A judge in Philadelphia has denied a request to change the trial venue for a former police officer charged with shooting and killing a motorist in his car. Former officer Mark Dial’s attorneys sought the change due to extensive media coverage, protests, and public comments about the case. However, Common Pleas Court Judge Barbara McDermott ruled that the coverage was largely factual, and there had been a significant cooling-off period since the latest reports.
McDermott conducted a mock jury selection which revealed that while some potential jurors were aware of the case, only a few had formed fixed opinions. Dial, 28, is set to stand trial in September on charges including first- and third-degree murder, manslaughter, and official oppression related to the August 2023 death of 27-year-old Eddie Irizarry in Kensington. Initially, police claimed Irizarry had lunged at the officer, but body camera footage later contradicted this account.
Body camera footage also captured Dial firing six shots within seconds of approaching Irizarry’s car, where Irizarry was seen holding a knife. Dial’s partner, Officer Michael Morris, testified that he viewed the knife as a potential threat, although there were discrepancies in his recollection of the events. The case against Dial was initially dismissed for lack of evidence at the municipal court level but was reinstated by a Common Pleas court judge in October.