NEW YORK, April 19 (UPI) -- Former New York police Officer Peter Liang on Tuesday received probation for fatally shooting an unarmed man in a Brooklyn housing project stairway, a decision that immediately drew outrage from the victim's family.
Liang, 28, was ordered to serve five years probation and 800 hours of community service, while also also serving three years probation concurrently on misconduct charges. Brooklyn District Attorney Ken Thompson had asked for five years probation, six months home confinement and 500 hours of community service.
Liang could have been sentenced for reckless manslaughter, which carries a sentence of up to 15 years in prison, but the judge reduced the charge to criminally negligent homicide.
"I find that given the defendant's background, and given how remorseful he is that it would not be necessary to incarcerate the defendant to have a just sentence in this case," State Supreme Court Justice Danny Chun said.
Related
While Chun agreed with defense lawyers that Liang, a rookie police officer, was startled and didn't intend to shoot Akai Gurley in a dark housing project stairway, the bullet he fired ricocheted off a wall and hit Gurley in the heart. Liang also failed to attempt CPR or call an ambulance, which didn't help his case.
Liang grew up the child of immigrants in New York's Chinatown and his case brought protests on both sides.
Kimberly Ballinger, Gurley's girlfriend, said her daughter has felt the loss the most.
"Everyday Akaila asks why her dad was killed by a police officer," Ballinger told the court.
Liang's sentencing had been postponed last week after it was discovered one of the jurors in the case lied to a judge about his own father's criminal past.
