pink Houses in Brooklyn Saturday to protest prosecutors plans to recommend no jail at the April 14 sentencing of ex-cop Peter Liang. Documentary 'Down A Dark Stairwell' Examines Divergent Responses - WBUR Actor Kenny Leu ( Midway) leads the movie A Shot Through the Wall, inspired by the story of former New York City police officer Peter Liang, who was convicted of criminally negligent homicide in 2016 after killing unarmed Akai Gurley at a Brooklyn housing project, when a bullet from Liang's gun . Down a Dark Stairwell (2020) - IMDb Police brutality is wrong its unconscionable but I also knew that to selectively prosecute a single Asian American cop would neither make up for ten years of injustice nor advance justice in the years ahead. The conviction of Peter Liang, a Chinese-American officer who fatally shot unarmed black father Akai Gurley, has sparked complex racial tensions People protest on behalf of officer Peter. First, that the death of Mr. Gurley was not intentional; this argument, given the. Peter Liang was 28 years old and 18 months out of the police academy when he was patrolling a public housing project in Brooklyn, New York, in November 2014. We stand by that but we're puzzled by the claim that Thom Asian America New York City, Peter Liang to Pay Over $4 Million Settlement to Family of Akai Gurley The NYC Law Department told NBC News that the city will pay $4.1 million, the Housing. [17][20] The New York Daily News initiated rumors that their commander had instructed officers in the area not to carry out vertical patrols and instead to conduct exterior policing, and that the officers were texting their union representative as Gurley lay dying. He was negligent, and he killed an innocent man as a result. On April 19th, a New York State Supreme Court in Brooklyn sentenced former NYPD officer Peter Liang to five years of probation for the shooting of unarmed Black man Akai Gurley. Even if we assume that Liang had unintentionally shot Gurley due to a misfire, his subsequent failure to get medical help for him is still unacceptable. [76], The incident received national and international coverage, in part due to the recent police shootings of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, and Eric Garner in Staten Island. Prosecutor rips Peter Liang's defense in Akai Gurley killing: 'He had Liang's attorneys, Robert Brown and Rae Koshetz, argued that Liang was in a state of shock after his gun went off and did not realize that he hit anyone. "But it's also a terrible tragedy for this officer.". See Evanna Lynch Now At 31 He Played 'Chunk' In Goonies. New York City to pay $4.1 million settlement in killing of Akai Gurley. [52][53][54] Senators Mark Treyger and William Colton had always spoken on the behalf of Chinese. The rumors were later debunked by the District Attorney's office but the Daily News did not issue a retraction or apology. Police officer Peter Liang reacts as the verdict is read during his trial on charges in the shooting death of Akai Gurley, Thursday, Feb. 11, 2016 at Brooklyn Supreme court in New York in New York. While many professions require CPR recertification, the NYPD does not. The bullet ricocheted off a wall, striking Gurley who had entered the stairwell with his girlfriend, Melissa Butler, from the floor below. Liang is Chinese-American. He took a brief break from the witness stand to compose himself after turning away to hide his tears. DR ELLIE CANNON: My breast has not got lumps but it's itchy, should I be concerned about cancer at age 72? Even though Peter Liang will not end up serving jail time, the initial facts of this case have not changed; his conviction still stands, and so he remains the only NYPD officer to be convicted of killing an unarmed civilian in a decade, while 120 of his colleagues who did the exact same walk free. Inside the Peter Liang-Akai Gurley police shooting case, Kamala Harris vows to lift up Asian small businesses, Vietnamese Am man files lawsuit against county deputy, Walmart for false arrest, Ronny Chieng and Hasan Minhaj roast each other on The Daily Show, Two Native Hawaiian men sentenced to prison for hate crimes against White man, US-China tensions bring fresh wave of AAPI xenophobia, Meet Todd Gloria the first AAPI Mayor for San Diego, Journey lead singer Arnel Pineda in a public feud with other band members, Michelle Yeoh wins SAG Award for best actress. The bullet ricocheted off a wall and pierced the chest of Gurley, who was walking 14 steps