null

By Michael Kunzelman Associated Press

UPPER MARLBORO, Md. — A man charged with murder in the friendly-fire shooting death of an undercover police detective testified Wednesday that he was trying to get himself killed when he attacked a Maryland police station and never intended to harm anybody.

Michael Ford, the only defense witness at his trial, said he never saw Prince George’s County detective Jacai Colson before a fellow officer mistakenly shot the plainclothes narcotics detective. But authorities say Ford exchanged gunfire with Colson before Officer Taylor Krauss shot his colleague.

Ford fired up to 23 shots outside the police station but didn’t hit anybody during the videotaped March 2016 ambush.

“I shot low,” he said. “I wasn’t trying to shoot nobody.”

Ford is charged with second-degree murder, attempted murder, assault and other offenses. Prosecutors argue he is legally responsible for Colson’s death even though he didn’t fire the fatal shot because he started the deadly shootout.

His attorney, Antoini Jones, asked him why he opened fire on the police station.

“Because I wanted to die,” Ford said. “And I knew the police kill black men with no problem.”

Ford is black, and so was Colson. Krauss, who is white, wasn’t charged in Colson’s death.

Krauss testified earlier this week that he never saw Colson hold up a badge or heard him identify himself as a police officer before shooting him once in the chest.

Ford, then 22, said he didn’t know his two younger brothers were recording cellphone videos of the ambush after dropping him off at the station in Landover, a suburb of Washington.

One of the videos shows Ford screaming obscenities and shouting, “Do something!” in between shots.

A judge ruled before trial that Ford couldn’t present an insanity defense despite his serious mental-health issues.

Ford said he was hearing voices in his head after he woke up on the morning of the shooting. He said he retrieved a gun from a safe in his car and held it to his head.

“I couldn’t pull the trigger,” he said.

After meeting his brothers at his mother’s home, Ford dictated his last will and testament minutes before they dropped him off at the nearest station. He

A police detective testified in 2016 that Ford’s brothers agreed to film the shooting so the video could be sent to WorldstarHipHop.com, a website known for posting users’ violent videos.

“I had nothing to do with that,” Ford said during a prosecutor’s cross-examination.

Ford’s brothers, Malik and Elijah, pleaded guilty to related charges and await sentencing hearings.

Colson’s parents sued Krauss and Prince George’s County, accusing Krauss of recklessly firing his rifle that day.

Ford shot out the police station’s glass door before firing at and “barely” missing officers who responded, according to a police report. Ford also fired his .40-caliber handgun at passing vehicles, including an ambulance that was hit by his gunfire, the report said.

Colson was a four-year veteran of the department and 28-year-old native of Boothwyn, Pennsylvania.

Ford said he never had any problems with police officers in Prince George’s County before the shooting. He said he respected police.

“When I was homeless, they would buy me food all the time,” he said.

Shares
Share This
0
    0
    Your Cart
    Your cart is emptyReturn to Shop
      Calculate Shipping
      Apply Coupon
      Available Coupons
      admin20 Get $20.00 off $20 off your cart total.
      adminpromo Get 100% off Free item offered by the administrator
      Unavailable Coupons
      adminsubscriptionretiredfirstpayment Get $120.00 off First payment of retired subscription when paid and added manually.
      cabinfree2days Get $90.00 off Get 2 free nights at the cabin.
      cabinfreeweek Get $315.00 off A free week (7 days) at the associated cabin in one contiguous stay at the time of your choice.
      freebassentry Get 100% off
      golf2024robr Get $700.00 off Rob Richardson sponsor amount to cover his foursome. Check given. Tim approved.
      golfsponsor Get 100% off Free admission to the tournament with a golf sponsorship.
      jh$25 Get $25.00 off Jonathon Hall reimbursement for shirt he purchased that was too small.
      ldf1month Get $13.00 off Prorate an LDF membership for 1 month discount
      ntcvendorcomp Get 100% off This coupon entitles the user to a free vendor table at the NTC conference.
      retired10 Get $10.00 off
      retired60 Get $60.00 off This discounts your current year renewal $60 since you already pre-paid $60 towards your renewal for this year.
      spmtc Get 20% off Special 20% Off all Motor T's for a limited time!