An NYPD sergeant is facing a murder and manslaughter charges for the deadly shooting of a mentally ill woman in the Bronx last year.
Sergeant Hugh Barry was arraigned on Wednesday and released on $100,000 bond. He shot 66-year-old Deborah Danner last October when she swung a baseball bat at him during a call about a woman acting erratically.
"The loss of Deborah Danner was a tragedy felt deeply by our city. Now that the grand jury has made its decision, we have full faith in the district attorney to lead a fair and thorough prosecution,” Mayor Bill de Blasio said in a statement.
The mayor and Police Commissioner James O’Neill said that Barry should have used a Taser to subdue Danner. Sergeants Benevolent Association President Ed Mullins said that Barry did as he was trained to do.
“I firmly believe that as we go forward, that you will see Sergeant Barry will be vindicated, will be acquitted,” Mullins said.
Barry is facing charges of second-degree murder, first and second-degree manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide. He’s also been suspended without pay.
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