Decision for suspect in Philadelphia cop shooting: plea deal or new trial

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- With his original conviction overturned, a man who allegedly shot a Philadelphia police officer five years ago is weighing his new options.

Eric Torres has to decide whether he will take a deal and plead guilty or proceed with a new trial.

The officer who was shot, Ed Davies, left criminal court in Center City on Monday, frustrated to be back in the courtroom again.

"I thought this was all behind us. Now you want to let a career criminal back out again. Just makes no sense to me. None. I don't get it. Just don't get it. I don't know what happened with the system," said Davies.

In 2013, Officer Davies was shot in a struggle as officers tried to take Eric Torres into custody in Feltonville.

In 2015, a jury acquitted Torres of attempted murder, but he was convicted on multiple charges including aggravated assault.

He was sentenced to 66 to 132 years in prison.

But that conviction was overturned. That decision was based on the constitutionality of a subsequent search on Torres' home.

Torres remains in custody.

If he takes the plea deal, Torres would get 21-42 years in prison. He faces additional time for allegedly committing the crime while on probation.

He could also choose to proceed to trial. His attorneys told the judge that Torres is still considering the offer.

Officer Davies, now a police academy instructor, says he will be here for each court date.

He said what happened is never far from his mind or his family's.

"To this day I still have nerve damage from the waist down. I'm scarred from my neck down to my feet, I have a hard time getting out of bed to this day. My family's going through a lot of stuff," Davies said.

The next court date in this case set for December 20.

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