Conviction of minority police officer prompts discrimination concerns

A New York City police officer of Chinese descent was found guilty Thursday of manslaughter over the shooting of a black man, prompting concerns of discrimination.

Upon hearing the Brooklyn state jury verdict, Peter Liang, who accidentally shot and killed Akai Gurley in November 2014, buried his head in his arms. A manslaughter conviction could lead to up to 15 years in prison.

On Nov 20, 2014, Liang, a 27-year-old with only a year and a half on the job, was patrolling with his partner in Brooklyn's East New York housing project when he was startled by a noise.

In a stairway that prosecutors described as "pitch-dark," Liang drew his gun and fired. The bullet ricocheted off a wall and hit Gurley on a lower level.

The defense said the shooting was an accident, not a crime. The argument was backed by New York City Police Department Commissioner Bill Bratton, who said immediately after the incident that the shooting appeared to be an accidental discharge -- no intention to strike anybody.

Liang's indictment and trial received wide-spread controversy among New York's Chinese community. People believed that the jury who delivered the verdict was under pressure from the backlash against police and prosecutors for not charging the white officers involved in the shooting of black Americans Eric Garner and Michael Brown.

Supporters of Liang said that he has been made a scapegoat to counterweigh those white police officers who grand juries refused to indict, saying the prosecution of Liang was racist and politically motivated.

In April 2015, tens of thousands of Chinese-Americans marched across the Brooklyn Bridge, calling for a fair trial for Liang.

Liang is the first policeman from the New York Police Department to be convicted of homicide in the shooting of a civilian since 2005.

Liang was also facing charges of assault, reckless endangerment and criminally negligent homicide. His sentencing is set for April 14. Endi