Sentence upheld for man convicted of killing bystander during police chase

AMMAN — The Court of Cassation has upheld a February Criminal Court ruling sentencing a man to life in prison after convicting him of shooting and killing a bystander during a police chase in Amman in January 2017.

The court declared the defendant guilty of shooting and killing the man who happened to be in the line of fire between the defendant and a police car that was chasing  him on January 2, and handed him the maximum punishment.

The court also declared him guilty of attempting to murder the two police officers who were chasing him.

Court documents said on the day of the incident, the defendant fired several rounds at a police patrol attempting to stop him, forcing the patrol car to chase him.

“The defendant pulled a gun and fired at the patrol that was chasing him, but instead shot a motorist whose car was trapped between him and the chasing police,” according to the court document.

The victim received a fatal shot to the head that killed him instantly, court transcripts said.

The defendant contested the Criminal Court ruling, claiming that the police shot and killed the victim.

However, the higher court ruled that the Criminal Court followed the proper procedures when sentencing the defendant, and that he deserved the verdict he received. 

“The defendant was the person responsible for killing an innocent bystander and therefore deserves life in prison,” the court ruled.

The Court of Cassation judges included Mohammad Ibrahim, Naji Zu’bi, Bassim Mubeidin, Yassin Abdullat and Majed Azab.