Daniel Green was the first witness to take the stand on Tuesday. He told the jury about what happened when he picked up 19-year-old Mubarak Soulemane for a Lyft ride on Jan. 15, 2020.
“He [Mubarak Soulemane] let me know he was purchasing a new phone,” Daniel Green said.
Green said he waited outside an AT&T store in Norwalk for Soulemane. When we got into the vehicle, Green said Soulemane hit him.
“He [Soulemane] asked where we were going, and I said to him 'I don’t know, I have to follow GPS, and GPS let me know where I’m going.' He said to give him the phone, and I said I am not going to give you my phone and then he slapped me,” Green said.
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The rideshare driver pulled into a nearby gas station and got out. He pulled out a legally-owned gun and told Soulemane to get out of his vehicle.
“You got out of your car, and pulled your gun because you were scared,” defense attorney Frank Riccio asked. “Yes, I was,” Green said.
Green said Soulemane refused to get out. Norwalk police officer Daniel Vazquez responded to the scene, where he tried to get Soulemane out of the locked car. Soulemane drove away and led police on a chase.
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State police were able to stop Soulemane in West Haven. State Trooper Brian North shot Soulemane seven times after he displayed a knife.
During both days of the trial, there have been several questions raised by both sides regarding what information was being shared between police.
“Do you recall whether you or some other member of Norwalk PD said during that interaction 'He jacked the Uber, he jacked the Uber,' do you remember someone saying that?” Riccio asked. “I don’t sir,” Vazquez said.
Prosecutors called to the stand a state police commanding officer to discuss the agency’s use of force policy and they introduced several items of evidence from Jan.15 including shell casings, trooper North’s firearm and taser wire.
“The closer the distance, the less effect the taser is going to have,” Connecticut State Police Sgt. Kevin Duggan said.
