Former Philadelphia police officer sentenced for killing unarmed man

This story originally appeared on 6abc.

A judge sentenced a former Philadelphia police officer Thursday for killing an unarmed man while on duty.

Eric Ruch will spend 11.5 to 23 months behind bars for the 2017 shooting.

A jury convicted Ruch of voluntary manslaughter in September but found him not guilty of third-degree murder.

The felony manslaughter charge carries a term of up to 20 years in prison.

Ruch was on trial for the shooting death of Dennis Plowden following a chase in 2017.

Defense attorneys argued Ruch shot Plowden when Plowden made a suspicious movement with his hands.

During the trial, Ruch told jurors he feared for his life.

Prosecutors said there was no justification to shoot Plowden, noting that several other officers took cover and held their fire.

The bullet from Ruch’s gun went through Plowden’s raised left hand before striking him in the head. He died the next day.

Ruch was fired from the police department 10 months later.