David Derbish, a Pittsburgh police detective, sat in a chair before a federal jury Friday and demonstrated what he said happened five years ago when he shot Leon Ford after a Highland Park traffic stop.
Just before his fellow officers began struggling to pull Mr. Ford from his car, he had been standing on the passenger side and said he saw Mr. Ford's right hand reaching for a bulge in his pants he thought might be a gun.
When one of the officers grappled with Mr. Ford, then-Officer Derbish jumped into the car just as he said Mr. Ford's right hand grabbed the gearshift. Detective Derbish said he then grabbed Mr. Ford's hand with his left hand as the car took off. As it sped away with both men inside, Detective Derbish said Mr. Ford put his right hand on his chest as if to shove him.
He drew his gun and shot Mr. Ford five times.
The whole incident, captured on a police cruiser's dashcam video and played repeatedly for the jury this week, happened in a few seconds. Detective Derbish said he was initially concerned about a gun and then afraid the car was going to speed off and kill one of his fellow officers.
"I was trying to control the hand and hold the gearshift in one place," Detective Derbish said.
He said he fired in self-defense as the car careened down the street. He said he still feels "terrible" about the shooting, which left Mr. Ford paralyzed.
Detective Derbish and a fellow officer, Detective Andrew Miller, have been on trial since last week in a civil rights case before U.S. Magistrate Judge Maureen Kelly.
Mr. Ford sued the officers in 2013.
Many of his claims were dismissed. But the case proceeded on a count of excessive force against Detective Derbish and assault against Detective Miller.
The incident happened the night of Nov. 11, 2012. Officer Michael Kosko and his partner, Miller, pulled over Mr. Ford's Nissan Infiniti after they said they saw it speeding and running stop signs.
The officers thought that Mr. Ford might be Lamont Ford, a violent member of the Kelly Street gang in Homewood, because they said the two looked similar and had similar names.
Detective Miller, who also was an officer at the time, called Detective Derbish, who had dealt with Lamont Ford before, to the scene to help them identify the driver.
Mr. Ford testified that the officers seemed fixated on the idea that he was Lamont, who was no relation and had no connection to him, even though he had produced a license, registration and insurance papers identifying him as Leon.
"It just seemed like he wanted me to be Lamont Ford," he said of Officer Kosko, who had been a defendant in the suit but was dismissed.
As the tension escalated, officers Kosko and Miller demanded that Mr. Ford get out of his car. He refused because he said he was scared. Detective Miller then grabbed him. He said Mr. Ford reached for the gearshift to anchor himself to keep from being pulled from the car. It was in that instant that Detective Derbish jumped into the car, leading to the shooting seconds later.
A microphone in the police cruiser recorded the sound of five shots as the Infiniti sped away and wrecked into some steps.
Detectives Derbish and Miller both testified this week about why they thought Leon might be Lamont. Their mindset was revealed in a recorded conversation in Detective Miller's cruiser shortly after Detective Derbish arrived.
The officers are heard comparing the two photos on a computer and talking about how similar they look. They seem unsure at first, with Detective Miller asking several times if Detective Derbish thinks Leon is Lamont. At the end of the conversation, Detective Derbish seems to have made up his mind.
"It's gotta be him," he says as the two exit their car and walk towards the Infiniti.
The trial continues Friday afternoon and next week.
Torsten Ove: tove@post-gazette.com.
First Published: September 29, 2017, 3:40 p.m.