Murder accused: ‘I had no choice but to stab Hassan’
DEFENDANT TELLS COURT HOW THE TEENAGER HAD LUNGED AT HIM WITH A KNIFE
A TEENAGER accused of murdering a neighbour in the street said he was left with “no choice” when he fatally stabbed him during a confrontation.
Ishaq Hassanjee denies murdering 19-year-old Hassan Jama, who died from a single knife wound to the chest that penetrated his heart.
It happened near both their homes in Bartholomew Street, Highfields, in the early hours of Saturday, July 18 last year.
Injured Mr Jama ran a short distance to nearby Cedar Road, where he collapsed and died despite “significant efforts” to save him, Leicester Crown Court was told.
Prosecutors say 18-year-old Hassanjee unlawfully attacked Mr Jama after an argument and that he was not acting in self-defence. The accused and the dead man were known to each other.
Hasanjee had earlier been injured in an incident resulting in him going to Leicester Royal Infirmary, that had not involved Mr Jama.
Giving evidence in his defence, Hassanjee said that after leaving hospital he had a disagreement with a friend who was present during the earlier incident, because the friend had not helped him at the time.
Hassanjee said after sorting out the disagreement with his friend, he was walking into Bartholomew Street with his brother when Mr Jama came running up to them and asked him whether he had “a problem” with the friend who had not assisted him earlier.
Hassanjee claimed Mr Jama was “angry” and produced a knife that he swung towards his brother, although he was unsure if it made contact.
The defendant said he “backed away”, telling Mr Jama to “chill out” because they were opposite his (Hassanjee’s) family home and people were watching.
He claimed Mr Jama said: “I don’t care.”
Hassanjee added: “He stepped towards me, I grabbed my knife from the sheath. As he’s moved towards me, I’ve moved towards him as well.”
He demonstrated Mr Jama making an overarm swing with a knife in his right hand, saying: “It made contact with the side of my head. I’ve a lot of hair and I was wearing my hoodie.”
Defence barrister, Leonard Smith QC, then produced the defendant’s hoodie, wrapped in police packaging, which was said to have a bloodstained area with a slit mark in the side of the hood. It was shown to the jury.
Mr Smith asked: “Is that where the knife may have hit you?”
“Yes,” said Hasanjee, “I stabbed him because at that point he gave me no other choice.
“As he made contact with me I stabbed him and stepped back. He is still in the motion coming for me.
“I literally, as he’s there, pulled my knife out and stabbed him.
“He was making contact with me and I had to do it.
“I didn’t have a moment to think about it.”
Mr Smith said: “Have you ever (previously) used or threatened to use that knife?”
“No,” said Hassanjee.
Mr Smith said: “Why use it on this man?”
“Because he was trying to stab me,” said Hassanjee.
The defendant said he sometimes carried a knife for protection, having previously been threatened himself. Mr Smith asked Hasanjee: “Do young men carry knives in that area?” “Yes,” said the defendant.
The jury heard that the defendant admitted a charge of possessing a knife on the night of the alleged murder. Earlier, the prosecutor, Michael Duck QC said that during the argument with Mr Jama, the defendant “drew his weapon and used it immediately.”
Hasanjee was arrested shortly afterwards and the weapon was found in a nearby shed.
A second knife was found near the spot where Mr Jama collapsed, the court heard.
The trial continues.
The defendant said he sometimes carried a knife for protection, having previously been threatened himself