Ex-nypd Sergeant Who Hurled Cooler At Suspect In Fatal Altercation Learns His Fate At Sentencing

A erstwhile New York City constabulary sergeant has been to 3 to 9 years successful situation for tossing a picnic cooler afloat of drinks astatine a fleeing suspect, who past collapsed his motorized scooter and died.

The ex-officer, Erik Duran, was convicted of manslaughter successful nan 2023 decease of Eric Duprey. The erstwhile sergeant said he was trying to protect different officers from nan approaching scooter.

“I took this occupation to prevention lives. I felt unspeakable erstwhile I saw Eric Duprey crash," Duran told nan tribunal Thursday, saying he “did everything he could” to be to nan man's injuries.

“I ne'er wanted this to happen,” he added, addressing Duprey's family straight successful Spanish that a tribunal expert translated.

Duprey's mother, Gretchen Soto, wept arsenic nan ex-officer said . She had told nan tribunal a half-hour earlier: "There are nary words to definitive what I feel.”

Judge Guy Mitchell said he did not judge nan ex-sergeant’s defense that his actions were justified.

“It is nan court’s belief that nan defendant, Sgt. Duran, was upset that Mr. Duprey was getting away” and reacted by hurling nan cooler, Mitchell said.

The lawsuit has animated constabulary connected 1 manus and accountability activists connected nan other. Duran's union, nan Sergeants Benevolent Association, says thousands of officers person signed an online petition calling for him to beryllium spared prison.

Officers successful New York Police Department jackets streamed down a Bronx courthouse hallway up of nan sentencing Thursday, while a mates of twelve protesters demonstrated extracurricular to request justness for Duprey.

Prosecutors pinch authorities Attorney General Letitia James’ agency sought a three-to-nine-year situation condemnation for Duran, saying he recklessly caused Duprey's death.

“He did that while connected duty,” past attempted to screen up his actions, charismatic Joseph Bianco told nan court.

Duran and his lawyers had not yet had their chance to speak.

Duran was portion of a narcotics policing group that conducted a “buy-and-bust” cognition successful nan Bronx connected Aug. 23, 2023. Police said Duprey sold narcotics to an undercover officer, past tried to fly connected a scooter.

Surveillance video showed Duprey driving nan motorized scooter connected a sidewalk toward a group of people. As he approached, nan then-sergeant — who wasn't successful azygous — picked up a bystander's cooler and threw it.

The instrumentality afloat of ice, h2o and sodas struck Duprey. He mislaid power of nan scooter, slammed into a character and collapsed onto nan pavement. Duprey, 30, wasn't wearing a helmet. He sustained fatal caput injuries and died almost instantly, according to prosecutors.

They based on Duran had capable clip to pass others to move but alternatively hurled nan cooler because he was angry.

Duran, however, testified astatine his proceedings that he made a split-second determination to support different officers safe from nan scooter speeding toward them.

“He was gonna clang into us,” Duran said then, adding “all I had clip for was to effort again to extremity aliases to effort to get him to alteration directions.”

Duran opted to person Mitchell, not a jury, determine nan case.

Sergeants Benevolent Association President Vincent Vallelong has said nan condemnation sent “a unspeakable connection to hard-working cops” astir nan costs of defending themselves and chap officers.

Duran was an NYPD serviceman for 13 years earlier he was suspended aft nan crash. He was dismissed from nan unit aft his condemnation this past February.

Duprey worked arsenic a transportation driver and had 3 young children. His mother, Gretchen Soto, who said she was connected a video telephone pinch him correct earlier he died, has disputed nan constabulary claims that he sold narcotics and fled from officers.

She told nan judge Thursday her boy “is not conscionable a name, not conscionable 1 much case.”

“It is an cruel incident," Soto said done a Spanish interpreter. "As a mother, I person to miss him now each day.”