below. Cleared 'Cannibal Cop' insists he never planned to kill and Woman who miscarried after NYPD officers 'battered' her in 'I'm dead. Anastasia Savira, Echolocation (still), 2023. Reporting from New York Former New York Police Officer Peter Liang will not serve time behind bars for killing an innocent, unarmed black man in 2014 in a case that drew passionate. They see it as a counterpoint to cases in which grand juries declined to indict white police officers in the killings of unarmed black men, including Eric Garner in New York and Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri. [14], The Pink Houses are considered to be among the worst housing developments in New York. On 14th, the first competition day after the opening of the 28th Olympic Games August13, women's . Super - ABC News In other words, to defend Liang is to affirm the . Fearing he would lose his job, he bickered with his partner about which one would phone their sergeant privately rather than radioing in a report Liang said he felt would bring an 'unnecessary' response and pull other officers from their posts. She also spoke briefly to members of the Asian American community who came out in support of Akai Gurleys family. Americas. [27][36] Media initially reported that both officers had text-messaged their union representatives before calling for help;[21] the claim was refuted as being false by both the police union and the District Attorney's office. However, we still face many trials and tribulations in our industry, from figuring out the most sustainable business model for independent media companies to facing the current COVID-19 pandemic decimating advertising revenues across the board. The money will be placed in a fund for Gurley's four-year-old daughter, Akaila, which she won't have access to without court approval until she turns 18, according to the Daily News, which quoted Scott Rynecki, the attorney representing Kimberly Ballinger, the mother of Gurley's daughter and Gurleys domestic partner. Fliedner was also the prosecutor who won a manslaughter conviction against NYPD cop Peter Liang for the 2014 accidental shooting of Akai Gurley in a darkened housing-project stairwell. No Jail Time for Ex-NYPD Officer Peter Liang After Manslaughter [51][46] Joseph Lin, a real estate agent and activist, had helped to organize the protests due to feeling that Asian Americans had been too passive with no political voice, saying that, "If he's a black officer, I guarantee you Al Sharpton will come out. Former New York City police Officer Peter Liang will not serve jail time in the 2014 shooting death of Akai Gurley in a New York housing project. [38], Gurley's funeral was conducted December 6 at the Brown Memorial Baptist Church in Fort Greene. Many people might not know this, but despite our large and loyal following which we are immensely grateful for, NextShark is still a small bootstrapped startup that runs on no outside funding or loans. We're revolutionising personalised healthcare. (Seth Wenig/AP) "Peter Liang was sworn. I'm Chinese American and I Think This Weekend's Peter Liang - HuffPost ", Others protested against the former cop's punishment, with a sign that read "jail killer cops.". In all honesty, I was blown away by the response the Chinese-American community fielded in defense of Peter Liang. [24] At the time the gun was discharged, the stairwell on the 8th floor was pitch black due to a broken light bulb. "They are solely dedicated to mentor and train new recruits when they graduate from the police academy., Better training is welcomed by Patrolmen's Benevolent Association President Pat Lynch, who believes the Liang verdict will greatly impact the way officers do their jobs. The police department fired Liang shortly after the verdict. A jury convicted Liang of second-degree manslaughter in February for Gurley's death. After Liang's bullet ricocheted off the wall and struck Gurley in the chest, the officers did not render CPR. She let each side have its say. I cant help but bring in a quote from . My name is Peter Liang, and I am a junior at Massachusetts Academy of Math and Science at WPI. They wanted to feel its weight in their . Overview. [citation needed] There were differing opinions among Liang's supporters, with some feeling he should not have been prosecuted at all while others felt he should have been given a lesser chargebut all agreed the system needed to change. He said that neither of them tried to revive Gurley, with both of them