Liang, who is Chinese-American, has hired two former NYPD officers as his defense lawyers: Rae Koshetz, a former deputy commissioner who oversaw internal disciplinary trials for NYPD members for. A Shot Through The Wall essentially explores relations between Asians and Black people as racial minorities in the U.S. Akai Gurley, 28, an unarmed, African-American father of a. Former NYPD Officer Peter Liang, who dodged prison time for fatally shooting an unarmed man, must now determine how to spend his 800 hours of community service as lawyers on. We hope you consider making a contribution so we can continue to provide you with quality content that informs, educates and inspires the Asian community. He received his medical degree from . The officer was patrolling the darkened stairs inside a public housing building in Brooklyn on Nov. 20, 2014, when he fired a single shot. 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. According to Landau's words, his instructor at the police academy helped them to cheat on the exams. Liang, who was convicted in February of manslaughter and official . Front-runner for Oscar. [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. Then he went looking for the bullet and heard someone crying. or debate this issue live on our message boards. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. Liang had already made inroads into the Chinese American community with her debut film in 2012, 9 Man, a vicious game of street volleyball unique to the Asian American community. He entered the stairwell on the 7th floor, below Officers Landau and Liang. In other words, to defend Liang is to affirm the . [81] Other coverage has focused on the maintenance and public safety issues that led to the death. I have the same name as the police officer, but I thought that it might be a little bit of a trigger for folks.. Former NYPD officer Peter Liang's sentenced was reduced today. 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. Do not sell or share my personal information. [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]. Doing now what patients need next. Athens -China won four gold medals including the first gold of the Games out of thetotal 13 events on August 14, the first competition day of the 28th Olympic Games in Athens. His name is Shaun Landau. He fired once and the bullet ricocheted, killing Akai Gurley, who was also in the stairwell. My name is Peter Liang, and I am a junior at Massachusetts Academy of Math and Science at WPI. His trial started on January 25, 2016. He is majoring in Urban Studies, and promotes the major with cult-like zeal. Peter Wilmshurst wrote a long blog post on the occasion of Lancet's . Culturally, I was always told to not ruffle any feathers, to not wash dirty laundry outside and to keep my head down, she added, convinced that Asian Americans should now stand in solidarity with other minorities. Liang was sentenced to 800 hours of community . 'I said, 'Oh, my God, someone's hit,'' Liang recalled as he gave an emotional testimony. In all honesty, I was blown away by the response the Chinese-American community fielded in defense of Peter Liang. . [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. He then shoved open the stairwell door with his right shoulder with his gun pointed downwards. I was shocked and in disbelief that someone was hit,' said Liang, 28. Peter Liang, a Hong Kong-born officer with the NYPD, shot Akai Gurley, 28, while on patrol with his partner Shaun Landau. It stars Kenny Leu, who plays Officer Mike Tan. A Shot Through the Wall, a 2021 independent film, was based on the incident. "But it's also a terrible tragedy for this officer.". They played a supportive role in the movement, taking a step back to actively elevate Black organizers. Liang fired his weapon; the shot ricocheted off a wall and fatally struck Gurley in the chest. 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And indeed, at times, it can seem like that Asian Americans are so privileged and well-integrated into the institutions of power in this country that the community feels compelled to defend it, as the pro-Liang protesters defended the NYPD. Before Meghan Markle came into the picture, Prince Harry, Prince William, and Kate Middleton seemed inseparable but that does not mean the . The 28-year-old Peter Liang was convicted of a manslaughter charge in February . 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. In response to the settlement, the mayor's office also called Gurley's death a tragedy. Once he did find Gurley, the father of a two-year-old, Liang radioed for an ambulance for a shooting victim, so shaken that he said he struggled to relay the address, he said. First, that the death of Mr. Gurley was not intentional; this argument, given the facts, is nonsense. DOWN A DARK STAIRWELL TO PREMIERE ON PBS AND THE PBS VIDEO APP ON APRIL 12, 2021 Documentary Casts an Insightful Light on the Complexities of Police Reform in an Uneven Criminal Justice System On a. He was charged with second-degree manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide, second-degree assault, reckless endangerment, and two counts of official misconduct. Under the New York sentencing guidelines Liang, now a convicted felon, was looking at 15 years of hard time. [39][40] Gurley is interred at Rosedale Memorial Park in Linden, New Jersey. "[35] Kings County District Attorney Kenneth P. Thompson said that he planned to impanel a grand jury to look into the shooting. Peter Liang. The rookie NYPD Officer Peter Liang who gunned down an unarmed man in a poorly lit stairwell of public housing broke down on the stand Monday as he recalled the deadly shooting. 1.Introduction. A grand jury in 2015 indicted the fired New York police officer of five counts including manslaughter in the death of Akai Gurley, a Black man. 'Between you and Melissa Butler, who do you think was in a better position to provide CPR?' or debate this issue live on our message boards. Call Dr. Peter Liang on phone number (718) 273-0553 for more information and advice or to book an appointment. Thank you for everyone's support. RELATED: Peter Liang Won't See Jail Time as Manslaughter Charge Reduced. 