In a letter to the governor, members of the Assembly Minority Conference urged the administration to grant a pardon to former NYPD Sgt. Erik Duran following his recent conviction and sentencing.Minority lawmakers urged the governor to exercise her clemency authority for Sgt. Duran, who, while observing a “buy and bust” operation, made a split-second decision to protect fellow officers and bystanders from fleeing suspect Eric Duprey. The Conference members say his actions were taken in the line of duty to protect others from immediate harm, writing:

“We believe this entire proceeding was a blatant miscarriage of justice. The sole predicate for Sgt. Duran’s actions that day were to protect his officers, other suspects, and bystanders from Mr. Duprey, who recklessly fled at a high rate of speed along a pedestrian walkway, creating a clear and present danger of death or serious bodily injuries to others, thereby justifying the sergeant’s actions.”

A copy of the full letter can be found here.

“It’s a backwards world when a cop-killer avoids a murder charge in the fatal shooting of NYPD Det. Jonathan Diller, yet Sgt. Duran is sent to prison as a ‘deterrent’ to other officers,” said Assembly Minority Leader Ed Ra (R-Franklin Square). “A deterrent to what—doing their jobs? It’s absurd. This is not the world we have to live in. The governor has the authority to correct this injustice and restore balance to our system. New York should be a place where criminals are held accountable and police are supported in protecting the public. Granting Sgt. Duran a pardon would send a clear message that public safety still matters.”

“This is a case where a law enforcement officer was forced to make a split-second decision to protect lives,” said Assemblyman Matt Slater (R,C-Yorktown), who represents the 94th Assembly District, where Sgt. Duran resides. “When officers act in good faith to prevent immediate danger, we must ensure they are treated fairly under the law.”