saying they did not feel qualified to perform CPR. A former print journalist and television producer, Liang made the jump to directing with 2014's 9-Man, about a streetball game played in Chinatowns throughout North Americaan intriguing fusion of sports doc and cultural history. But, this defense is paradoxical, because while Asian Americans are included in the power structure, they are never equal partners when something goes south, as it did in this case, the Asian American is the first to be blamed. "But we have to work constantly to do them the right way," said de Blasio. "From retraining our officers to adding body cameras to launching neighborhood policing, our administration is taking significant steps to strengthen the relationship between our officers and the communities they serve," deputy press secretary Monica Klein said in a statement to NBC News. The judge has barred any mention of those shootings in Liang's trial. But what exactly are we, as Asian Americans, supposed to do with this power? [74][75], After the settlement of Liang's trial, about $260,000 of the money raised for Liang's defence was returned to the donors. [Mega-thread] Peter Liang : r/asianamerican - reddit Placeness. And this argument is irrefutable. slide chapter introduction to computers, programs, and java liang, introduction to java programming, eleventh edition, 2017 pearson education, inc. all rights Skip to document Ask an Expert 'Between you and Melissa Butler, who do you think was in a better position to provide CPR?' She persevered because she saw this as an important moment in Asian American history which would remain pivotal years from now. He fired once and the bullet ricocheted, killing Akai Gurley, who was also in the stairwell. Melissa Butler, Akai Gurley's girlfriend, cries as she is escorted out of the courtroom by Assemblyman Charles Barron in New York, Tuesday, April 19, 2016. Advocates for police accountability are watching Liang's trial closely. His lawyers say the shooting was an accident, not a crime. Even if we assume that Liang had unintentionally shot Gurley due to a misfire, his subsequent failure to get medical help for him is still unacceptable. The case sparked heated debate within the Asian-American community, with some believing Liang was made a scapegoat to compensate for a lack of indictments of white officers involved in police-related deaths of black men. The money went into a fund for Akaila, Gurley's then two-year-old daughter, who would have access after turning 18 with the court's approval. Officer Liang is not merely a bad apple, though thankfully he has been stripped of his gun and will likely face a grand jury in coming months. Liang did not insert herself into the story. Peter Liang is not the victim here just because the system did not cover up his mistakes. The Brooklyn District Attorneys Office and former NYPD cop Peter Liang have both reportedly dropped their respective appeals of Liangs conviction in the 2014 fatal shooting of Akai Gurley in Bruce Springsteen is a megatalented rock star of limited intelligence and outsize cultural influence. District Attorney Thompson plans to appeal todays reduction in the verdict. A Shot Through The Wall, directed by Aimee Long, premiered at the Bentonville Film Festival in Arkansas in August and is now in post-production. A jury convicted Liang of second-degree manslaughter in February for Gurley's death. He's a rookie police officer who has come up through. But this is a prize, remember. He was immediately fired after the highly . Peter Wilmshurst wrote a long blog post on the occasion of Lancet's . After Liang Conviction, NYPD to Pair Rookie Cops with Experienced Liang said his finger was never on the trigger, but prosecutors dispute that saying pressure must be applied for the bullet to discharge. On the issue of NYPD patrolling, he considered it essential to public safety; he also characterized the notions of Liang being a scapegoat [16] and police brutality cases somehow being linked together to be non-existent. Butler has brought her own civil lawsuit against the city, which was still pending. Forget the cliched myths and stereotypes about how Asian Americans are politically apathetic or dont vote the overwhelming protests, marches and political pressure the community exerted downright frightened me with just its sheer scale. [3] Liang turned himself in to authorities the next day and was arraigned. It pitted the unjust death of an innocent young black man