NEW YORK — Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Guy Mitchell is drawing sharp criticism after sentencing a former NYPD sergeant to 3 to 9 years in prison for the death of a fleeing cocaine suspect, while previously imposing a much lighter sentence in a separate manslaughter case involving the fatal beating of a homeless man.

In April 2026, Justice Mitchell sentenced former NYPD Sergeant Erik Duran, 38, to 3-9 years for manslaughter after he threw a picnic cooler at a suspect during an undercover operation in 2023. The suspect, Eric Duprey, crashed his motorized scooter and died. The judge cited the need for a “general deterrent” to other officers, noting that Duran acted out of frustration when the suspect attempted to flee.

Separately, in 2018, Justice Mitchell presided over the case of 19-year-old Branlee Gonzalez, who pleaded guilty to manslaughter and attempted assault in the fatal beating of 69-year-old homeless man Lucio Bravo. Gonzalez was sentenced to a term amounting to approximately nine months in prison. The judge had initially considered an even more lenient no-jail-time arrangement before adjusting the sentence.

The contrasting outcomes have fueled public debate and accusations of inconsistent sentencing standards, particularly as the Duran case involved a law enforcement officer while the Gonzalez case involved a civilian defendant.

Supporters of Duran argue the sentence was overly harsh given the context of an active police operation, while critics of the Gonzalez sentence have long maintained it was too lenient for a violent crime resulting in death.

Justice Mitchell has not publicly responded to the latest wave of criticism. Both cases have reignited broader discussions about judicial discretion, sentencing reform, and public trust in the criminal justice system in New York City