T.I. to Testify in Trial of Friend’s Alleged Killer
T.I. will testify this week in the murder trial of the suspect Hosea Thomas who is charged with the death of his friend and assistant 26-year-old Philant Johnson. The May 2006 incident took place at a Cincinnati club where T.I. was performing.
Although Hosea, 36, is the only suspect charged with murder his brother Padron Thomas, 40, said that he and his friends were at the club the night of T.I.'s performance. An altercation ensued after the men and their friends were turned away from the VIP area of the club that held T.I. and his crew. The rapper and his entourage fled the scene and were followed by another car on the highway. Gunshots were fired, killing Johnson and injuring four other passengers. T.I. was not injured.
Prosecutors claim that Hosea fired the gun while his brother Padron drove the vehicle. Padron told officials that he did in fact operate the vehicle while his brother shot at the car T.I. was in. According to Hosea, one of the passengers in the rapper's car returned fire.
In accordance with his plea deal, murder charges against Padron will be dropped and replaced with the lesser charge of manslaughter. Prosecutors also agreed to let Padron serve his time concurrently with his federal prison sentence.
T.I.'s testimony is expected to aid in the prosecutions case against Hosea. The rapper has publicly stated that the death of his close friend sparked his decision to carry firearms resulting in federal gun charges, which he will serve one year in federal prison for in 2009. His latest album 'Paper Trail' is in stores now.
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