On an autumn evening in the Bronx, 66-year-old Deborah Danner, an African American woman living with schizophrenia, was killed in her own bedroom. The fatal encounter occurred on October 18, 2016, after a neighbor called 911 to report her erratic behavior. This was not the first time police had been called to her Pugsley Avenue apartment, as she had a history of mental health crises.
That evening, New York Police Department Sergeant Hugh Barry was among the officers who responded.
Accounts of the events that followed vary slightly, but it is known that upon arrival, police found Ms. Danner in her bedroom holding a pair of scissors. Sgt. Barry reportedly convinced her to put down the scissors. However, the situation escalated when Ms. Danner then picked up a baseball bat. According to police, she attempted to swing the bat at Sgt. Barry, who then shot her twice. Ms. Danner was rushed to Jacobi Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
The aftermath of the shooting brought swift condemnation from city officials, including the mayor, who called the death 'tragic and unacceptable.' Sgt. Hugh Barry was placed on modified duty and later suspended. In May 2017, he was charged with murder, manslaughter, and criminally negligent homicide. Prosecutors argued that Sgt. Barry had failed to follow NYPD protocol for dealing with mentally ill individuals.
Sgt. Barry's trial took place in early 2018. He opted for a bench trial, meaning a judge, not a jury, would decide his fate. His defense maintained that he feared for his life and had to make a split-second decision. In February 2018, the judge acquitted Sgt. Barry of all charges. Following the acquittal, the city of New York reached a $2 million settlement with Deborah Danner's family, who had filed a lawsuit.
