On Tuesday, during the arraignment of Lindy Jones, charged in connection with the Diller shooting, New York City police filled the hallways and seats of a Queens courthouse to pay tribute to the brother of the slain NYPD officer, Officer Jonathan Diller. It represented a sign of solidarity.
Jones and Guy Rivera were indicted earlier this month on charges related to the shooting death of Diller in Far Rockaway in late March.
About 100 NYPD officers could be seen waiting in the hallways and back benches of the Queens courthouse for Jones to arrive.
Once inside, Jones was surrounded by three court officials and his attorney, and the judge told him his client was “presumed innocent.”
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Lindy Jones will be arraigned Tuesday in New York’s Queens Supreme Court. Jones has pleaded not guilty to criminal possession of a weapon in connection with the fatal shooting of NYPD Officer Jonathan Diller during a traffic stop last month. (Richard Harvath, Fox News Digital)
Rivera was charged with first-degree murder and attempted first-degree murder after allegedly shooting Diller during a traffic stop and attempting to fire at an NYPD sergeant at the scene.
Rivera and Jones were charged with weapons possession after a second weapon was found inside the vehicle they were traveling in.
Jones, who was indicted Tuesday, was charged with two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon and two counts of third-degree criminal possession of a weapon.
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NYPD officers arrived at Queens Supreme Court as Lindy Jones was arraigned in New York on Tuesday. Jones has pleaded not guilty to criminal possession of a weapon in connection with the fatal shooting of NYPD Officer Jonathan Diller during a traffic stop last month. (Richard Harvath, Fox News Digital)
In court Tuesday, Queens Assistant District Attorney Gabriel Leal read a statement Jones gave when he was questioned by detectives.
Jones said in a statement that he was the driver and that investigators were trying to implicate Rivera. But he suggested police had cameras in place and the footage would tell the whole story.
Jones also told detectives he believed there was another gun in the car, which police found.
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New York City police officers watch Lindy Jones’ arraignment in a courtroom in Queens, New York, on Tuesday. Jones has pleaded not guilty to criminal possession of a weapon in connection with the fatal shooting of NYPD Officer Jonathan Diller during a traffic stop last month. (Richard Harvath, Fox News Digital)
“That’s why I’m still here,” Jones said. “I gave them my DNA. It doesn’t have my DNA in it.”
The suspect told detectives he had no idea the situation was going to go “to the left” the way it did, adding there was no reason for it to happen.
Jones said his driver’s license was in good standing and his car was legal, and there was no reason for officers to search his car.
“They stopped behind my car,” he told detectives. “I went into a liquor store and came back to my car. They tried to tell me I was parked at a bus stop and there were cameras installed there. I told them something they didn’t know yet. What are you going to say?”
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Guy Rivera (left) and Lindy Jones (center) are charged in connection with the murder of NYPD Detective Jonathan Diller.
When it comes to Rivera, Jones said prosecutors have no intention of presenting a defense to him or persuading Rivera to charge Jones with any charges.
“They’re closing in on him,” Jones said. “There’s nothing he can say other than I had nothing to do with it.”
When Jones was indicted, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said her office would make sure that Jones’ office not only charged him with gun possession, but also remanded him with a previous gun possession charge so he could stand trial because he was a flight risk. He said he made the motion. .
She also said Jones admitted in court that he “shot people.”
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New York City police officers watch Lindy Jones’ arraignment in a courtroom in Queens, New York, on Tuesday. Jones has pleaded not guilty to criminal possession of a weapon in connection with the fatal shooting of NYPD Officer Jonathan Diller during a traffic stop last month. (Richard Harvath, Fox News Digital)
Prosecutors allege that on March 25, around 5:40 p.m., Diller saw Rivera with what appeared to be a gun in his front sweatshirt pocket. Rivera and Jones got into the Kia Soul and Jones got into the driver’s seat of the car.
NYPD officers, including Mr. Diller, approached the Kia and repeatedly asked Mr. Rivera to roll down the window before opening the car door.
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Rivera then pulled a gun from his clothing and shot Diller in the abdomen, prosecutors allege.
Fox News Digital’s Stepheny Price contributed to this report.
