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NYPD officer David Afanador, shown on video today choking a Black man until he becomes unconscious, has been criminally prosecuted before.
But he was acquitted. By Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Danny Chun.
Here's a rendition of Chun's greatest hits. https://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/brooklyn/brooklyn-judge-acquits-nypd-officers-accused-beating-teen-article-1.2883959?outputType=amp&__twitter_impression=true
But he was acquitted. By Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Danny Chun.
Here's a rendition of Chun's greatest hits. https://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/brooklyn/brooklyn-judge-acquits-nypd-officers-accused-beating-teen-article-1.2883959?outputType=amp&__twitter_impression=true
Chun is best known for sentencing former NYPD officer Peter Liang to probation and community service in the killing of Akai Gurley. https://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/20/nyregion/peter-liang-ex-new-york-police-officer-sentenced-akai-gurley-shooting-death-brooklyn.html
That case was particularly staggering because a jury found Liang guilty of manslaughter after a trial, and the judge reduced the charge to criminally negligent homicide.
That almost never happens.
That almost never happens.
It might be one thing if Justice Chun gave non-incarcetory sentences to everyone.
That isn't the case. In fact it is so very far from being the case.
That isn't the case. In fact it is so very far from being the case.
In 2016, he sentenced 16-year-old Marcell Dockery to 19 years to life on a felony murder charge resulting from a case where the teenager lit a mattress alight.
A police officer responding to the fire died of smoke inhalation. https://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/15/nyregion/brooklyn-teenager-gets-19-years-to-life-for-fire-that-killed-officer.html
A police officer responding to the fire died of smoke inhalation. https://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/15/nyregion/brooklyn-teenager-gets-19-years-to-life-for-fire-that-killed-officer.html
In that case the DA had asked for 18 years prison (which was a stunningly high recommendation for a child charged with felony murder) but Chun actually went above that.
Some jurors said afterwards they did not understand Marcell could receive anything like that sort of time.
Some jurors said afterwards they did not understand Marcell could receive anything like that sort of time.
It is not a coincidence that Justice Chun hears cases involving police officers. They are steered to his part. The same way other judges handle most DWI cases or most domestic violence cases.
Last year, Chun sentenced the two former NYPD officers Eddie Martins and Richard Hall who raped an 18-year-old girl in their custody to probation.
In that case the DA had also sought a sentence of 1 to 3 years in prison. https://nypost.com/2019/08/29/judge-explains-no-jail-deal-for-ex-nypd-cops-who-had-sex-with-suspect/
In that case the DA had also sought a sentence of 1 to 3 years in prison. https://nypost.com/2019/08/29/judge-explains-no-jail-deal-for-ex-nypd-cops-who-had-sex-with-suspect/
In December, he sentenced former NYPD cop Ritchard Blake to probation.
Blake shot Thavone Santana, someone he knew, in the face, planted a knife next to him, and then claimed he was robbed.
The DA had sought 1 to 3 years in prison. https://nypost.com/2019/12/12/ritchard-blake-ex-nypd-cop-who-shot-rival-in-the-face-gets-probation/?utm_source=twitter_sitebuttons&utm_medium=site%20buttons&utm_campaign=site%20buttons
Blake shot Thavone Santana, someone he knew, in the face, planted a knife next to him, and then claimed he was robbed.
The DA had sought 1 to 3 years in prison. https://nypost.com/2019/12/12/ritchard-blake-ex-nypd-cop-who-shot-rival-in-the-face-gets-probation/?utm_source=twitter_sitebuttons&utm_medium=site%20buttons&utm_campaign=site%20buttons
Earlier this year, he sentenced former NYPD detective Michael Bergmann to probation after he pleaded guilty to perjury for lying to the grand jury (causing an innocent man to spend 6 months on Rikers).
The District Attorney has asked for a year in jail. https://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/nyc-crime/ny-no-jail-ex-cop-perjury-20200108-aatvjls7dnahdnwz52az5eyomq-story.html
The District Attorney has asked for a year in jail. https://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/nyc-crime/ny-no-jail-ex-cop-perjury-20200108-aatvjls7dnahdnwz52az5eyomq-story.html
These are just his greatest hits - or misses - there are more.
And, please don't let this read as Justice Danny Chun is the problem and if he weren't on the bench we would have fair and just police prosecutions.
And, please don't let this read as Justice Danny Chun is the problem and if he weren't on the bench we would have fair and just police prosecutions.
Yes he is a huge problem. He should not be hearing police cases. But there is a similar problem in every borough of New York City. Why do police cases in the Bronx always go before Justices Robert Neary or Steven Barrett, who are also sympathetic to cops?
Justice Steven Barrett threw out the manslaughter indictment against NYPD Officer Richard Haste in the killing of Ramarley Graham. https://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/16/nyregion/charges-dismissed-in-officers-killing-of-unarmed-teenager.html
Justice Neary acquitted Hugh Barry, the NYPD officer who killed Deborah Danner, in a bench trial. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/15/nyregion/police-sergeant-acquitted-in-killing-of-mentally-ill-woman.html
But the problem is not one judge, or even these three judges. It's certainly *a* problem when police defendant and police complainant cases get steered towards certain pro-police judges. But of course the problem is bigger than that. It's the whole entire damn corrupt system.
