New York (CNN) Officer Peter Liang, who shot and killed an unarmed man in a New York housing project stairwell in 2014, was found guilty of manslaughter and official misconduct on Thursday. As the verdict was read, Liang dropped his head -- his hands around the back of his neck -- as one of his attorneys comforted him. The rookie cop was fired after the highly unusual conviction of a police officer for the shooting death of a civilian. Officer Shaun Landau, Liang's partner the night Akai Gurley, 28, was shot, was fired Friday, the New York Police Department announced. Landau, who was not charged with a crime, had been on modified assignment. He testified for the prosecution in the trial.Officer Peter Liang's partner, Shaun Landau, has been fired, police sayJury finds Liang guilty of manslaughter and official misconduct
During closing arguments, the officer's lawyer called the fatal shooting tragic, but not a crime, stressing that _ followed procedures. _ gave tearful testimony on the stand Monday, just before both sides rested in the case.