SAGINAW – Dash cam video and audio helped a prosecutor to decide a Saginaw Township police officer did not act with criminal intent in a fatal shooting.
Thirty-eight-year-old Farhad Jabbari was stopped for suspected drunken driving by Saginaw Township police on the afternoon of July 19.
The video shows this all happened in about nine seconds, and the prosecutor believes that’s not enough time for criminal intent to be established.
The video is from the dash cam of the second police cruiser that arrived during the arrest of Jabbari. It gave the best view of the incident on West Michigan.
Prosecutor John McColgan says preliminary sobriety tests showed Jabbari was highly intoxicated. He was handcuffed in the back seat of the cruiser, and it began to shake a bit.
Arresting officer Glen Hill, in the front seat noticed the shaking and asks Jabbari, “What are you doing?”
What Jabbari was doing was getting out of one handcuff and when Hill opened the back seat door, the prosecutor says Jabbari attacked the officer, gouging his eyes.
Officer Brent Pinter went to help Hill by opening the passenger side back door. You can hear Hill screaming in pain and soon after, there are gunshots.
The audio indicates Hill fired his gun five times, with one of the bullets hitting Pinter in the arm. Jabbari was killed.
During the chaotic aftermath, Hill can be heard yelling, “I can’t see,” apparently from the eye-gouging.
When Pinter requests a tourniquet, Hill realizes Pinter has been shot.
The prosecutor has ruled Hill was justified in shooting Jabbari, because the attack happened so fast and Hill had to defend himself.
“Both are veteran officers, well-trained,” said Don Pussehl, Saginaw police chief.
Both officers have not returned to work because of their injuries, but the ruling will give them a chance to return. Hill is likely to return to work sooner than Pinter, who continues to recover from the gunshot wound.
“From the officer’s standpoint, they have been patiently awaiting that decision and I’m sure they are pleased to have that decision made today,” Pussehl said.
We could not reach the Jabbari family for comment Wednesday, but we understand the family has hired the Fieger Law Firm, although no lawsuit has been filed yet.
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