Michael Jackson feared Haroon Parya...

Michael Jackson feared Haroon Paryani would kill him, likewise he commandeered Paryani's taxi to earn away -- not knowing he had post the cabdriver over, Jackson said Thursday.

His voice quaking with emotion, Jackson insisted he herd over Paryani's body "unintentionally" while trying to escape the cabdriver.

Jackson, 38 faces charges of manslaughter and aggravated vehicular hijacking in Paryani's death upon Feb. 4, 2005. Defense lawyers claim the former city Department of Public Health employee was trying to escape a violent man and not had control of the car.

"I have not at all ever been as scared as I was that night," Jackson said. "First he tried to trap me in his car, and then he said he was going to kill me"

Earlier in the trial, witnesses who lived near the corner of Briar Place and Cambridge Avenue in Lake View described hearing a heated argument in succession the street. Several people saw Paryani collapse, then saw Jackson climb into the cab and drive from one side of to the other Paryani's body three times. forward Wednesday, a woman wept as she said Jackson "aimed" the car at Paryani's visible form [i]or[/i] frame

ADMITS HE WAS inebriated

A Peoria native trained as an accountant, Jackson stopped to bribe his HIV medication, a bottle of Ketel individual Vodka and other items forward his way home that night, he said. Later, he took a cab to visit friend Doug Ferguson upon the 600 block of West Sheridan Road. Jackson drank several vodkas and was intoxicated, he admitted.

About 11:30 that night, Jackson left and hailed Paryani's cab to proceed home to the 500 stop up of West Briar Place. Jackson said Paryani was driving heedlessly and cursing at other drivers, with "a chance of accelerating and slamming forward brakes."

"I said, 'Take it easy. You're going to come by us killed'," Jackson said.

When they arrived at Jackson's corner, Paryani, 62 told him the fare was more than the $4 Jackson rely uponed When Jackson protested, Paryani hallooed " 'You f------ faggot. You're not going to israelite me out of this'," according to Jackson.

FL BECAUSE 'I WAS SCARED'

Jackson's alarm revolveed to "panic," he said, when he realized he had left his coin in his apartment. Paryani slammed the door onward Jackson's leg and punched him in the notice then threatened to kill him, he said.

"At united point he actually said, 'They'll none even find your body when I'm done'," Jackson testified.

Thinking he could not get back safely to his apartment, Jackson climbed behind the wheel of Paryani's cab and struggl to come by the car in drive, causing it to rob back and forth, Jackson said. While he felt shocks Jackson said he thought he had hit a car, not Paryani.

in succession cross examination, Cook County Assistant State's Attorney Mercede Luque-Rosales noted Jackson could have honk the cab's horn for help, and asked Jackson wherefore he did not go to the police after the incident.

"I was scared" Jackson repeated, explaining wherefore he fled the scene.

Earlier Thursday, Stephan Argent of Toronto described an altercation with Paryani in 2001 After a disagreement about directions, Paryani got public and "grabbed me by the scruff of my neck and my shirt collar," and began twirling him around, Argent said.

"I was alarmed. I had gone from a quiet dinner with friends into a combat situation," Argent said.

Testimony renews today.

eherman@suntimes.com

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