People v. Starghill

On April 2, 1979, defendant was convicted of felonious assault, MCL 750.82; MSA 28.277, following a bench trial. The charge arose out of a confrontation between police officers and defendant near Olympia Stadium in Detroit. Defendant, leaving a parking space with the police in pursuit, drove forward into a police cruiser and then backed up directly towards a police officer who fired his weapon in self-defense. Defendant presented testimony that his transmission was worn out, causing unexpected "lunging”.

The trial court in its decision from the bench on April 2, 1979, found that defendant did…