In a powerful show of support, fans of the New York Islanders united to back former NYPD Sergeant Erick Duran during Tuesday night’s game against the Carolina Hurricanes on Long Island. The community came together to donate funds for a legal effort aimed at overturning Duran’s recent and controversial conviction.
The Sergeants Benevolent Association (SBA) spearheaded this fundraising campaign, which was prominently featured on the jumbotron at UBS Arena in Nassau County. This initiative followed nearly a week after Duran was sentenced for manslaughter, stemming from an incident in August 2023 where he fatally threw a cooler at a drug suspect who was attempting to flee.
“This is all about Erik’s family,” said Vincent Vallelong, the union’s president. He was accompanied at the game by several notable figures, including Patrick Judge, an executive from The Post, Jon Ledecky, co-owner of the Islanders, and other members of the SBA.
“We’re committed to doing whatever it takes to secure his release,” Vallelong emphasized. “Our board and everyone in law enforcement understand the broader implications of this case. It’s a situation that could impact police officers nationwide, and many fear similar occurrences in their own cities.”
During the game, fans were encouraged to contribute directly to the legal fund through a QR code displayed on the jumbotron. By Tuesday morning, the fund had already amassed $40,000 in donations.
Additionally, a portion of the proceeds from the night’s 50/50 raffle, which nearly reached $45,000, will also support the SBA’s legal fund. This fund was launched on Monday to aid Duran in appealing his conviction.
Duran, a 38-year-old married father of three, was sentenced to 3-to-9 years behind bars by Bronx Judge Guy Mitchell on Thursday for throwing a full Igloo cooler at Eric Duprey, 30, as he drove his moped on a Highbridge sidewalk while scrambling to escape a drug bust.
Duran testified in his own defense at the 3-week trial â a case brought by the state Attorney General’s Office â that he chucked the cooler to protect the lives of other cops in the path of the suspect’s scooter.
Mitchell, who found that Duranâs use of deadly force was not justifiable, convicted him of second-degree manslaughter in the non-jury trial and handed down the hotly disputed sentence.
âI absolutely love that the Islanders support law enforcement, especially in this case,â Longtime Nassau cop Craig Kasin, who bought a 50/50 ticket remotely while at Yankee Stadium, told The Post, calling Duranâs actions an âinstinct decision.â
“He didn’t take out his gun and shoot him … it’s deplorable that this judge is setting him to more time to set an example. These officers are under such a tremendous amount of stress to begin with. This isn’t right.”
Duran, who faced anywhere from probation to up to 15 years in prison, was hauled off to Rikers Island, where he is being held in protective custody and expected to be transferred to a state facility.
