[ April 17, 2026 ]
A former NYPD sergeant was slapped with three to nine years behind bars Thursday chucking a cooler at a fleeing supect — as police advocates ripped the Bronx judge’s sentencing decision as “one of the darkest days in the history of our profession.”
Ex-Sgt. Erik Duran — the first NYPD officer convicted of killing someone while on duty in a decade — begged Judge Guy Mitchell to give him “a chance” as he apologized to the family of 30-year-old Eric Duprey, a delivery driver with a criminal record who crashed as he fled arrest during a 2023 sting operation.
This same judge has given light or no sentences or violent criminals and murderers.
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“One of the darkest days in the history of our profession.”
This cannot stand.
Pardon Eric Duprey.
Impeach Guy Mitchell.
On August 23, 2023, Duran threw a bystander’s picnic cooler at fleeing crack cocaine suspect Eric Duprey, 30, knocking him off his motorized scooter into a parked car where he died from head trauma. Justice Guy Mitchell sentenced the 13-year NYPD veteran to three to nine years for second-degree manslaughter—the first on-duty death imprisonment for an officer in over 20 years—rejecting claims of protecting fellow detective. Law enforcement leaders like Sergeants Benevolent Association President Vincent Vallelong called it ‘the darkest day’ for policing.
This sentencing of an officer is INSANE – quite frankly, he should never have been charged to begin with. @InnaVernikov Councilwoman Inna Vernikov:
"The judge who sentenced a GANG MEMBER to 9 MONTHS in prison after he BEAT A MAN TO DEATH just sentenced an NYPD veteran with… pic.twitter.com/K1dXWXGeF0
— Blue Lives Matter (@bluelivesmtr) April 11, 2026
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This is insane.
A New York City police officer conducted a drug bust on a known criminal.
The criminal tried to flee the scene on a scooter, so the officer deployed a non-lethal weapon (threw a cooler at him) in an honest attempt to stop the suspect.
The suspect died, which is… pic.twitter.com/YExBOehkKr
— Anthony Pompliano 🌪 (@APompliano) April 11, 2026
And for those who like to see the source material, here is the video of the incident. https://t.co/r0xrpdgksh
— Anthony Pompliano 🌪 (@APompliano) April 11, 2026
To give added context, this same judge once sentenced a 19 year old kid to 9 months in prison after he randomly beat a homeless man to death.
Just insane. pic.twitter.com/DeBqogGpqt
— Anthony Pompliano 🌪 (@APompliano) April 11, 2026
BREAKING – It has been revealed that Bronx Judge Guy Mitchell, who sentenced former NYPD Sgt. Erik Duran to 3 to 9 years in prison for using a cooler to stop a fleeing suspect, previously handed a black teen, Branlee Gonzalez, just 9 months for a fatal beating of a homeless man. pic.twitter.com/0EBvaYb2px
— Right Angle News Network (@Rightanglenews) April 11, 2026
NYC judge who locked up ‘cooler cop’ faced anger for going easy on teen who killed homeless man
By David Propper, NY Post, April 10, 2026:The Bronx judge under fire for sentencing an ex-NYPD sergeant to at least three years behind bars once offered a sweetheart deal to an alleged gang member who beat a homeless man to death.
Justice Guy Mitchell in 2018 controversially served up what amounted to just nine months in prison for 19-year-old Branlee Gonzalez, who pleaded guilty to manslaughter and attempted assault, The Post previously reported.
ADVERTISEMENTMitchell is now facing another firestorm for sentencing former NYPD Sgt. Erik Duran to three to nine years in prison on Thursday for fatally throwing a picnic cooler at a moped-fleeing drug suspect, Eric Duprey, in August 2023.
The judge had sentenced Duran, 38, to manslaughter — which carries a possible penalty of anywhere from probation to up to 15 years behind bars.
Gonzalez relentlessly pummeled Lucio Bravo, 69, on May 18, 2017 after the elderly man allegedly catcalled a loved one in Washington Heights. Bravo slipped into a coma while another victim suffered minor injuries.
Ex-NYPD Sergeant Erik Duran was sentenced to nine years for fatally flinging a picnic cooler a fleeing drug suspect in August 2023.
Matthew McDermott for NY Post
Manhattan prosecutors had called on Gonzalez to get at least 10 years, alleging he was a member of the “Gorilla Stones” gang.The victim’s grieving daughter also demanded a stiff prison term.
Mitchell at first told Gonzalez he’d likely get no jail time if he pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter and stayed out of trouble. But the judge then reversed course and put forward a sentence of 1 ¹/₃ to four years in prison — which would see the teen locked up for at least nine months, The Post reported at the time.
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