NYPD sergeant faces charges for throwing cooler at fleeing suspect who died after being knocked off motorcycle
By Shosh Bedrosian
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NEW YORK (WCBS) — An NYPD sergeant was indicted and arrested Tuesday on manslaughter charges after video shows him throwing a cooler at the head of a 30-year-old man, causing him to die during an alleged drug bust last August in the Bronx.
Tensions outside the courthouse were high. There have been minor clashes between supporters of the victim’s family and police. The case brings out a lot of emotion for the family and the community, as Tuesday also marks exactly five months since Eric Duprey died from blunt force trauma to the head.
NYPD Sgt. Erik Duran, 36, was arraigned on manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide and assault charges in the courtroom Tuesday. Dozens of police officers filled the courtroom and lined the hallways to show their support for Duran.
Menwhile, the family attorney for Duprey said his widow was emotional when the judge described the details of her husband’s death.
Surveillance video shows the moments leading of to Duprey’s death, and how it all unfolded on Aug. 23 in Kingsbridge Heights.
The attorney general’s office, who investigated the case, said Duran was an undercover cop for the NYPD narcotics unit when he forcefully threw a picnic cooler at Duprey’s head while he was riding a motorbike. The AG’s office said officers were attempting to arrest Duprey during an undercover drug purchase when he got on his motorbike and sped away. The graphic video shows Duprey get hit in the head with the cooler, swerve onto the road, lose control of the vehicle and slide under a parked car after he was hit. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Duran was suspended and later placed on modified duty after the incident.
“What human being in their right mind who doesn’t intend to seriously injure or kill someone picks up a 40 pound cooler with both hands and slams it into a person’s skull,” Hawk Newsome of BLM Greater New York said. “We can rejoice because Pearl here can go home and tell her kids that on this day the justice system in America worked for them.”
The family said this is the first step towards justice for them, and have waited months for this day.
He faces up to 25 years in prison if convicted on the top charge.
Bail was set at $150,000.
Duran is due back in court April 19.
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