DETROIT (WXYZ) — Murder suspect Michael Lopez’s lover testified on the second day of testimony during his trial, as well as officers who came to Cpl. Mohamed Said's aid after he was shot.
Said was gunned down July 21, 2024. Lopez's attorney claims his client was acting in self-defense.
Watch Darren Cunningham's video report below:
It was an emotional day on the stand for those officers. Retired Dearborn police officer Jennifer Janiga held backs tears when she recalled seeing "facial injuries" on Said.
Janiga had just escorted the ambulance that carried Said to the hospital.
The prosecutor asked Janiga, "What, if anything, did you do when Mohammed was in the trauma bay?"
"I took custody of his vest, his camera and his clothing," she replied.
During that time, police were searching for a suspect. Authorities caught Lopez one day later. They say Lopez’s lover, Rebecca Davis, was with him moments before the shooting.
The judge told news media not to show Davis' face as she testified. The prosecutor asked Davis if she remembers Lopez having a gun on him.
Davis said "no" and that she was doing drugs at the time and suffers memory loss.
However, the prosecutor read back Davis’ contradicting testimony from the preliminary hearing in August 2024.
The prosecutor said “I asked you 'do you recall what kind of gun it was?' And I asked 'did you see it?' And you said previously 'yes.' Do you recall that?"
Davis said "no, I don’t. I don’t recall any statements.'”
Watch our previous coverage of the second day of proceedings when the jury was seated:
During Wednesday's testimony, Davis recalled the moments before the shooting. She claims Said pulled up on her and Lopez at the car wash because Lopez littered a cigarette butt, then Lopez took off running.
Davis stayed put and said she only remembers that she called her kids and her husband during the foot chase.
Watch our previous report of the community support for Cpl. Said below:
The prosecutor asked her “when the officer ran after the defendant, did you hear anything at all?"
"I heard one gunshot," Davis recalled.
The prosecutor asked "did you know where it was coming from at all?"
Davis said "no. I didn’t know who it came from. I didn’t know where it came from. I didn’t know who shot.”
Melvindalle officer Mohamed Hacham testified that officers were on alert for a suspect fitting Lopez's description tied to two recent robberies, including one in Lincoln Park and another in Melvindale.
