Mark Dial at the courthouse in Philadelphia in 2023. (6abc)
This story originally appeared on 6abc.
The jury returned a split verdict in the trial of former Philadelphia police officer Mark Dial for the 2023 shooting of Eddie Irizarry.
Dial was found not guilty of third-degree murder, but was found guilty of voluntary manslaughter.
He was also found guilty of possessing an instrument of crime and recklessly endangering another person. He was found not guilty of official oppression.
At the heart of the case was whether Dial was justified in using deadly force when he fired six shots into a car driven by Eddie Irizarry in 2023, killing him.
Dial took the stand in his own defense on Wednesday, at times tearful as he told the jury he feared for his life.
Police started following Irizarry after he drove erratically and eventually went the wrong way down East Willard Street.
After Irizarry stopped his car, he sat inside holding a knife.
The defense says the handle resembled a gun and it looked as if he pointed it at officers. Dial testified he thought his partner yelled “gun.”
That’s something Shaka Johnson, the attorney for Irizarry’s family, doesn’t believe.
“Let’s be clear: three inches of the knife was protruding from the top, silver, from the top of his index finger. The windows are up, music is playing, and the car is in park. I’m not sure how we get here,” Johnson said.
Throughout the trial, Irizarry’s family has been emotional, leaving court at times as the body cam video was shown of him being killed.
They say this should have been a simple traffic stop, not a shooting.
“Points on a license, maybe tow your car – the vehicle wasn’t registered or insured – but certainly not a death. Not a shooting, not a death,” said Johnson.