In Philadelphia, a police officer finds himself back behind bars due to the cancellation of his bail after prosecutors questioned the legality of his release.
Officer Mark Dial, charged with the shooting death of a driver just last month, faced this setback when the court ruled in favor of the prosecution.
Dial had initially surrendered on September 8th and paid 10% of a $500,000 bail, but the prosecutors argued that under the Pennsylvania Constitution, bail is typically not granted for crimes that carry a life sentence or if there's reason to believe the defendant poses a danger to the community.
Dial faces a slew of charges, including murder, voluntary manslaughter, official oppression, and four other counts. This 27-year-old officer, who has served on the force for five years, found himself suspended with the intent to dismiss for refusing to cooperate with the investigation.
His defense team maintains that the shooting was justified, asserting that Dial believed the 27-year-old victim, Eddie Irizarry, was armed with a gun.
The incident unfolded when officers observed Irizarry's car being driven erratically around noon on August 14th. They decided to tail it for several blocks. As the driver proceeded down a one-way street the wrong way and came to a stop, officers approached the vehicle.
Shocking bodycam footage captured Dial firing at close range through the rolled-up driver's side window merely seven seconds after stepping out of a police SUV and walking up to the sedan. In total, he fired six rounds.
The footage also showed Irizarry holding a knife in his right hand, near his right leg, just moments before the fatal shots were fired.
Initially, the police department claimed that officers had conducted a routine traffic stop and that the shooting occurred when Irizarry "lunged at" them with a knife.
However, this narrative was later contradicted by a review of the officers' body-worn cameras, prompting outgoing Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw to admit that their initial report was inaccurate.
Defense attorney Brian McMonagle expressed his dismay at Dial being charged with murder, calling it "appalling." He argued that Irizarry had been instructed to show his hands but instead produced a weapon and aimed it at an armed police officer.
McMonagle also pointed to a 2021 state Supreme Court case that established specific circumstances in which murder defendants could seek bail.
Meanwhile in Rwanda, a 34-year-old man named Denis Kazungu has shockingly confessed to the gruesome murders of 14 people, with a majority of his victims being women. See detailed story here
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