Rapper testifies for prosecution in murder trial

T.I. said the shooting stemmed from a fight at a club.

CINCINNATI (AP) — Rapper T.I. testified Friday that he believes the bullets fired at his entourage during a wild vehicle chase two years ago were meant for him.

The music star took the witness stand in the trial of 34-year-old Hosea Thomas, who is accused of firing the shot that killed Philant Johnson during a gunbattle on Interstate 75.

“All of those rounds were fired for me, in my opinion,” he said, adding that he later apologized to Johnson’s mother when he called her with the news.

Testifying for the prosecution, T.I. described seeing Johnson, whom he called his oldest and best friend, after their van pulled over. He said Johnson was lying lifeless, blood running down his face from a shot into his left temple.

Johnson was an assistant to T.I., the stage name of Grammy Award winner Clifford Harris.

The rapper said Johnson’s duties included waking him up in the morning, packing his clothes and taking care of his personal business.

T.I., 28, said he and Johnson had grown up together in Atlanta and their families were close friends.

The shooting occurred following a post-concert party at a club May 3, 2006. T.I. said he and his entourage were in a VIP section when a fight broke out after someone became angry when denied entrance to the VIP area.

The rapper said the fight escalated from about five or six people to 30 or more. At that point, he and his entourage left and drove off in vans.

T.I. said he then spotted headlights of a vehicle that seemed to be trying to move up alongside his van.

“Before I knew it, shots rang out,” said T.I, acknowledging someone returned fire from his van as he took cover. He didn’t identify any shooters.

T.I. wasn’t harmed, but three others were injured. T.I. testified that he received no response when he called out Johnson’s name.

He said he told Johnson’s mother what happened and apologized to her.

“I didn’t really say much after that,” he said. “There wasn’t much else to say.”

After calling Johnson’s mother, T.I. said he talked to Johnson’s young daughter, whom he said was 4 or 5 years old.

“I told her that he was gone to a better place and he won’t be coming back. And I told her how much he loved her,” he said.

T.I., dressed in jeans, a shirt and a sports coat, spoke calmly and directly for a little more than half an hour on the stand in a packed, small courtroom in the Hamilton County courthouse. The judge cautioned everyone against making any outbursts or trying to take photos with a cell phone.

Prosecutors say Thomas’ brother has identified him as the shooter. Padron Thomas was driving a Jeep that reportedly chased the vans used by T.I. and his entourage.

Prosecutors have said that Hosea Thomas became angry when he was hit in the head with a liquor bottle in the club, and he and his brother chased the rapper’s vans, shooting into them.

Hosea Thomas’ attorney said Padron Thomas is testifying against his brother to earn a lesser sentence on federal charges.

T.I. has had his own legal problems.

He was sentenced to one year in prison on federal weapons charges after his arrest in October 2007 before the BET Hip-Hop Awards in Atlanta for reportedly trying to buy automatic weapons. He is to start his sentence in March 2009 after completing 1,000 hours of community service.

T.I.’s latest CD, “Paper Trail,” debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Top 200 album charts and has produced two No. 1 singles, “Whatever You Like” and “Live Your Life” featuring Rihanna.