Suspect charged in Melvindale police officer murder fights for reduction of charges

Hearing for accused cop killer in attempt to reduce charges

Michael Lopez, charged in the murder of Melvindale Officer Mohamed Said, appeared in court today with his attorney arguing for a reduced charge of manslaughter. 

FOX 2 - The man accused of killing a Melvindale, police officer appeared in court Friday in an attempt to have his charges reduced.

The backstory:

Michael Lopez's defense attorney filed a motion to reduce the charges in the July 2024 shooting that killed Officer Mohamed Said.

Attorney John McWilliams said his client was not under arrest when he started running and "had a reasonable opportunity to believe he was truly in fear of his life."

McWilliams asked the judge for a charge of involuntary or voluntary manslaughter.

Judge Bridget Mary Hathaway listened to both arguments, taking them under advisement, with a final ruling on March 24.

The interaction started with Said confronting Lopez over a flicked cigarette butt on the street, then ran, leading to a foot chase and eventual struggle.

According to police, Said was responding to a suspicious person call at a car wash near Oakwood and Dix when he spotted Lopez with several bags but no vehicle. Police said the officer went to check to see if Lopez was homeless and needed help, but Lopez ran away.

"Mr. Lopez, feeling that he was free and not under arrest or being charged with anything such as the littering, he chose to leave the area and the officer then decided to chase Mr. Lopez," McWilliams said. "The officer decided to taze Mr. Lopez and with his back on the ground, the officer jumped on top of Mr. Lopez - the officer being in the dominant position on top off Mr Lopez and with his service revolver or weapon."

"Mister Lopez had at that time a reasonable opportunity to believe that he was truly in fear for his life, given the officers aggression."

The prosecutor countered by saying that those events do not transpire in the body-worn camera, arguing that Lopez was littering, and loitering.

She added that instead of handing over an ID, Lopez and a woman he was with, both ran unprovoked — which led to suspicion of a crime afoot. After no stopping, Said used reasonable force with a Taser to apprehend him.

After using the Tazer, the two struggled, but the prosecutor added that Said never pulled out the gun, which can be seen on video.

Related: 

• Melvindale police officer murder suspect confesses to fatal shooting
• Murder suspect accused of killing Officer Mohamed Said headed to trial
• Body worn camera records Melvindale police officer pleading for life before being killed

After a struggle where Lopez took Said's gun from him, the body-worn video allegedly shows the officer plead for his life before being shot in the head.

"Yes, the officer was armed with a weapon, a firearm, but it was never taken out of his holster that day. You could see that from the body-worn camera," she said. "You can see the struggle on the ground, and you can see Mr. Lopez push the officer away on the body-worn camera.

"And then you can see Officer Said actually put his hands up and plead with him saying 'We're good We're good' and that's when this defendant shoots him in the face and kills him."

"Therein lies all the elements to the charges of murder of a police officer."

The prosecutor said the self-defense claim by Lopez is an issue that should come up at trial.

After fleeing the scene, Lopez was arrested in Detroit the next day after a tip led police to him. Prosecutors said Lopez had a knife in his possession, along with drugs, when he was caught in Detroit.

According to information shared during previous court hearings, Lopez also robbed an auto parts store the day before Said's killing.

The next court date will be for the final conference, which will be March 24.

Suspect Michael Lopez. Inset: Slain Officer Mohamed Said.