Former NYPD officer Yvonne Wu was sentenced to 27 years in prison after shooting her ex-girlfriend, Jenny Li, and Li’s new lover, Jamie Liang, in a fit of jealousy. Wu used her service weapon to wound Li and kill Liang on October 13, 2021. Despite facing possible life imprisonment, Wu accepted a plea deal that reduced the charges to manslaughter and attempted murder, avoiding the maximum sentence. The father of the slain victim, Jamie Liang, called Wu a “cold-blooded monster” who should be locked up forever.
During the sentencing, Jenny Li described Jamie Liang as a funny and kind person who was taken away too soon by Wu’s actions. Jamie Liang’s father, Ying Cai Liang, expressed his devastation over losing his daughter and urged for Wu to be imprisoned for life. He criticized Wu for being an officer who should have protected and served, but instead took his daughter’s life, leaving permanent scars in their hearts. He mentioned that Jamie would have been graduating from NYU Dentistry by now had she lived.
Yvonne Wu broke down in tears during the sentencing as she apologized to the family of Jamie Liang. Wu expressed remorse for her actions and acknowledged the pain she caused, especially to Jenny Li. However, the apology did not ease the grief of the family members, who felt the decision made that day was selfish and caused irreparable harm. Despite Wu’s remorse, the family insisted that there is no amount of time that will justify her actions.
The court accepted Wu’s plea deal to spare the family from enduring the pain of a trial. Judge Danny Chun stated that although Wu would not face life imprisonment, the plea deal was considered acceptable by the court. Wu was fired from the NYPD in June and had been suspended without pay following the incident in October. Prosecutors described Wu’s actions as a ferocious act of anger that resulted in the death of Jamie Liang and injuries to Jenny Li.
Wu, an off-duty cop from the 72nd Precinct in Sunset Park, had waited outside Li’s Brooklyn home for hours before the shooting took place. She then entered the home, used her service weapon to harm Li and kill Liang, and calmly confessed to the shooting when police arrived at the scene. Li and Wu had recently broken up three weeks before the tragic incident. Prosecutors emphasized how Wu’s actions undermined the community’s faith and confidence in law enforcement officers who are entrusted to protect them.
The sentencing of Yvonne Wu brought closure to a tragic and senseless act of violence that resulted in the loss of Jamie Liang’s life. The family of the victims expressed their ongoing grief and the emotional wounds that will never fully heal. While Wu expressed remorse for her actions, the devastating impact of her choices was felt deeply by the family and friends of the victims. The court’s decision to accept the plea deal aimed to provide some justice for the victims while also sparing them from further trauma.
