PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Former Philadelphia police officer Eric Ruch has been found guilty of voluntary manslaughter in the shooting death of Dennis Plowden, an unarmed Black man.
On one side of the courtroom, Plowden’s grandmother and sister clasped hands. On the other, Ruch’s wife dropped her head as she heard her husband was guilty of voluntary manslaughter, guilty of possession of an instrument in a crime.
Upon hearing the verdict, Ruch started to sob at the defense table.
He was found not guilty of third-degree murder.
In December 2017, Ruch fatally shot 25-year-old Plowden in the head at North 19th Street and West Nedro Avenue in Ogontz after a brief car chase. In testimony, Ruch and other officers said Plowden kept his right hand tucked away even as police commanded him to show both hands.
Ruch was later fired from the Police Department.
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Last year, the city settled a lawsuit with Plowden’s widow for $1.2 million that did not include an admission of wrongdoing.
Judge Barbara McDermott granted prosecutors’ request to revoke bail, meaning Ruch will be in prison between now and his sentencing in November.
“Since my client was dismissed from the Police Department and formally indicted of charges including murder, the prosecution has vigorously pursued a murder conviction. The verdict reflects that the jury rejected that theory,” said David Mischak, Ruch’s attorney. “My client will keep all options open moving forward.”
Prosecutors, as well as the Plowden family, left without commenting on the case.
The jury took more than a day and a half to decide the case. In a statement released Wednesday, District Attorney Larry Krasner thanked the jury for their service over the eight-day trial, as well as the prosecutors on the case.
“We will be able to say more about this trial upon sentencing of Mr. Ruch, which is scheduled for November 17, 2022,” Krasner said.