Testimony In Murder Trial Begins for Rapper T.I.

Rap star Clifford "T.I." Harris is charged with shooting and killing Philant Johnson, an assistant to T.I. two years ago following a concert appearance in Cincinnati.

He took the stand in a Hamilton County courtroom Friday to testify for the prosecution in the murder trial of 34-year-old Hosea Thomas.

The shooting occurred as T.I. and his entourage were leaving a concert after-party at the Club Ritz. Prosecutors say that T.I. and Johnson were in two vans heading South on Interstate 75, when they were chased by a Jeep Cherokee, when the shooting occurred in May of 2006. T.I.
says his security people tried to keep him away from the fight. Security for the Club Ritz wanted to pull him away, but Harris says he resisted, telling them, "I am straight with you, you should be dealing with what's going on."

"I noticed headlights, you know, trying to get around and get into the lane of oncoming traffic making efforts to pull up along side of us. Basically, me and Ron was having the same conversation that I just told you. 'If a fight brake out, I'm cool. You need to go make sure
everyone else is alright so we can leave. Don't just stand here with me and do nothing.' So Ron and I were having that discussion. And I also noticed headlights and I attempted to bring it to Ron's attention. 'Do you see what's going on around you? Are you looking?' And he said, 'Yeah, I got it, I got it.' He kept talking, kept talking, and before I knew it, shots rang out," the rapper describes.

Three members of T.I.'s entourage were injured during the gun battle between the cars on the interstate. Thomas faces charges of murder and felonious assault, among other charges. T.I. admitted on the stand that he faces federal gun charges in connection with a previous
unrelated incident.

Among the first questions to T.I. was to describe his relationship with Johnson. T.I. says he grew up in Atlanta with Johnson, who he describes as "my oldest living friend." T.I. says Johnson's family and his family knew each other well. Johnson helped arrange personal business for T.I. as well as made touring arrangements for T.I.'s entourage. T.I. also described the fight that broke out at the Club Ritz nightclub in Roselawn before the shooting incident. He told the jury, "At first it started out with 5 to 6 people, then it escalated to 15 to 20 people, then 30."