PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Lawyers for a Philadelphia police officer who shot and killed a driver will press to have murder and other charges lodged against him dismissed when the jailed officer appears in court for a preliminary hearing Tuesday.
Officer Mark Dial is also charged with manslaughter, official oppression and four other counts in connection with the Aug. 14 death of 27-year-old Eddie Irizarry. Dial’s bail was revoked earlier this month after prosecutors argued the charges made him ineligible for release.
Police bodycam footage shows Dial firing his weapon at close range through the driver’s side window of Irizarry’s sedan during a vehicle stop. Dial shot Irizarry about seven seconds after getting out of a police SUV and walking over to his car, the video showed. He fired a total of six rounds.
Defense lawyers call the shooting justified. They said the officer, also 27, thought Irizarry had a gun. The bodycam footage shows the driver holding a knife by his right leg.