DEARBORN, Mich. – It was an emotional day in court Friday for a family who is demanding justice for their son who was shot dead on a basketball court.
Fadi Hassan Faraj, 35, is accused of killing 23-year-old Hassan Zeidan at a Dearborn basketball court in July. Witnesses said Faraj shot Zeidan after he punched Faraj because of an altercation during a basketball game.
The trial was supposed to begin in December, but Faraj's attorney asked for a delay. And last Tuesday, a judge dismissed the case after prosecutor Lisa Screen showed up late because she was working on another homicide case.
But first-degree murder, felonious assault and felony firearm charges were reinstated Friday against Faraj.
"He's not a human being. He's nothing but an animal," said the victim's mother, Mariam Zaidan. "He killed my son, cold-blooded, for no reason, over a stupid little basketball game."
A witness took the stand and gave a detailed moment-by-moment description of what happened on the court.
"I was in shock. I really didn't … everybody just ran," the witness said.
The witness said the two had squabbles about the game and were cussing at one another. That's when, the witness said, Faraj went to his car to get the gun before shooting Zeidan four times.
"He was running. When he shot him, he fell behind the truck," the witness said.
Faraj is due back in court next week for arraignment.
--Fadi Hassan Faraj
-- Hassan Zeidan