Testimony, Day Three

Another witness, a customer inside TGI Fridays is first on the stand this morning. His name is Shawn. None of the reporters here could catch a last name. It would be really helpful to us if the witnesses would spell out their names when they sit down. I think helpful to the jury as well, since many of them are taking down notes.

He says Jamal Woods was wearing a black shirt that said, "Who's the Boss?" He says this made Woods stand out when he came in.

We believe his name is Shawn Gatlin.

Larry Morgan, defense attorney, on cross-examination, began reading the same transcript from yesterday to Gatlin. It's a transcript of what was supposedly said between Jamal Woods and Tank Beavers. Morgan read it several times yesterday to witnesses to ask if they heard any of this exchange. The prosecution objected to this being read, because Gatlin said he heard no words that were exchanged. Judge Hamitlon sent the jury out, and then decided Morgan can continue to read this transcript.

Josh McCulley is on the stand now. He was on a first date on the night of the shooting at TGI Fridays. When the prosecutor asked McCully if he was still dating the girl, he responded, "Nooooooo!", and the courtroom filled with laughter. He said when he saw the shots fire, he got up and ran.

Shooting victim Tim Reliford is on the stand.

Reliford was a waiter at another restaurant at the time of the shooting. He had stopped by TGI Fridays after work.

He had ordered a beer, and was about to order dinner, when he was shot. Reliford was actually hit in the face, by the same bullet that killed Tank Beavers.

He said there was a lot of noise in the bar at the time of the shooting. He was sitting there. Took a sip of his beer. And turned to talk to a lady next to him and heard a pop and all of a sudden he saw a puff of smoke. His eyes water and the next thing he was was chair legs.

When he hit the floor, he says blood started filling his eyes and he felt a sting. He says his ears were ringing badly. He was shot on the left side of his face.

Reliford is showing his injuries to the jury.

Court is in recess.

Court is back in session. Tim Reliford is under cross-examination.

"Tory" Rogers is on the stand now. He was also a victim during the shootings.

Rogers says he heard Jamal Woods say, "What the F*ck are you doing talking to my wife?" He says Tank Beavers responded, "That is my MF cousin."

Rogers says he saw Thurston Turner on the floor, with blood coming out of his mouth. And he heard Tasha Lucas saying, "Tank is dead! Tank is dead!"

Rogers was shot in the back and eventually passed out.

He remembers thinking that he would not be alive to see his new baby born.

Rogers was in the hospital 31 days.

Court is in recess until 1:15

Court is back in session. Tory Rogers is still on the stand being cross-examined.

Roger's testimony contradicts other testimony as to where everyone was sitting in the restaurant during the shooting.

Ebonee Coffman is on the stand. She called police to tell them where Jamal Woods was hiding.

Harold Hutchison is now on the stand. He is a retired crime scene investigator for HPD. He worked the scene on December 17, 2006.

Hutchison says he found the body of Tank Beavers lying on the floor, with a pool of blood under his head. The three other victims had been taken to the hospital.

Sorry for the delay. We have been in a break in testimony. Harold Hutchison is still on the stand.

There is some sort of dispute about whether or not the jury should be allowed to see photos of the crime scene. The jury has been sent to the jury room while this is worked out.

We are still waiting. I am going to have to leave soon to go back to the station and get ready for WHNT NewsChannel 19 at Five.