Ex-Philly officer who shot and killed David Jones gets charges reduced

Ryan Pownall, the former Philadelphia cop who shot and killed a Black man as he fled, won’t face first-degree murder charges as expected.

Ryan Pownall
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Ryan Pownall, the former Philadelphia cop who shot and killed a Black man as he fled, won’t face first-degree murder charges as expected and instead his charges were reduced to third-degree murder on Thursday, NBC 10 reports.

Pownall, who was transporting people to the Special Victim Unit, allegedly stopped David Jones for riding his dirt bike “in a reckless manner.” Jones, who was shot in the back and buttocks, was pronounced dead at Temple University Hospital. Part of the incident was caught on surveillance video, showing officer Pownall shooting the fleeing Black man.

On Thursday, a judge determined that Pownall would face lesser charges. A first degree charge would have to prove a premeditated murder. Pownall will go straight to trial. Pownall was released on $500,000 on condition of house arrest.

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“We are extremely satisfied with this decision,” Pownall’s attorney, Fortunato Perri Jr., said outside the courthouse.

The Jones family filled the courtroom and remain confident that the cop will be convicted.

We know God’s delay is not a denial. We stand fast. We know justice will be done,” Jones’ godmother, Donna Clement-Jackson, said. “No matter what the charges are, we know he is guilty.”

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Proving the Case

Another, conflicting version of what transpired was reported by Christopher “Flood the Drummer” Norris, a Philadelphia journalist who has been on the case and has been trying to get to the bottom of what really happened. An eyewitness named Terrance F.—who was in the police vehicle with two of his children to report the abduction of his son—claimed that Pownall got out of the police cruiser and threatened to take Jones’ bike.

Terrance claims Pownall frisked Jones and put a gun to his head. Terrance says he told Jones not to resist the officer. The two men tussled, and Jones’s gun fell to the ground. Jones freed himself from Pownall’s grasp and ran, and the officer tasered him, according to Terrance. Then, Pownall threw his Taser down, picked up his gun and shot Jones in the back.

A gun was found on the ground near the police car, not with Jones.

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