New York to pay $4 mn to slain black man's kin

New York, August 16 (IANS): The city of New York has agreed to pay over $4 million to the family of a black man who was killed by the police in 2014.   The unarmed victim, Akai Gurley, 28, died due to a fatal gunshot on the stairs of a public housing complex in Brooklyn, in November 2014, EFE news reported.   According to reports, the New York City Mayor's office will pay $4.1 million and the remainder $400,000 will be paid by New York City Housing Authority in charge of public housing in the city.   The settlement was reached in the presence of Judge Dawn Jimenez-Salta in Brooklyn Supreme Court on Monday after two months of negotiations.  

In addition, police officer Peter Liang. who killed Gurley and was convicted of negligent homicide, must also pay another $25,000.   Liang was expelled from the police force and sentenced to five years of probation and 800 hours of community service.   During the trial, the prosecution said Liang acted imprudently pulling the trigger of his gun and also reproached him for failing to provide medical assistance to the victim afterwards.   Gurley's death had taken place amidst strong protests in the country after the police had killed two black men, Eric Garner in New York and Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri.