Former NYPD sergeant says jury ‘missed the mark’ in Jonathan Diller verdict
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A former NYPD sergeant criticized the jury’s verdict in the slaying of Officer Jonathan Diller, saying they “completely missed the mark” by rejecting the gunman’s first-degree murder charge, despite evidence he believes showed a clear motive.
“If you knowingly bring an illegal gun onto the street, hold it in your hand, and pull the trigger, you know the consequences…” Joseph Impertrice told “Fox & Friends First” on Thursday.
“For this team to turn around without even thinking for a minute that it was murder, knowing that these policemen have been identified, knowing that there are many uniformed policemen who were seen at the scene, that was deliberate, and they completely missed the mark here,” he added.
Diller, an NYPD detective, was shot and killed in March 2024 during a traffic stop in Queens.
NYPD’S WIFE JONATHAN DILLER WEEPS AS A SEA OF BLUE FILLS THE COURT AT THE SUSPECTED KILLER’S MURDER FINDING.
This composite photo shows Guy Rivera, left, in court for the murder of NYPD officer Jonathan Diller separated from a photo of Diller, right, in uniform. (Dave Sanders/Pool/The New York Times; NYPD)
Guy Rivera, the alleged killer, was convicted Wednesday of aggravated murder, attempted first-degree murder by attempted shooting. NYPD Sergeant who also responded to the scene with two counts of possession of a weapon in the second degree.
However, he was found guilty of first degree murder.
Fox News contributor and criminal defense attorney Josh Ritter said the verdict seemed “inconsistent,” pointing to the termination of the acquittal in the first-degree murder case and the attempted murder of a second officer at the scene.
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“We have a problem with the idea of intention because the conviction of the crime of trying to kill another police officer, that is a specific crime, which means that you had to have the intention to kill that person in order to try to kill,” he said on Thursday on Fox & Friends.
“He tried to kill one police officer, but then they struggled to prosecute the officer who was actually killed… there seems to be a misunderstanding about the law. It doesn’t seem to fit.”
Impetrice said the decision reflects the broader challenges facing police and repeat offenders and the criminal justice system.
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““It is very bad that the law enforcement officers have to fight against politicians and nonsense laws every day,” said Impertrice.
“We don’t have to worry about a jury being as clear as day when they see a guy with a rap sheet a mile long who’s already been exonerated for previous gun charges intentionally pull a bullet and kill one of us. These cops don’t have to worry about that. This should have been life in prison at its best, but in my personal opinion.” [if] you kill a policeman, it should be death.”
Fox News’ Landon Mion contributed to this report.
