Supreme Court Justice Denny Chun ruled today that ex-NYPD officer Peter Liang will not be granted a re-trial for the murder of Akai Gurley.
Liang, who shot and killed the unarmed 28-year-old father of three in November, 2014, was indicted by a grand jury on manslaughter, assault, and other criminal charges in February, 2015. His sentencing was delayed due to a revelation by the defense that juror Michael Vargas had failed to disclose that his father had served seven years in prison for manslaughter, and had also made “critical” statements about police on Facebook. After a two-day hearing on Vargas, Justice Chun ruled today that these facts are not grounds for a retrial.
The news was recieved with relief by the crowd of over 200 who had gathered to protest the delay in sentencing, as well as Brooklyn District Attorney Kenneth Thompson’s recommended that Liang serve no prison time. The assembled, among whom stood Gurley’s Aunt, Hertencia Peterson, spoke to their “disgust with the justice system”, and demanded justice for Gurley.
