Associated Press
NEW YORK — Jurors weighing the fate of a rookie New York City police officer who fatally shot an innocent man in a public housing stairwell have gone home for the day.
The jurors were sent home Wednesday evening after the first full day of deliberations in the manslaughter trial of Officer Peter Liang (lee-ANG’).
Jurors asked to rehear testimony from Liang and other witnesses.
Liang says he accidentally fired the gun after being startled by a noise while patrolling the stairwell in 2014. Prosecutors say he was reckless and did little to help the dying victim, Akai (ah-KEYE’) Gurley.
Gurley was taking the stairs with his girlfriend rather than wait for an elevator.
Liang faces up to 15 years in prison if he’s convicted of manslaughter and other charges.
Deliberations resume Thursday morning.
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