Closing arguments begin this morning in the murder trial of Jamaall PRidgett.

On Tuesday, jurors heard testimony from the crime scene technician, toxicologist, medical examiner and captain in charge of the investigation into the murder of Jerome Glover, and the shooting of three other men.

The day ended with testimony from Pridgett, who took the stand to try and convince jurors that he opened fire in the West Street house on Oct. 7, 2008, out of fear for his life. Pridgett said that he was threatened verbally by Martec “Pumpkin” Barkley and that Sadarius “Ronte” Stephens had made a “cutthroat” sign right before Jerome “Cardell” Glover charged him. It was at that point, Pridgett said, that he opened fire, shooting his .22 caliber semiautomatic handgun until it was empty. Glover died from his wounds.

“I was raised in the street, man,” said Pridgett under cross-examination from Assistant District Attorney Clint C. Malcolm. “I wasn't raised how you was raised. Cutthroat is a street sign.”

“You think that gives you the right to open fire on your friends?” questioned Malcolm.

“Does it give me friends a right to say that they are gonna kill me? It's my life too,” argued Pridgett. “...

I'm not no killer. I done got into fights, but I'm not no killer. I'd never killed anyone before,” he said.

“Well you made up for it that day,” countered Malcolm.

The defense called only Pridgett and rested at 5:29 p.m. Closing statements will begin in Newton County Superior Court Judge Eugene Benton's courtroom at 9 a.m. today.

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