Second victim takes the stand during the murder trial in the capital Gulfport

GULFPORT, Miss. (WLOX) – The man accused of robbing three defendants with handguns as part of a drug deal gone wrong took the witness stand Wednesday.

Garrett White met Erick Hunt and Richard “Drako” Norman III in a Gulfport courtroom. White is currently incarcerated on drug charges and was on probation at the time of the alleged crimes.

According to his statement, he and his childhood friend Anthony Oatis were at the Murphy’s gas station near Walmart on Highway 49 around 4 p.m. on June 27, 2022. White had used Facebook Messenger to chat with Norman, who he said that he had conducted drug transactions with him in the past. At about the same time, Norman was driving Hunt’s Dodge Challenger with the third defendant, Eric Chopin, in the back seat. White said he and Oatis made plans to buy weed from Hunt and Norman. They agreed to meet later that day.

RELATED: The ongoing murder trial following a drug deal in June 2022 ended fatally in Gulfport

Around 6 p.m., White said he and Oatis arrived in the area of ​​C Avenue and 31st Street, where Hunt, Norman and Chopin were already waiting in the Challenger. White told the jury he got out of Oatis’ gold Buick LaSalle. At the same time, Norman left Hunt’s Challenger. White then got into the Challenger and said Hunt had two book bags.

“He goes to show me the grass. I see a book bag. . . There’s weeds in there, but the other book bag was stuffed with clothes,” he told prosecutors.

Calling that a red flag, White said he then got out of the Challenger, but Hunt and Chopin pursued him with handguns. He said Norman got into Oatis’ car at the same time and argued with him over a handgun.

Taking the stand Tuesday, Eric Chopin admitted taking about $2,300 and an iPhone from White while pointing a gun at him. Then, Chopin said, Hunt went to the Buick LaSalle, where Oatis and Norman were arguing over a gun. Then Hunt raised his own gun and pulled the trigger, Chopin said. Oatis then put the car in reverse.

RELATED: Third suspect arrested in connection with murder and armed robbery in Gulfport (August 15, 2022)

White told the jury he ran away after the robbery. Security camera footage from a nearby store shows White running down the street.

The defenders tried to paint a different picture. They questioned White’s motives and insinuated that he and Oatis were trying to rob Hunt and Norman. They also pointed out that White did not respond to Gulfport police and that White did not tell investigators what actually happened until the next day.

Eric Chopin, the third defendant in the case, pleaded guilty to lesser charges of manslaughter and armed robbery as part of an agreement with the district attorney’s office.

The trial of Hunt and Norman continues Thursday.

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