against the unjust scapegoating of a young Asian police officer who was frightened, poorly trained, and who committed a terrible accident. Some feel that Liang, as a member of the police force, deserves to be punished while others believe that he was only being used as a scapegoat since White officers in similar situations previously did not face charges. The New York Housing Authority paid $400,000 and Liang paid $25,000. His articles have appeared in Foreign Policy andthe Taipei Timesand in Chinese on ETToday.net, a popular Taiwanese news website. total 13 events on August 14, the first competition day of the 28th 584 Forest Ave, Staten Island, NY 10310. That became an effective vehicle to offer a diverse range of perspectives in the film. A month later, Liang began serving out his sentence at a non-profit community center in the city, cleaning tables, mopping floors, and preparing meals. However, one of Liang's defense attorneys, Rae Koshetz, argued that what had happened was a tragedy, not a crime, because the bullet bounced off the wall and coincidentally hit Gurley. [13] Liang had aspired to become a police officer since he was a child. 15k protest Asian-American cop Peter Liang's manslaughter conviction Officer Liang is awaiting sentencing, but, as with any defendant convicted of manslaughter by a firearm, Officer Liang should serve prison time. [79][80] The Village Voice described the incident as part of a year of public relations disasters for the NYPD. Actor Kenny Leu ( Midway) leads the movie A Shot Through the Wall, inspired by the story of former New York City police officer Peter Liang, who was convicted of criminally negligent homicide. "Until we find a better way and safer way, and one that the community understands, but also allows police officers to do their job in a safe manner," Mullins said. Peter Liang | The Independent [42][43], More than 3,000 protesters, mostly of Chinese American descent, showed up at New York City Hall in March 2015 to support Liang. ", "Chinese social media platform plays a role in U.S. rallies for NYPD officer", "Peter Liang To Be Sentenced Tuesday for Manslaughter Conviction", "NYPD cop Peter Liang gets community service for killing Akai Gurley", "Bratton: Fatal Police-Involved Shooting of Unarmed Man at Brooklyn Housing Complex 'Unfortunate Tragedy', "Man killed by NYPD rookie planned to surprise mom in Florida", "Residents of Brooklyn Housing Project Stay Wary After Officer Is Indicted", "Living in fear at the dark & deadly hellhole houses", "Akai Gurley's Death Shines Harsh Light On Vertical Patrols In Public Housing", "In Tears On Stand, NYPD Cop Recalls Fatal Shooting of Akai Gurley", "Officer Peter Liang, on Stand, Breaks Down as He Recalls Brooklyn Killing", "Here's What It'd Take To Convict The NYPD Cop Who Killed Akai Gurley", "Rookie cops often assigned to dangerous 'vertical patrols', "Tragic justice served in manslaughter conviction of NYPD Officer Peter Liang for Akai Gurley's killing", "Stairwell shooting cop trained to have gun drawn: fellow officers", "NYPD Officer Pleads Not Guilty in Shooting Death of Unarmed Man", "Liang's appeal to focus on jurors handling his gun", "Officer's Errant Shot Kills Unarmed Brooklyn Man", "Panicked rookie NYPD officer fatally shoots unarmed 28-year-old man in Brooklyn's Pink Houses project", "NYPD officer breaks down during testimony about Akai Gurley shooting", "Lupica: Shooting of Akai Gurley doesn't make East New York into Ferguson, or officer into a criminal", "In Princeton, Chinese Protesters Charge NYPD with Scapegoating Officer Liang", "Liang case underlines issue of race in NYC", "Peter Liang is unlucky to be an Asian New York cop", "A Police Killing Puts Heavy Expectations on a Prosecutor", "Grand Jury To Hear Case Of Unarmed Man Shot By New York Cop In Stairwell", "De Blasio doubts Liang conviction will have chilling effect on police", "Relatives Mourn Akai Gurley, An Innocent Man Killed By The NYPD", "Memorial for Akai Gurley, Unarmed Man Shot by NYPD, Set for Today", "Residents See Little Change Since Cop Killed Innocent Man In Darkened Stairwell", "Dangerous NYPD Assignment In The Spotlight At Officer's Trial After Bronx Shooting", "Shootings in Public Housing Project Highlight Risks of Stairwell Patrols", "Is Police Officer Peter Liang a Scapegoat? After hearing a noise, Liang, who was on a pitch-dark stairwell, accidentally fired his weapon. Similarity to the shooting of Timothy Stansbury Jr. Akai Kareem Gurley's funeral