The Latest: Ex-cop’s lawyer upset by stairwell case ruling

NEW YORK, N.Y. – The Latest on the case of a New York City police officer charged with fatally shooting a man in a darkened stairwell of a Brooklyn public housing complex (all times local):

5 p.m.

An attorney for a former New York City police officer who accidentally shot an unarmed man in a public housing project stairwell says he is disappointed a judge refused to toss his client’s manslaughter conviction.

Peter Liang was convicted in February of killing Akai Gurley in 2014.

Liang’s attorneys argued one of the jurors shouldn’t have been on the panel.

The juror had initially said no one in his family had been accused of a crime. But he later said his father was sent to prison for accidentally shooting a friend to death.

Defence attorney Paul Shechtman said Thursday that he showed the juror lied about his father’s conviction.

But Judge Danny Chun ruled he didn’t believe the juror knowingly withheld the information.

Prosecutors have recommended no prison time for Liang.

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4: 15 p.m.

A judge has decided not to toss the manslaughter conviction of a former New York City police officer who accidentally shot an unarmed man in a public housing project stairwell.

Attorneys for Peter Liang had argued that one of the jurors shouldn’t have been on the panel.

Liang was convicted in February of killing Akai Gurley in 2014. The bullet Liang fired ricocheted, striking Gurley.

Liang’s attorneys argued a juror initially said no one in his family had been accused of a crime. But the juror later said his father was sent to prison for accidentally shooting a friend to death.

Judge Danny Chun said Thursday that he didn’t believe the juror knowingly withheld the information.

Liang is scheduled to be sentenced April 19. Prosecutors have recommended no prison time.

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