Ex-Philadelphia officer sentenced and immediately paroled after conviction in traffic stop shooting

A former Philadelphia police officer who fatally shot a man during a 2023 traffic stop received his sentence Thursday and walked free the same day.

Judge Glenn Bronson sentenced Mark Dial, 29, to nine and a half months in jail. Dial had already served 10 months following his arrest, prompting the judge to immediately grant him parole.

Dial was acquitted of murder in May but convicted of voluntary manslaughter, reckless endangerment, and possession of an instrument of crime. His actions resulted in the death of 27-year-old Eddie Irizarry during a controversial stop in August 2023.

Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner criticized the sentence. “The judge went way below the standard guidelines,” he said in a press conference after the ruling. “This makes people lose faith in the criminal justice system.”

The guidelines recommended a sentence of 4.5 to 9 years for voluntary manslaughter. Dial received less than one year.

Dial’s attorney, Brian McMonagle, said the judge made the right call. “This was a dedicated public servant who risked his life every day for perfect strangers,” McMonagle told reporters.

Family members of Irizarry expressed anger and disbelief. “If I had committed this crime, I’d be serving life,” said Zoraida Garcia, Irizarry’s aunt. “But he’s a cop, so he gets the OK.”

Another aunt, Ana Cintron, said, “My nephew’s life doesn’t matter at all.”

The case drew national attention in 2023 after body camera footage contradicted police claims about the shooting. Initially, police said Irizarry fled a stop and lunged at officers with a knife. Later, they revised the story, admitting Irizarry never left the vehicle.

Body cam video shows Dial stepping out of a police SUV and approaching Irizarry’s parked car. Within five seconds, he fires six shots through the rolled-up window, striking Irizarry multiple times.

Irizarry held a seven-inch knife in the car, according to the video. One officer is heard shouting “knife,” but Dial’s lawyers dispute this. They insist the officer yelled “gun” and that the knife resembled a firearm.

In court, Judge Bronson called the shooting “demonstrably out of character.” He added, “This is not a classic voluntary manslaughter case.”

The judge also cited Dial’s actions after the shooting. “He rushed Mr. Irizarry to the hospital,” Bronson said. “I’ve never seen that happen in a voluntary manslaughter case.”

Dial’s legal team continues to maintain he acted in self-defense. They say the vehicle was driving erratically and had turned the wrong way down a one-way street. Dial believed Irizarry was armed and dangerous when he approached.

The case has renewed debates about accountability and transparency in law enforcement. Krasner declined to directly criticize the judge but said the outcome “damages public trust.”

Dial was initially charged with first-degree murder, but prosecutors withdrew that charge earlier this year. The jury ultimately found him guilty of lesser charges.

Public reaction has remained mixed. Supporters of Dial argue the split-second decision was part of a dangerous job. Critics say the video evidence shows unnecessary and lethal force.

Civil rights advocates have raised concerns about how the justice system handles police violence cases. “This is another example of a system that protects officers over victims,” said a statement from a local advocacy group.

Irizarry’s family has vowed to continue seeking justice. “We’re not stopping here,” Garcia said. “We want people to remember Eddie’s name and what happened to him.”

The Philadelphia Police Department has not yet released a formal statement following the sentencing.

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