A Queens courtroom descended into chaos when a murder trial jury foreman announced an acquittal on the top charge against the man accused of killing NYPD Officer Jonathan Diller—only to have another juror immediately contradict the verdict before the judge.

Jury Foreman’s Shocking Announcement Disputed

The jury foreman told Judge Michael Aloise that Guy Rivera had been acquitted of first-degree murder in the March 2024 shooting death of Officer Diller during a Far Rockaway traffic stop. Rivera, a career criminal with 21 prior arrests, faced life in prison without parole on the charge. The foreman stated the panel found Rivera guilty on four other counts including aggravated manslaughter and attempted murder of Diller’s partner. But when the court clerk polled jurors individually, juror number five told the judge “no” when asked if she agreed with the verdict.

Diller’s widow Stephanie and his mother gasped and wailed in the courtroom when the initial acquittal was announced. The 31-year-old officer had been scheduled for a day off when he was called in to duty. He left behind his wife and young son. During closing arguments, Stephanie covered her ears as bodycam footage captured the fatal shots that killed her husband.

Judge Orders Jury Back to Deliberations

Judge Aloise immediately ordered the jury to continue deliberating after the conflicting responses. Minutes later, two notes arrived from the jury room. One asked how many days they would need to deliberate if unable to reach a verdict that afternoon. Another came from juror number eight requesting to make a phone call to cancel an appointment. The judge instructed them to continue deliberations with no time limit and sent them back to the jury room.

Career Criminal Faces Decades Behind Bars

Prosecutors say Rivera shot Diller with a 380-caliber handgun during the traffic stop. Even without the first-degree murder conviction, Rivera faces up to 90 years in prison without parole on the four remaining charges if convicted on all counts. The attempted murder charge alone carries a maximum 40-year sentence. The verdict confusion highlights the high stakes and emotional weight of a case that has gripped New York as communities grapple with officer safety and violent crime.