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. "I never expected this to happen," Butler said. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. Americas. [21] The NYPD's policy on whether an officer should keep a weapon holstered on such patrols is purposely vague and the decision as to when to take out a firearm is left to the discretion of the officers, according to Police Commissioner Bill Bratton. But this is a prize, remember. Peter Liang. At one point a Chinese protester supporting Peter Liang walked across the street to protesters in support of Akai Gurley and began a dialogue. New York City Police officer (NYPD) Peter Liang is led from the court room at the Brooklyn Supreme court in the Brooklyn borough of New York February 11, 2016. The protests largely centered around two claims. assign Asian Americans to a position of privilege, after all, arent we the model minority?, Its a paradoxical existence. The NYPD says it is investigating those claims. [14], The Pink Houses are considered to be among the worst housing developments in New York. [62][63] Liang faced anywhere from no jail to a maximum of 15 years of prison when sentenced in April. 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. [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. Peter Liang Won't See Jail Time as Manslaughter Charge Reduced, who said he didnt feel qualified to administer CPR, Ex-Cop Peter Liang Apologizes to Akai Gurley's Domestic Partner in Meeting, a judge reduced Liang's manslaughter conviction, who apologized to Ballinger for shooting Gurle. The NYC Law Department told NBC News that the city will pay $4.1 million, the Housing Authority $400,000, and former NYPD officer Peter Liang $25,000. Palmer dismissed Liang's claim the shooting was an accident, saying it was murder. Advocates for police accountability are watching Liang's trial closely. I live in Hopkinton, which is known for being the starting point of the Boston Marathon. Liang, who said he didnt feel qualified to administer CPR, stood by as Butler performed the procedure on Gurley, according to testimony. [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. He said that neither of them tried to revive Gurley, with both of them saying they did not feel qualified to perform CPR. Check out our new Instagram account. New York City to pay $4.1 million settlement in killing of Akai Gurley. See Charlie Korsmo Now At 44. She let each side have its say. Liang had a court date on February 11, and turned himself in that day. "I just turned, and the gun went off," Liang testified. Landau testified at the trial of his former partner under immunity from prosecution, describing Liang as having been in shock. Peter Liang leaves the courtroom after his sentencing in New York, April 19, 2016. 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. Gurley was visiting his girlfriend and getting his hair braided before Thanksgiving. Upon hearing the decision, the overflow room broke out in gasps. The controversy also had the potential of escalating tensions between the Black and Asian communities. We stand by that but we're puzzled by the claim that Thom See Jeff Cohen Now At 48. Before I moved here in 2nd grade, I lived in Texas. Now these journos arrive several years too late and want you to celebrate them as heroes who rescued students from the clutches of their violent tormentors. "Its just been really hard.. It was frustrating to the utmost extent, which is why I never even came near to one of those protests. 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. In his spare time, he likes to explore cities and make pointless maps. 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. me with just its sheer scale. March 3, 2016. The NYPD and Mayor de Blasio argue that vertical patrols are essential to safety in public housing. 'I just turned, and the gun went off,' Liang said, explaining that his body 'tensed up'. 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. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? [77][78], The New York City Police Department's practice of vertical patrols was also criticized. (Seth Wenig/AP) "Peter Liang was sworn. In November 2014, Peter Liang, a New York City police officer, discharged his weapon in a dark stairwell. At the beginning of the next decade, Peter was cast as Danny in the TV film entitled "Locked Up: A Mother's Rage" (1991), after which in 1992 he reprised the role of Bo Brady in the NBC television film special "Days Of Our Lives: One Stormy Night". The bullet ricocheted off a wall and pierced the chest of Gurley, who was walking 14 steps below. Liang is Chinese-American. For 5 years, Calcano patrolled stairwells on the Upper West Side and Harlem, trying to stop criminal activity. Play it now! And back then, it made sense. [66][67], On April 19, 2016, Justice Chun reduced Liang's conviction from manslaughter to criminally negligent homicide then sentenced Liang to five years of probation and 800 hours community service. Activists protest against the sentence received by former New York Police Officer Peter Liang for manslaughter in the killing of Akai Gurley, outside a Brooklyn courthouse in New York, April 19, 2016. This happened in 2014, the same year Gurley died, but Pantaleo wasnt even indicted, let alone convicted, despite a clearly stronger case and more outrageous wrongdoing. Inspector Richard Dee, executive officer of the NYPD Police Academy, explained to the I-team that they have trained over 800 field training officers. It was also clear that the writers of Kung Fu were likewise running out of good plot . Officer Peter Liang is charged with manslaughter in the shooting of 28-year-old Akai Gurley in November of 2014. Brooklyn Assistant District Attorney Joe Alexis asked Liang. A grand jury declined to indict Neri on charges of criminally negligent homicide, declaring the event an accident based on testimony that he had unintentionally fired. The police department fired Liang shortly after the verdict. 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. ", "New York City, Peter Liang to Pay Over $4 Million Settlement to Family of Akai Gurley", "As civil suit dismissed, Peter Liang expected to not appeal conviction", " Where Do Funds Raised for Peter Liang Go? Liang, a rookie who lost his badge after his conviction, had faced a maximum prison sentence of 15 years for the death of Akai Gurley, 28. Tin Ling, from Brooklyn, felt Asians and Black people should unite for this purpose. He's a rookie police officer who has come up through. 