Islanders Promo for Convicted Ex-Officer Angers Victim's Family
The New York Islanders hockey team faces significant backlash after displaying a promotional advertisement on their jumbotron during a home game against the Carolina Hurricanes. The promotion featured former NYPD Sergeant Erik Duran, who was recently sentenced to three to nine years in prison for manslaughter after throwing an ice cooler at Eric Duprey, causing his death. The advertisement included a QR code directing fans to donate to Duran’s legal defense fund and displayed a message from the Sergeants Benevolent Association urging support for the fight for justice. Additionally, the team agreed to donate twenty-five percent of proceeds from a 50/50 raffle to the cause. Vincent Vallelong, president of the union, stated the initiative arose after reports that the team wished to support Duran. Jon Roberts, an attorney representing the victim’s family, expressed deep distress over the team’s actions, describing them as non-neutral and harmful to public confidence in the legal process. While the Islanders declined to comment, the incident has sparked controversy regarding the appropriateness of a professional sports organization supporting a convicted felon’s legal battles, thereby intensifying the grief experienced by the victim's relatives.
Wire timeline
Islanders Promo for Convicted Ex-Officer Angers Victim's Family
The New York Islanders hockey team faces significant backlash after displaying a promotional advertisement on their jumbotron during a home game against the Carolina Hurricanes. The promotion featured former NYPD Sergeant Erik Duran, who was recently sentenced to three to nine years in prison for manslaughter after throwing an ice cooler at Eric Duprey, causing his death. The advertisement included a QR code directing fans to donate to Duran’s legal defense fund and displayed a message from the Sergeants Benevolent Association urging support for the fight for justice. Additionally, the team agreed to donate twenty-five percent of proceeds from a 50/50 raffle to the cause. Vincent Vallelong, president of the union, stated the initiative arose after reports that the team wished to support Duran. Jon Roberts, an attorney representing the victim’s family, expressed deep distress over the team’s actions, describing them as non-neutral and harmful to public confidence in the legal process. While the Islanders declined to comment, the incident has sparked controversy regarding the appropriateness of a professional sports organization supporting a convicted felon’s legal battles, thereby intensifying the grief experienced by the victim's relatives.
nbcnews