A former NYPD sergeant convicted of killing a man by throwing a cooler at his head during an attempted drug bust was sentenced to three to nine years in prison on Thursday.
A Bronx judge convicted Erik Duran of second-degree manslaughter earlier this year, after the New York attorney general’s office argued at trial that he used excessive force during a botched drug bust, causing 30-year-old Eric Duprey’s death. Duran’s attorney said his client made a split-second decision to protect himself and others.
Duran’s case is a rare instance of a law enforcement officer facing prosecution — let alone a guilty verdict — for using force against someone while on duty. He was the first NYPD officer to stand trial for an on-duty killing since 2021, when New York required the state attorney general’s office to investigate all deaths at the hands of law enforcement officers.
Justice Guy Mitchell said in court Thursday that Duran should face accountability for his lack of judgment.
On Aug. 23, 2023, Duran and other Bronx narcotics detectives were conducting undercover drug arrests at different locations, according to prosecutors. Police were trying to arrest another person when Duprey started to flee on a motorized scooter, Attorney General’s Investigative Counsel Angel Chiohh said during opening statements.
Duran grabbed a heavy picnic cooler and heaved it at Duprey’s head, causing him to lose control of the scooter, Chiohh said. His vehicle hit a tree, then he fell off and cracked his head open, the prosecutor said.
Dozens of people crammed into every seat in the Bronx courtroom Thursday, including members of Duprey’s family, advocates against police misconduct and members of the NYPD.
The police department dismissed Duran after his conviction, as is required under New York law, according to an NYPD spokesperson. Vincent Vallelong, a spokesperson for the Sergeants Benevolent Association union, said at the time that it would review all legal options to get the verdict overturned and that Duran maintained his innocence.
This is a developing story and may be updated.
