Judge steps aside in homicide case

A Philadelphia judge agreed Wednesday to reassign the case of a fired Philadelphia police officer charged this month in the on-duty shooting death of a fleeing suspect.

The district attorney’s office had asked Judge Patrick Dugan to step aside from former Officer Ryan Pownall’s criminal homicide case because Dugan had overseen the grand jury’s case before the district attorney filed charges. A spokesman for the district attorney’s office said the move is procedural and unrelated to Dugan being married to a Philadelphia police lieutenant.

A hearing on reassigning the case has been set for next week. Pownall is being held without bond because the criminal homicide charge includes the possibility of first-degree murder, and defendants charged with first-degree murder are not eligible for release on bail in Pennsylvania.

District Attorney Larry Krasner charged Pownall with criminal homicide this month for the 2017 death of 30-year-old David Jones, who was shot in the back as he fled.

Prosecutors say Jones had a gun on him when he was approached by Pownall for riding a dirt bike on a street. Pownall felt the gun during a search of Jones, and a struggle ensued between the men.

Police officials previously said that Pownall tried to shoot Jones during the struggle, but that his gun jammed. Jones then fled and threw his gun away from Pownall and himself.

Pownall’s attorney, Fortunato Perri Jr., said he does not believe there is enough evidence for criminal charges.