The jury trial for the rookie NYPD Officer who shot and killed Akai Gurley in the stairwell of a NYCHA building in Brooklyn begins Monday. It is expected to last two to four weeks.

28 year old Akai Gurley was unarmed in a landing at the Pink Houses when he was shot on November 20, 2014 by Officer Peter Liang who was patrolling the stairwell with his gun drawn with his partner, Shaun Landau.

Gurley’s family and police reform advocates are asking folks to pack the court for the trial this week. They say they want to prevent the jury from being intimidated from representatives from the PBA who are sure to be in court supporting Liang. The trial is at Brooklyn Supreme Court, 320 Jay Street. The case # is 09988-2014 Liang, Peter.

Liang is expected to take the stand and say he didn’t mean to fire his weapon. Testimony is expected on the Officer's panicked state of mind after the shooting. Liang is charged with one count of second-degree manslaughter, one count of criminally negligent homicide, one count of second-degree assault, one count of reckless endangerment and two counts of official misconduct.