Akai Gurley stairwell shooting was reckless, prosecutor says
Defense says Gurley's death was 'tragedy,' not a crime
Prosecutors say a rookie NYPD officer’s shooting of an unarmed man in a public housing stairwell was the result of recklessness — and wasn’t an accident.
Assistant District Attorney Joe Alexis gave his closing arguments Tuesday afternoon at the Brooklyn manslaughter trial of Officer Peter Liang.
As he addressed the jury, Alexis displayed the gun that resulted in the death of Akai Gurley in 2014. The prosecutor held it in his left hand like Liang, who — according to testimony — is left-handed.
Alexis said a finger along the side of the gun would not slip off and “find its way to the trigger” by accident.