By Noah Powelson
After eight tense hours of jury deliberations, Guy Rivera was found not guilty for the murder of NYPD officer Johnathan Diller, but guilty for several lesser charges that will still likely put him behind bars for the rest of his life.
A jury on Wednesday found that Rivera, 36, did not commit first degree murder in the death of an NYPD police officer in a 2024 shooting in Far Rockaway. He was found guilty of first-degree aggravated manslaughter, as well as for the first-degree attempted murder of Diller’s partner. Rivera was also found guilty of several illegal possession of a firearm charges. He now faces a maximum of 90 years to life in prison.
It was a long, emotional day that ended a three-week trial that included police testimony and disputes over what body-worn camera footage of the killing showed. Courtrooms in Queens Criminal Court were packed with police officers and Diller’s family and friends throughout the highly-publicized trial, requiring multiple overflow rooms to accommodate the large audience.
Rivera’s family was also in attendance.
Closing arguments in the case were presented on March 31 and the jury broke for deliberation in the late morning of April 1.
Though it appeared the jury was prepared to deliver a verdict to the anxious crowd around 5:10 p.m., as the clerk polled the jury to confirm the verdict they rendered was their own, one juror unexpectedly said, “No.”
Silence and shock filled the courtroom when the juror responded. After a quick discussion between the judge, the prosecutors and defense attorneys, the jury was told to return to their deliberations.
The jury returned around 7 pm, this time unanimously rendering a not guilty verdict to Rivera’s first-degree murder charge. Audible groans of disappointment were heard in the crowd as the verdict was read. Police officers held their heads in their hands and Diller’s widow, Stephanie Diller, wept in the courtroom pews.
Though Rivera could still very likely spend the rest of his life behind bars for Diller’s death, the faces of Diller’s family and other police officers were solemn as they silently exited the courthouse.
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz thanked her prosecutors, the police officers present and the jury, and said she was proud of the verdict despite not getting the top charge.
“When Rivera encountered Detective Diller, Sergeant Rosen and their team, he made the decision to fight,” Katz said. “We present the evidence; the jury decides the verdict. I stand here today proud of that verdict. Guy Rivera will face a maximum of 90 years to life as a sentence for all the crimes he was convicted of today.”
Patrick Hendry, the president of the New York City Police Benevolent Association, said that while the verdict offered some solace, he disagreed with the jury’s decision to acquit Rivera of first-degree murder.
“This was murder one of a New York City police officer, no doubt about it,” Hendry said after the verdict was announced. “This decision gives Johnathan and his family some justice, but it doesn’t give them full closure. The pain will never go away.”
Hendry’s words were echoed by New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch, who reacted to the verdict on social media.
“While I am deeply disappointed that Jonathan’s killer was not convicted of the top murder charge, I am grateful that he has been convicted on all other counts,” Tisch said. “My hope is that the ultimate sentence in this case will reflect the gravity of his actions, and the profound loss he caused for Stephanie, Ryan, the Diller family, the NYPD, and the entire City of New York.”
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani also expressed his sympathy toward Diller’s family during an unrelated announcement on Thursday.
“The heinous killing of detective Diller also weighs heavily today,” Mamdani said. “His loss still feels unfathomable. I’m grateful for his service, and my heart is with his loved ones as we gather together to share the immense progress we have achieved over the past three months in our city.”