{"blocks":[{"type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"

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"}},{"type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"I first met Peter Liang in March 2015, after a couple of his childhood friends approached me as a community activist to see if there was anything I could do to help him."}},{"type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"On our first meeting, I found him to be a quiet man who was deeply depressed over this tragic accident. After talking with him about what happened that night, I believed him."}},{"type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Over time it became apparent to me that this case was too politicized and he was being thrown under the bus."}},{"type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"I started to discuss with Peter the option of switching to private counsel. He was reluctant because he feared losing the support of the Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association. But he finally decided to make the switch."}},{"type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"The rest unfolded quite rapidly. During the trial, not once was there any testimony that was damning or pointed to anything but a tragic accident that claimed the innocent life of Mr. Akai Gurley."}},{"type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"After the shocking guilty verdict, I said it was unsupported by the testimony and evidence presented at trial."}},{"type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Tuesday, Judge Danny Chun, in a courageous decision, called it that way."}},{"type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"While some in the Chinese community may think this was a victory, there were no winners here. Not DA Ken Thompson, not Peter Liang and certainly not Mr. Gurley."}},{"type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"While Thompson achieved his goal of holding police accountable with a conviction, he also managed to offend just about every side in this case."}},{"type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"It’ll be interesting to see how this affects him if he runs for a second term next year."}},{"type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Karlin Chan is executive director of the Chinese Action Network in New York City. "}}]}

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Karlin Chan

NypKarlinChan@RoundtableIO

There are no winners in the Peter Liang ruling