Trial begins for NYPD sergeant from Putnam County
Manslaughter trial now underway for sergeant accused of killing a man on a moped during a Bronx drug bust in 2023.
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A NYPD sergeant from Putnam County is now on trial, accused of killing a man by throwing a cooler at him.
Mahopac’s Erik Duran appeared in Bronx Supreme Court on Wednesday.
Prosecutors there say he was undercover during a drug arrest in 2023 when he targeted the wrong man.That man took off from the scene on a moped.
According to prosecutors, Duran then threw a heavy cooler at the suspect’s head, killing him.
Black Lives Matter of Greater New York co-founder Chivona Newsome says people are calling for justice.
"This isn't about a trial. This is about the truth. This is about an officer who had 17 allegations of misconduct. This is about an officer who should not have been on the streets."
The defense argues Duran only had two-and-a-half seconds to make a life-or-death decision and called the man a deadly threat.
If convicted of the top charge of second-degree manslaughter, Duran could face up to 25 years in prison.
