Short Hills Mall carjacking murder trial opens with widow's gripping testimony
SHORT HILLS, New Jersey (WABC) -- The widow took the stand in the murder trial of one of four men charged in the killing of her husband during a 2013 carjacking at The Mall at Short Hills in Millburn, New Jersey.
Basim Henry, 36, of South Orange is charged with murder and other offenses in the fatal shooting of Dustin Friedland of Hoboken.
Friedland's widow, Jamie, took the stand to give gripping, emotional testimony about what happened on the night of December 15, 2013.
Friedland said the couple went to get a new computer and have dinner to celebrate their anniversary and purchase of a new condo.
As they went back to their vehicle in the parking garage, Friedland said she got into the passenger seat, then turned to see her husband standing between two men.
"I saw him put the gun to Dustin's head and I heard bang bang chhh, and then the window shattered," she testified. "I couldn't get my seat belt undone... I didn't know - am I supposed to hide between the dashboard and the seat? You don't know what to do in these situations and it was so fast. And (the gunman) opens the car door, he leans in, he points the gun at my head and he said 'get out of the --- car ---.'"
Friedland got out and saw her husband laying in a pool of blood. Then attackers drove away.
Jamie Friedland says it took a half hour for help to arrive and the ambulance was too big to make it to the parking deck where her husband was bleeding to death from the gunshot to the head. Dustin Friedland died later at the hospital.
Basim Henry, who was arrested later in Easton, Pa., is charged along with Karif Ford, Kevin Roberts and Hanif Thompson. Henry allegedly drove the getaway car.
