Ex-Philadelphia officer convicted of manslaughter, not murder, in traffic stop shooting

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — A former Philadelphia police officer who shot and killed a motorist during a traffic stop has been acquitted of murder charges by a jury that did convict him of voluntary manslaughter and related counts.

Mark Dial could face up to six years in prison when he’s sentenced in July. The verdict came Thursday afternoon after the jury had deliberated for nearly three days.

The charges against Dial stemmed from an August 2023 traffic stop involving Eddie Irizarry, 27, who Dial fatally shot as he sat in his car. Police body camera footage showed Irizarry holding a knife near his right leg as police approached, and another officer yelled “knife” as they got near the vehicle.

During the trial, Dial’s attorneys disputed those assertions, saying the other officer yelled “Gun!” They also argued the seven-inch knife Irizarry was holding resembled a gun, saying Dial acted lawfully and in self-defense.

Following the verdict, Dial’s attorneys said they were glad he was acquitted of murder but disappointed he was convicted of anything. Besides the voluntary manslaughter count, Dial also was convicted of reckless endangerment and possessing an instrument of crime.

Prosecutors declined comment.

The verdict culminates a series of legal twists and turns in the case, which has seen the charges filed, thrown out, refiled and later reduced.