Long Island law enforcement unions have reacted with shock and outrage in the hours following a Queens jury’s split verdict in the trial of the man who fatally shot NYPD Det. Jonathan Diller of Massapequa two years ago.
Guy Rivera, 36, was convicted Wednesday of aggravated manslaughter, attempted murder and weapons charges but acquitted of first‑degree murder. That not guilty verdict has prompted fierce criticism from police groups and community members.
In a forceful social media statement, the Nassau County Police Benevolent Association (PBA) said, “All New Yorkers should be outraged” by the verdict.
“The decision to find Jonathan Diller’s killer not guilty on Murder 1 charges sends a painful message,” Nassau PBA said in its statement. “A hero was murdered and this represents a complete failure of the justice system.”
The union vowed to stand with Diller’s widow Stephanie; their young boy; the rest of his family; and the entire NYPD force in demanding “answers, accountability, and real justice.”
The Suffolk County PBA echoed those sentiments, labeling the fatal shooting of Diller “one of the most heinous crimes in the history of our state” and blaming what it described as a “broken justice system” for the murder acquittal.
“Our heart goes out to Stephanie Diller who just became a victim a second time,” Suffolk PBA said.
At his April 27 sentencing, Rivera, 36, of Long Island City, faces up to 90 years to life in prison based on his convictions on lesser charges.
Shocking verdict, emotional reactions
Along with the law enforcement leaders, the split verdict stunned Long Island residents, who questioned how a jury could convict Rivera of attempted murder for nearly killing Sgt. Sasha Rosen at the same incident, yet acquit him of first‑degree murder in Diller’s shooting death.
Reactions posted in the comments section of the Nassau and Suffolk PBA posts on Facebook reflected disbelief and anger: “It makes no sense,” one user wrote, while others called the outcome “outrageous” and demanded “cell justice” for Rivera.
“Completely outrageous. My heart goes out to Officer Diller’s family as well as the NYPD,” Heather Auer commented on the Nassau PBA post.
Another, Deborah Fauci‑Dardis of Queens, wrote: “They got this wrong. I’m so angry and sad for his family.”
“I give a jury the benefit of the doubt most of the time because they are seeing all the evidence, hearing every word of testimony, the charge from the judge and we are not,” Fauci-Dardis wrote. “I cannot do that in this case. Just can’t.”
One commenter lamented the outcome but noted that the convictions on other charges “is still gonna get him life in prison,” a point echoed by some legal observers who said Rivera’s sentencing exposure remains substantial even without a first‑degree murder conviction.
Crime that sparked huge community response
Diller was killed on March 25, 2024, during a traffic stop in Far Rockaway.
Prosecutors said Rivera, seated in the front passenger seat, ignored officers’ commands to step out of the car and instead drew a loaded handgun and fired at Diller, striking him in the abdomen beneath his bulletproof vest.
Diller was rushed to Jamaica Hospital Medical Center, where he died hours later. Rivera also attempted to shoot Rosen, but the gun jammed, authorities said.
Diller wrested the gun away from Rivera before collapsing to the street, authorities said.
Lindy Jones, who police said was seated in the driver’s seat of the car with Rivera, was arraigned on weapon possession charges in 2024 and remains in custody. He is due back in court April 7 and faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted.
The case drew expansive coverage and became a focal point in discussions about crime and policing in New York.
Thousands of law enforcement officers and supporters from across Long Island and the region attended Diller’s funeral in Massapequa in 2024, and the family received widespread support, including significant community fundraising efforts and outpouring from residents and police departments statewide.
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz in her press release acknowledged Diller’s courage and the profound impact of his loss, noting that the detective’s final words to his wife were “I love you.”
Katz praised the work of her homicide team in securing convictions on multiple charges.
NY law enforcement reacts
NYPD leadership also weighed in. Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch described the mixed verdict as a “gut punch” to the department, underscoring the deep disappointment among officers that the jury did not convict on the top charge despite evidence that Rivera loaded and concealed a firearm before the encounter.
New York PBA said the split verdict rendered more suffering upon the Diller family.
“While his killer’s conviction on aggravated manslaughter, attempted murder and weapons charges – with a possible sentence of 90 years to life – delivers some justice, it can’t provide his family with full closure,” the law enforcement union said in a statement.
“No matter what the verdict reads, we will not stop telling Jonathan’s story, and we will not stop fighting for justice in his name.”
Top: Guy Rivera in Queens Criminal Court during his trial on Wednesday in the killing of NYPD Det. Jonathan Diller of Massapequa (Gregory P. Mango / pool)
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