Attorney: Explanations Monday for Dropping Jennings Charges

Hassan Ahmad, the lawyer for a taxi driver who accused Darien resident William Bryan Jennings of assaulting him in a fare dispute, says the prosecutor expects to explain in court Monday why charges are being dropped.

"The case hasn't been dismissed yet," said Ahmad, who represents Mohammed Ammar, an Egyptian-American taxi driver who drove Jennings to Darien late last December, when the two got into a physical tussle over the cab fare. Ammar wound up with bloody, cut fingers from the small pen knife Jennings had with him.

"I'm actually hoping that they change their minds," before the court hearing, Ahmad said, referring to prosecutors in state Superior Court in Stamford.

Right up until last Friday, Ahmad said, prosecutors were telling his client that they expected to go to trial on Oct. 15. "As late as the last week in September, I got a call from the prosecutors [who said] ... everything was moving along."

When his client was told of the change in plans, according to Ahmad, the prosecutor, Steven Weiss, said "he's going to be laying out his reasons on the 15th."

In past months, Ahmad said, "The defense made all kinds of motions to have this case dismissed. The prosecutor told us they've defeated these motions. They certainly never told us anything of this nature—not even close."

Ahmad said he will wait until Monday to comment further on the case. Eugene Riccio, Jennings' lawyer, has also said he will wait until Monday to comment.

Editor's note: See also Darien Patch's past coverage of the case:

• Darien Exec Charged with Assaulting Cabbie (March 3)

• Jennings Pleads Not Guilty (March 9)

• Jennings Case: No Charges for Cabbie (March 10)

• Jennings' Lawyer: Police Made False Statements (March 30)

• Charges Dropped Against Jennings in Taxi Case (Oct. 12)