Ex-cop who killed suspect with cooler walks free as he appeals conviction that made him an example

A erstwhile New York City constabulary serviceman who was sentenced to 3 to 9 years successful situation for fatally throwing a cooler astatine a fleeing fishy walked retired of situation Monday aft being granted bail portion helium appeals his conviction. 

Erik Duran, 38, was released from custody astatine the Elmira Correctional Facility Monday afternoon, according to a societal media station from the NYPD Sergeants Benevolent Association. 

"First and foremost, I privation to convey my family, peculiarly my wife, my children and my parents for each their unconditional emotion and enactment passim his ordeal," Duran said successful a connection released by the SBA.

FORMER NYPD OFFICER WHO FATALLY THREW COOLER AT FLEEING SUSPECT GRANTED BAIL DURING APPEAL OF CONVICTION

NYPD Sgt. Erik Duran appears successful tribunal during his arraignment astatine the Bronx Hall of Justice connected Jan. 23, 2024. Duran was indicted successful transportation with the August 2023 decease of Eric Duprey during an undercover cause operation. (Luiz C. Ribeiro/New York Daily News via Getty Images)

"I besides privation to convey God for giving maine spot and guiding maine done the darkness," helium continued. "I convey my full ineligible squad for ne'er giving up successful their pursuit of justice." 

Duran was serving a three- to nine-year condemnation for manslaughter erstwhile helium was granted a $300,000 enslaved past week, according to FOX 5. A justice ordered him to surrender his passport to his lawyers arsenic helium waits for his entreaty to beryllium finalized.

 GOT A TIP?

Eric Duprey died successful August 2023 erstwhile an NYPD serviceman threw a cooler astatine him arsenic helium was fleeing a cause cognition successful the Bronx. (WNYW)

"This is simply a large triumph for Erik and his household and for instrumentality enforcement officers astir the country," Vincent Vallelong, the president of Duran’s national wrong the SBA, reportedly said.

Duran, a joined begetter of three, was convicted successful February connected charges stemming from the August 2023 decease of Eric Duprey.

 FOLLOW US ON X

General presumption of Elmira Correctional Facility connected Monday, April 20, 2026 successful Elmira, New York, wherever NYPD serviceman Erik Duran was released. (Richard Beetham for Fox News Digital)

Duprey was attempting to fly connected a moped arsenic officers carried retired an undercover cause bust successful the Bronx erstwhile Duran hurled an Igloo cooler astatine him, causing him to clang and deed his caput connected the pavement. 

Duprey aboriginal died from his injuries.

GET BREAKING NEWS BY EMAIL 

Duran has insisted helium threw the cooler to support his chap officers, but Bronx Judge Guy Mitchell rejected his defence astatine sentencing, adding the punishment would service arsenic a "deterrent" to different officers from acting recklessly. 

CLICK HERE FOR MORE US NEWS

"They had capable to analyse and drawback him connected a antithetic day," Mitchell said, referring to the police. "The favoritism is that the deceased volition nary longer beryllium seen again by his family."

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Duran’s lawyer did not instantly respond to Fox News Digital’s petition for comment. 

Fox News Digital's Louis Casiano contributed to this report.