For Immediate Release
Chinese Americans in More Than 30 Cities to Rally for Justice for ex-NYPD Officer Peter Liang
NEW YORK CITY, NY, February 19, 2016 — On February 20, 2016, more than 100,000 Chinese Americans in more than 30 major cities across the U.S. are united as The Coalition of Justice for Liang to rally for justice of ex-NYPD officer Peter Liang. These cities include New York, Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, Salt Lake City, Seattle, Denver, Houston, Dallas, Detroit, Chicago, Boston, Philadelphia, Washington D.C., Atlanta, and Miami, among others. The Coalition of Justice for Liang is a group of Chinese American organizations that are concerned about the trial of Liang and we are seeking equal justice.Twenty-eight-year old Peter Liang had been on the duty for only 18 months when he was assigned to conduct a vertical patrol at the Pink Houses, a high crime housing project in Brooklyn. The two officers were patrolling the pitch dark stairwell and Mr. Liang’s gun accidentally discharged. The bullet ricocheted off the wall and struck Akai Gurley, an African American civilian who happened to have entered the stairwell about one floor below. Unaware of Mr. Gurley’s injury at first, Mr. Liang was in the eighth floor hallway, discussing with his partner how to report this incident. When Mr. Liang finally arrived on the fifth floor with his partner and saw the injured Mr. Gurley, Mr. Liang immediately called for an ambulance while Mr. Gurley’s girlfriend was performing CPR. Unfortunately Mr. Gurley died later.
Mr. Liang was convicted of second-degree manslaughter on Feb. 11, 2016 and may face a sentence of up to 15 years.
This Coalition of Justice for Liang is saddened by the tragic loss of the life of an innocent civilian and expresses its condolences to Mr. Gurley’s family. We strongly believe that it is wrong to prosecute Mr. Liang for a tragic accident. We believe that Mr. Liang was subjected to selective prosecution with an unfair trial. The coalition denounces racial discrimination and the system covering up injustices with more injustices.
“We are deeply sorry for Mr. Gurley and his family. This is a tragedy for both families. We believe accountability is in order,” said Jack Ouyang, the spokesperson of this coalition. He added, “In the wake of so many unfortunate deaths of unarmed African American men in the hands of police officers, the tension between the police and African American communities nationwide has reached an unprecedented level. However, it is totally wrong for the prosecutor to single out Mr. Liang.”
We believe that Mr. Liang has been sacrificed as a scapegoat in a highly politicized criminal justice system, resulting from recent intensifying police-community relations. By protesting Officer Liang’s conviction, the Coalition of Justice for Liang is demanding that NYPD must shoulder its responsibilities. We are demanding true justice for Mr. Liang and justice for all.
For more information, visit: https://justiceforliang.com/
Media Contact:
Jack Ouyang, [email protected], (201) 817-9981
Bin Xie, [email protected], (832) 380-4943
We don’t make a scapegoat.
NYPD Is ultimately responsible for the tragedy!
NYPD doesn’t provide enough trainings to its officers before sending them out. NYPD’s negligent practice put its citizens’ life in danger and is not responsible to NYPD officers. Akai and Peter, two victims of this negligence, are clear evidence.
This is indeed a very sad day for the United States of America, a state founded on such lofty principles of justice.
It is a sad day because the justice system has manifestly failed to stand on the same lofty ideals that the nation was founded when one of its Courts ruled that a Chinese-American police officer was guilty of manslaughter after a 28-year-old Negro man died from a wound caused by a ricochetting bullet. Mind you, a ricochetting bullet!
What does a ricochetting bullet do? It must bounce off from at least two surfaces. And do that before it lands on its victim killing him. And for the Court to agree with the jury and find the officer who discharged that ricochetting bullet guilty of manslaughter tantamounts to going on a frolic of its very own.
You need never possess a law degree to appreciate the low probability of that bullet finding its victim. But still, the presiding Judge, in all his or her wisdom, has allowed the Court to ignore the low probability. Worse still, that Judge has failed the founding fathers and their lofty ideals when the Court he or she presided was allowed to go on a frolic all of its own on a matter that could have delivered a trend-setting judgment!
Stephen Tan Ban Cheng
Barrister & Solicitor
Penang, Malaysia