Duran, 38, of Putnam County, was sentenced today in Bronx Supreme Court following his February conviction on second-degree manslaughter charges. Judge Guy Mitchell, who presided over the bench trial, denied a stay of execution, meaning Duran will begin serving his sentence immediately.
The fatal incident occurred on August 23, 2023, during a "buy-and-bust" operation conducted by the NYPD's Narcotics Borough Bronx Tactical Response Unit on Aqueduct Avenue. After Duprey sold a small quantity of cocaine to an undercover officer, plainclothes officers moved in to arrest him. When Duprey attempted to flee on a motorized scooter, Duran grabbed a picnic cooler from a nearby table and forcefully threw it at Duprey's head.
The impact caused Duprey to lose control of the scooter and fall into the street at high speed. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The prosecution successfully argued that Duran's use of the cooler as a projectile constituted excessive force that directly caused Duprey's death.
The case was investigated by the Attorney General's Office of Special Investigation (OSI), which was established under Executive Law Section 70-b to assess incidents where police officers may have caused a person's death. OSI automatically investigates all such incidents, regardless of whether the officer was on or off duty and whether the decedent was armed or in custody.
"This conviction and sentence sends a clear message that no one is above the law, including those sworn to uphold it," Attorney General Letitia James said in announcing the sentencing. The case represents a significant prosecution of a law enforcement officer in connection with a death during an arrest.
The sentencing comes as police accountability remains a focal point in New York and across the nation. The case demonstrates the Attorney General's office continuing to pursue criminal charges against officers when evidence supports prosecution for excessive force resulting in death.