Mark Dial trial: Jury reaches verdict
Jury reaches verdict in Mark Dial trial
The jury has reached a verdict in the trial of Mark Dial after the shooting death of Eddie Irizarry.
PHILADELPHIA - Thursday, a jury reached a verdict in the trial of Mark Dial. Dial was charged in the death of Eddie Irizarry, who was killed in August of 2023.
Jury deliberations:
After emotional testimony Wednesday, as former Philadelphia police officer Mark Dial took the stand in his own defense, closing arguments were presented to the jury. They were then tasked with deliberating, but went home Wednesday evening and began again Thursday.
They reached their verdict Thursday afternoon.
The jury declared Dial not guilty on third-degree murder and official oppression, but found Dial guilty on voluntary manslaughter, possession of an instrument of crime and reckless endangerment.
The backstory:
According to police officer body cam video, less than 10 seconds transpired between the time Dial and his partner stepped out of their vehicle and when the fatal shots were fired in August of 2023.
Initial information provided by police claimed that Irizarry had gotten out of his vehicle with a knife and lunged at officers, ignoring commands to drop the weapon. By the following evening, the department changed their account of the shooting, stating that Irizarry was actually seated inside of the vehicle when he was shot.
Attorneys claim the body cam footage shows that Irizarry never raised his knife, and even tried to put it away.
Irizarry's family, their representatives and community leaders have repeatedly criticized the police department and city's response to the deadly shooting.
Shaka Johnson represents the Irizarry family in a wrongful death claim against the police officers. Johnson said, "Three inches of the knife is protruding, silver, from the top of his index finger. The windows are up, music is playing, and the car is parked. I’m not sure how we got here."
Eddie Irizarry: Bodycam proves man never left car in fatal officer-involved shooting, family attorney says
Family of Eddie Irizarry were finally able to see the bodycam footage showing the moment a Philadelphia officer fatally opened fire during a traffic stop, a video they say proves the innocence of their beloved family member.
In court:
Weeping on the stand Wednesday, Dial said he shot Irizarry because he believed he was pointing a gun at him and he "Didn’t want to get shot in the face."
In closing arguments, defense attorney Brian McMonagle argued the DA should never have charged Dial and that Eddie Irizarry, high on cocaine, caused his own death.
The prosecution said this should have been a traffic stop and a violation, not a shooting and urged the jury to find justice for Irizarry.
What's next:
There were no details released regarding sentencing.