Prosecutor Cho asked Aaliyah to walk the jury through that July afternoon. In a quiet, clear voice, Aaliyah described the walking light, the terrifying roar of the police horn, and the sudden, painful grab that slammed her face against the hot glass.
"How did it feel when he pushed you against the car?" Cho asked gently.
"It felt like my skin was burning," Aaliyah whispered, her eyes shining with tears. "I tried to turn my face away so it wouldn't hurt, but he pushed harder and told me I was fighting him. I wasn't fighting. I was just scared."
During cross-examination, defense attorney Sloan attempted to suggest that Aaliyah had pulled away from the officer, creating the appearance of resistance. But Aaliyah met his gaze without flinching.
"I moved my face because the window was burning hot, sir," she said clearly. "If he had just asked me my name instead of grabbing me, I would have told him. He never gave me a chance."
Sloan sat down, unable to break her composure.
Then, against the advice of his legal team, Trent Mallerie took the stand in a desperate attempt to salvage his defense. He tried to convince the jury that he acted out of genuine concern for officer safety. But during cross-examination, Prosecutor Cho produced the ultimate trap: Mallerie's own phone records and bodycam audio.
Cho played the clip where Mallerie mocked Aaliyah, saying "Kids like you learn the hard way," followed by his text message to Dwire: 'Got a loud juvenile stop... no cuffs, minimal contact.'