Ex-NYPD Officer Gets 3 to 9 Years for Manslaughter
AP Photo/David Martin
A former New York City police sergeant has been sentenced to a prison term of three to nine years following a 2023 incident in which a man fleeing on a motorized scooter died after being struck by a thrown object.
Erik Duran, who served 13 years with the NYPD, was convicted in February of manslaughter in connection with the death of Eric Duprey. The case centered on an encounter where Duran threw a picnic cooler filled with beverages at Duprey as he was attempting to get away. After being hit, Duprey lost control of his scooter, crashed, and later died.
During Thursday’s sentencing, Duran addressed the court and expressed remorse, saying he had entered policing with the intention of protecting lives. He told the judge that he felt devastated after seeing the crash and insisted he had tried to help the injured man afterward. Speaking directly to Duprey’s family in Spanish, he repeated that he never intended for anyone to be harmed.
Duran had been suspended from duty after the 2023 incident and was formally removed from the police department after his conviction earlier this year.
The judge, however, rejected the argument that the sergeant’s actions were justified. He said the evidence supported the view that Duran reacted emotionally as Duprey escaped and chose to throw the cooler during that moment.
Family members of the victim, including his mother, were in court. She became emotional while listening to the former officer speak and earlier told the court there were no adequate words to describe her loss. Duprey’s mother has consistently disputed claims made by police that her son was involved in drug dealing or that he was fleeing for that reason. She described him as a father of three who worked as a delivery driver and emphasized that his absence has left a permanent void in the family.
After the sentence was delivered, Duran was taken into custody. His attorney indicated plans to seek bail while appealing the conviction.
Outside the courtroom, reactions were divided. Supporters of law enforcement pointed to a petition backed by officers urging leniency, arguing the case sends a troubling message about split-second decisions made in the field. At the same time, demonstrators gathered to call for accountability in Duprey’s death.
Duprey’s partner rejected Duran’s apology after the hearing, questioning its timing and sincerity. The case has become one of the more closely watched incidents involving an on-duty NYPD officer in recent years, highlighting ongoing tensions between police groups advocating for officers and activists calling for criminal responsibility when policing actions lead to civilian deaths.
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