Cabbie Killer Released on Parole

By Chuck Sudo in News on Apr 25, 2011 3:00PM

A former City Health Department spokesman who was convicted five years ago of murdering a cab driver during a heated, drunken exchange over an $8 fare has been released from prison on parole. Michael L. Jackson was convicted of second-degree murder for the 2005 incident, in which he ran over Haroon Paryani three times with Paryani's own cab.

Jackson, who was a policy and communications specialist with the Health Department's STD/HIV/AIDS division, contended that he acted in self defense and that he was the "victim of a failed system," contending that evidence that could have established a pattern for Paryani's aggressive behavior was not allowed in court. Per ABC 7:

The late Chicago newspaper columnist Mike Royko wrote that a $6 million lawsuit was filed against Paryani by a woman who said he beat her during an argument over cab fare in 1989. A jury found Paryani guilty and he was ordered to pay the woman.

But the jurors in Jackson's case never heard about it. Nor did the jurors hear about the city fining Paryani in 2001 and suspending him for 17 days for discourtesy, abusive behavior and unsafe driving. The judge in Jackson's case did not deem the cases brought on by Paryani to be relevant.

"I think that would have made a huge difference for people to hear that," Jackson said.

Not that that excused Jackson's behavior following Paryani's murder. There was a suicide attempt where Jackson also allegedly spit at and tried to punch a nurse. Jackson's partner at the time defended him by saying either Jackson or Paryani were going to die that night and dueling websites were started to encourage an end to violence by and against cabbies.

Jackson was sentenced to 15 years in prison for Paryani's death, but received time off for good behavior.