By MES Dispatch staff
The Briefing
• A Queens jury convicted 36-year-old Guy Rivera of aggravated manslaughter and other charges in the 2024 fatal shooting of a New York City police officer but acquitted him of murder Wednesday.
• Officer Jonathan Diller, 31, was shot during a traffic stop in the Far Rockaway section of Queens in March 2024.
• Rivera was also convicted of attempted murder and weapons possession in connection with the encounter.
• Sentencing is scheduled for April 27; Rivera faces a possible lengthy prison term.
QUEENS, NY — A Queens jury on Wednesday convicted Guy Rivera of aggravated manslaughter and additional charges but acquitted him of first-degree murder in the 2024 shooting death of New York City Police Department Officer Jonathan Diller during a routine traffic stop.
Rivera, 36, was found guilty of aggravated manslaughter, attempted murder and weapons charges in connection with the March 2024 encounter in Far Rockaway that left Diller, 31, mortally wounded and marked the first NYPD line-of-duty death in two years.
During the roughly three-week trial, prosecutors said Rivera drew a concealed handgun and intentionally fired at Diller after officers approached a vehicle; defense attorneys argued the shot was accidental during a struggle.
The jury initially reported a verdict but was sent back for additional deliberations before reaching a final unanimous decision on the lesser charges.
Rivera’s sentencing is set for April 27, and he faces a potential long prison term under the convictions, despite the murder acquittal.