New York police officer Peter Liang, who is facing charges in the death of an unarmed man, has chosen to put his fate in the hands of a Brooklyn jury, reports DNA Info.
The move is considered unusual in that most police officers facing charges decide to let the judge rule on the case.
Liang is accused of shooting Liang in a darkened stairwell at a public housing project. He was patrolling the area when his gun went off.
“We have great confidence in 12 jurors and are unshaken in our belief that this case was a terrible accident that never fit the definition of manslaughter and should never have led to an indictment,” said Liang’s attorney Rae Downes Koshetz.
The case has split the Asian American community with some saying he is being scapegoated and others proclaiming he must pay the price for being callous and careless.
You can read more about how Liang’s attorneys plan to present his defense in DNA Info.
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