The Justice for Akai Gurley Coalition rallied outside of the Brooklyn Supreme Court on April 14 demanding officer Peter Liang be held accountable for the killing of Akai Gurley. Judge Danny K. Chun was expected to sentence NYPD officer Peter Liang after the rookie police officer was found guilty of killing Akai Gurley. However, the sentencing was postponed at the 11th hour after defense lawyers challenged the jury selection process as biased.
Prior to the postponement, the Brooklyn District Attorney responsible for prosecuting Akai Gurley’s killer had released a shocking statement asking Judge Chun to give convicted killer Peter Liang community service and house arrest in lieu of jail time. The announcement from District Attorney Kenneth Thompson was a slap in the face to the Akai Gurley family and the people of NYC who have faced decades of police brutality going unpunished.
The conviction of Peter Liang was the first time in over a decade that an NYPD officer was successfully found guilty of killing an unarmed Black or Brown man.
“We are disgusted with the justice system,” exclaimed Akai Gurley’s aunt Hertencia Peterson. “Peter Liang wants to blame everyone else but himself … He was the one who pulled the trigger, he is the one who must do the time.”
Family members of past victims of police violence were present to show their support to the Gurley family. The mothers of Anthony Baez, Nicholas Heyward Jr., Chantel Davis, Kimani Gray, Mohammed Ba, Sean Bell and Ramarley Graham all spoke urging the Judge Chun to do the right thing and sentence Peter Liang to jail.
The rally coincided with a worldwide day of action in support of low-wage workers. A huge Fight for $15 contingent came out to support the Akai Gurley rally. Liberation News spoke with Aber Kawas, who has been organizing with the Fight for $15 campaign for some time about the connection between the struggle for a living wage and the struggle against police violence.
“We know that it’s the same system that degrades us as human beings, that makes us work for low wages, that devalues our labor, that cause Black and Brown lives to be killed by the police with impunity,” explained Kawas. “It is time for us all to demand dignity together.”
