Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Witnesses say fight led to cab killing

A profanity-laced shouting match turned into a bloodyconfrontation last year when one man drove over the other repeatedlywith a cab, five witnesses said Tuesday.

Prosecutors allege defendant Michael Jackson, 38, deliberately ranover Haroon Paryani with Paryani's cab on Feb. 4, 2005. They'vecharged Jackson with murder and aggravated vehicular hijacking.

But in opening arguments Tuesday at the Cook County Criminal Courtbuilding, the defense countered that Paryani had a history ofviolence -- and that Jackson never had control of the cab.

Describing Jackson as an accountant originally from Peoria,defense lawyer Todd Pugh said that in prosecutors' version of events,"somehow Michael Jackson went from Dr. Jekyll to Mr. Hyde."

But Assistant State's Attorney Mercedes Luque-Rosales said Jacksondid "the unthinkable" that February night.

DRIVER A TROUBLEMAKER: DEFENSE

An AIDS activist who was then an employee of the city HealthDepartment, Jackson hailed Paryani's cab around midnight aftervisiting a friend, Pugh said. After a short ride to Jackson'sapartment, the men began arguing over the fare at the intersection ofBriar Place and Cambridge Avenue.

Defense lawyers labored to depict Paryani, 61, as a troublemaker.According to Pugh, the 270-pound Paryani began "beating upon" Jacksonafter a dispute over a fare erupted between the two men. During theshouting match that followed, Paryani yelled, "'F - - - you, you f - -- ing faggot. F - - - you, Jew. You're not going to rip me off,' "Pugh claimed.

Four of the five eyewitnesses who testified Tuesday lived near theintersection of Briar and Cambridge the night of Paryani's death.Susan Lichtman told of two men, later identified to her as Jacksonand Paryani, standing in front of the cab arguing "and began tothrottle each other."

Like the other eyewitnesses, Lichtman said after Jackson walkedaway, Paryani fell forward into the street. Jackson then got intoParyani's cab.

"Mr. Jackson then adjusted the steering ahead to the left andaccelerated into Mr. Paryani," she said, adding Jackson then backedthe cab up over Paryani and ran over him again.

Jackson is expected to testify in his own defense, his lawyerssaid.

eherman@suntimes.com

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