Defendant Guy Rivera looks on as his attorney delivers closing arguments in his trial Queens Criminal Court, Tuesday, March 31, 2026. Jeff Bachner/Pool The Issue: A jury acquitting Guy Rivera of first-degree murder for killing NYPD cop Jonathan Diller.
Are New York City juries that stupidly liberal to think it’s not first-degree murder to have a loaded gun, slay one officer and attempt to murder another?
Unfortunately, the answer is yes (“Uniform pain of slain cops’ kin,” April 4).
The only way to overcome this stupidity is for the Legislature to pass laws that provide a life sentence without parole when a cop is murdered on duty.
But that won’t happen; lefty legislators in Albany only care about what taxes they can levy on us.
NYPD Detective Jonathan Diller did not deserve to die.
But we all deserve the truth; determining that is what the jury is responsible for, even if that verdict is unpopular.
The jurors did their job; their honest service is what we hope for in every trial, even if we don’t like the outcome.
The Diller verdict — right or wrong — clarifies the flaws in the different degrees of homicide in New York law.
First-degree murder requires intent to kill, which, without evidence of a premeditated plan, is difficult to prove.
A plan wasn’t present in this case, but Rivera fought to retain his weapon, which proves an intention to use it and which should allow the judge to sentence him to life imprisonment.
I commend Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch for condemning the acquittal of Rivera for first-degree murder (“Gut Punch to NYPD Morale,” Jessica Tisch, April 3).
I realize the jurors may have been deluded by the sleazy tactics used by defense lawyer Jamal Johnson, who inexplicably tried to portray Rivera as a victim.
However, I wish that they could have seen through Johnson’s lies.
I wonder if the verdict would have been different if the perpetrator was white and the victim black.
Nonetheless, this verdict is the result of jurors who had an agenda of their own.
The judge should overturn this verdict and reassure the NYPD that justice will always prevail.
Is it a shock for a NYC jury to have acquitted a cop-killer of first-degree murder?
No, because this jury is nothing if not a microcosm of people who elected cop-hating socialist Mayor Mamdani.
The jury’s decision says to officers, “Go ahead, do this very dangerous job, risk your life for us, but we don’t have your back.”
The Issue: President Trump’s profanity-laced Truth Social post warning Iran to open the Strait of Hormuz.
If President Trump is comfortable using expletives on social media, would he be just as comfortable using them standing at the presidential podium (“Strait to the point,” April 6) ?
The public decorum of a sitting president should be equally civilized across all venues, or else one is not fit to carry forth the constitutional vision of our forefathers.
The phrase “speak softly and carry a big stick” is not one we can attach to Trump.
His use of expletives may be momentarily satisfying to him, but it is not presidential to say the least.
While I’m sure other presidents have uttered similar words, they’ve never been meant for widespread public consumption.
I shudder to think of all the young people reading his ineloquent remarks on their handheld devices. Needless to say, it’s a terrible example.
One thing is for sure: Trump will never be remembered for being Churchillian under duress.
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