Officer Peter Liang was sentenced to 800 hours of community service and five years of probation today after judge Danny Chun reduced his manslaughter conviction to criminally negligent homicide. A few weeks ago I wrote that Liang should not have been charged with manslaughter and that he was made a scapegoat for all the previous shootings and beatings by police officers. I also did not think he deserved anywhere the maximum of 15 years for manslaughter. I thought that by assigning Judge Chun to the case, he would get a long sentence since it would look bad for an Asian judge to go easy on a convicted Asian officer. Turns out I was wrong.
I am not sure that criminally negligent homicide sounds a lot better than manslaughter but apparently it gives Chun more leeway. I have not heard anything about riots in New York. Maybe they are too busy voting for Trump and Clinton! I had wrote that Liang deserved to be punished but maybe only for couple of years in jail. He got off much better! I would totally understand if blacks are upset over this sentencing. Either Chun is very courageous and want to do the right thing or he is biased. I am not sure. Now, I also read that the prosecutor asked for probation and community service and no jail time. So if that is the prosecutor's belief that Liang deserved no jail time, then why go for the manslaughter conviction? Is this all a show that the government won't let officers get away with it but still protect the officers? I am happy for Liang that he doesn't have to spend years in jail but I feel badly for the Gurley family that the justice they thought was within reach was taken away.
Tuesday, April 19, 2016
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I am surprised by the verdict. There are no winners here. I hope that Liang gets a second chance and can work as an officer again. I too am surprised that there were no riots. Even though you were kidding a bit, I think the primary helped in this regard. I didn't even hear anything on the local news here.
ReplyDeleteHave you heard about the run-ins the Navy is having with Russian planes? My brother in-law, who I believe is a conservative, has been posting news reports on this. I'm not sure if the Russians are invading air space or if these are neutral areas. My brother in-law thinks we should blast these guys out of the sky, but if they're trying to goad us into a strike, I think we need to have level heads.
It's George Takei's birthday. I'd like to mention him here and wish him and other people who have this birthday and great day!
-LBOAYM
I think the run ins are in the Baltic sea which is surrounded by Finland, Sweden, a very small part of Russia, and the 3 former Soviet republics of Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia. Our ship is there to show some muscle to the Russians that we will protect these countries, in particular the 3 former Soviet republics. From the Russian point of view, we are invading their backyard and they don't like the fact that those countries are leaning to the west. So they are showing some muscles. I am glad your brother in law is not the president. If we shoot the Russian plane,then what stops the Russians from shooting down one of ours? Are we ready to escalate to war? Of course not. It is all showing muscles at this point and there is no reason to get hyper over this. Now, there is possibility that our ship or their plane will make a mistake and start something. That is the unfortunate part of all this muscle flexing.
ReplyDeleteToday is also Hitler's birthday. Obviously there seems to be no similarity between Takei and Hitler. But if we use the lunar calendar, then we have better connection between people with same birthdays. For example, someone born on April 20, 1955 will have a birthday of the 8th day of the third month in the lunar calendar. That person will have the same birthday, on the lunar calendar, as Buddha. I understand all those born on that day will be wise and serene like Buddha and nothing like Hitler.