service program, December 6, 2014, Brown Memorial Baptist Church, Brooklyn, Patrolmen's Benevolent Association of the City of New York, List of killings by law enforcement officers in the United States, "Former NYPD Cop Peter Liang's Guilty Verdict Leaves a Community Divided", "A Guilty Verdict in the Akai Gurly Case", "Liang had 'thousand-yard stare' after staircase shooting, fellow cop testifies", "How Should Asian-Americans Feel About the Peter Liang Protests? Akai Gurley, a 28-year-old black man, was fatally shot on November 20, 2014, in Brooklyn, New York City, United States, by a New York City Police Department officer. [8] On April 19, 2016, Justice Chun sentenced Liang to five years probation and 800 hours community service after downgrading his manslaughter conviction to criminally negligent homicide. Liang, who said he didnt feel qualified to administer CPR, stood by as Butler performed the procedure on Gurley, according to testimony. At one point a Chinese protester supporting Peter Liang walked across the street to protesters in support of Akai Gurley and began a dialogue. Dr. Peter Liang, MD - Family Medicine Specialist in - Healthgrades Why was Peter Liang one of so few cops convicted for killing an unarmed A new film based on a 2014 case involving an Asian American police officer who fatally shot an innocent African American man while patrolling New York City is currently in post-production. In evaluating the possibility of equipment failure, they concluded that the 11.5-pound (51-newton) trigger could not have been fired unintentionally. Please consider interning, joining our staff, or submitting a story or making a contribution. Lawyers for Liang say the evidence doesn't meet legal requirements for the charges, which accuse him of disregarding a substantial and unjustifiable risk of serious injury or death, and have asked the judge to dismiss the case. Shot over several years, it tracks the seemingly divergent protests that emerged as Peter Liang faced . [46][47][48] State Assemblyman Ron Kim stated, "I do not believe true justice prevailed. [13] Many of the protesters were pro-police, anti-Black Lives Matterand dismissive of Mr. Gurleys death basically co-opting the language of white supremacists. Kenny Leu as Officer Mike Tan in "A Shot Through The Wall." Image. [82][83][84], The incident is the subject of the 2020 feature documentary Down a Dark Stairwell.[85]. While Brooklyn District Attorney Ken Thompson had suggested a sentencing of six months of house arrest, probation and 500 hours of community service, Judge Danny Chun said today Liang will face five years of probation and 800 hours of community service, but no house arrest. The protests largely centered around two claims. Two months later, Judge Danny Chun downgraded his conviction to criminally negligent homicide and sentenced him to five years probation, including 800 hours of community service. Liang faces manslaughter and other charges. What supporters of Peter Liang are asking for is to grant Liang, like Darren Wilson and Daniel Pantaleo, the license to take black lives at will. Brooklyn Assistant District Attorney Joe Alexis asked Liang. Would You Like That With A Side of Grits Or An Egg Roll. Protesters support former New York Police Officer Peter Liang outside a Brooklyn courthouse before his sentencing for manslaughter in the killing of Akai Gurley, in New York April 19, 2016. 'I said, 'Oh, my God, someone's hit,'' Liang recalled as he gave an emotional testimony. New York officer to stand trial for fatal shooting of black man At the trial of Peter Liang, the jurors kept returning to the 11.5-pound trigger of his New York Police Department standard-issue 9mm Glock. [23] During trial testimony, officers testified that they were taught during academy training to have their guns out at times for fear of possible ambush or when they felt unsafe, and that they were specifically trained to take out their firearm as they approached a roof landing because it was considered dangerous. [9], Akai Kareem Gurley (c.1986 November 20, 2014) was born in Saint Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, and moved to New York as a child. We are invited to the party, but never quite made to feel belong. Peter Obi Speaks for the 1st Time 72 Hours After 2023 Presidential Gurley's girlfriend, Melissa Butler, who was with Gurley in the stairwell the night of the shooting, cried as she was escorted out of the courtroom today by Assemblyman Charles Barron.