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. He asserted to have been startled when Stansbury pushed open a rooftop door in a place where drug dealing was rampant. Marc Fliedner, A former top prosecutor in Brooklyn plans to run for district attorney next year, The Post has learned. 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. , is nonsense. They are affiliated with Staten Island University Hospital. "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. And back then, it made sense. See Bonnie Wright Now At He Played 'Jack' In Hook. 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. 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. Granted, there were some. The Brooklyn district attorney's office asked a state judge Wednesday to spare former New York Police Department officer Peter Liang prison time in the 2014 shooting death of an unarmed man in . [10] He was not a resident of the Pink Houses but lived in nearby Brownsville with his domestic partner, her daughter, and their two-year-old daughter. [52][53][54] Senators Mark Treyger and William Colton had always spoken on the behalf of Chinese. The other day, we endorsed Brooklyn DA Ken Thompsons call for ex-cop Peter Liang to do no prison time after his manslaughter conviction. Brooklyn district attorney Kenneth Thompson said justice will be served if the now-former officer serves probation. I remember when I first heard the news, and spewed out this article in an angry, despondent word vomit. I didnt really realize how difficult it would be to deal with, you know, folks that were experiencing trauma on different levels, she said. Even a $1 contribution goes a long way. What's 1._ name?B: My nam 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. Yes, it is undeniable that Asian Americans are generally in a significantly better socioeconomic position than other minority groups in this country. He followed the sound down three flights and saw a man lying wounded and a distraught woman bending over him, Liang said Monday at his manslaughter trial in the 2014 death of Akai Gurley, who was shot in a stairwell in Brooklyn public housing. You know, one thing I realized early on is that my name might be a problem for some folks, said the filmmaker to AsAmNews. Former NYPD officer Marc Calcano knows first hand the inherent dangers of conducting vertical patrols. He fired once and the bullet ricocheted, killing Akai Gurley, who was also in the stairwell. A jury convicted Liang of manslaughter, which a court later reduced to criminally negligent homicide. The protests largely centered around two claims. 'The sadness, the emptiness in my heart, the emotional depression is still overwhelming. 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. ", "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? 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. Liang's testimony came four days after two other New York City officers were shot and wounded while on stairwell patrol in a different public housing complex. He took a brief break from the witness stand to compose himself after turning away to hide his tears. 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. [4] Many felt that Liang (an Asian American) was being used as a scapegoat; Chinese Americans organized rallies in major cities via WeChat, Facebook, Twitter, and email. Amidst all this, it becomes easy to assign Asian Americans to a position of privilege after all, arent we the model minority?. "[49], Nearly 15,000 people protested on behalf of Liang in New York on February 20, 2016,[50] with similar turnouts across the United States that day. Officials say officers are required to take a refresher course every two years, but they are not required to be recertified. He Played 'Andy Barclay' In Child's Play 1 & 2. But I just think that he [Liang] did something wrong and he should be held accountable for it, Ling told NPR. 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. The rumors were later debunked by the District Attorney's office but the Daily News did not issue a retraction or apology. We 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. 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Our system failed Gurley and it failed Liang. He believed Liang would be much more productive spending time in community service.[68][9][69]. That became an effective vehicle to offer a diverse range of perspectives in the film. 'I was panicking. Unfolding in the dark stairwell of a Brooklyn housing project, the shooting inflamed the residents of New York City and thrust two marginalized communities together into the uneven criminal justice system. With George Floyd, the Hmong officer brought the Peter Liang and Akai Gurley case back up as a topic, Long told the South China Morning Post, referring to Tou Thao, the Hmong American officer present at the time of Floyds arrest. Liang emigrated to the United States as a child to Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, with his parents and grandmother; he also has a younger brother in college. Down the Dark Stairwell plays next at a film festival in New Zealand. . (718) 447-6544. But no, he's a Chinese, so no one is coming out. ", Some protesters outside the courthouse showed support for Liang, holding signs that said "tragic accident. 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A jury convicted Liang in February of second-degree manslaughter and official misconduct for accidentally firing a shot while, with his gun drawn, he began a vertical patrol with his partner on the eighth floor of a darkened stairwell at the Louis H. Pink Houses. , but those more race-conscious protesters were few and far in between. Please consider interning, joining our staff, or submitting a story or making a contribution. Now new officers are assigned two at a time to work with a more experienced field training officer. [24] At the time the gun was discharged, the stairwell on the 8th floor was pitch black due to a broken light bulb.