The witness, who is not being identified for her protection, also testified that Stargell introduced himself to her as "Sam" hours before the killing, and told her he went to Nickles' business because somebody had robbed Nickles earlier.
Stargell, 23, of Dayton, is facing death-penalty eligible murder counts for reportedly killing Nickles at his business, Quality One Electric, 838 S. Main St., on April 2, 2012. In all, he's facing 22 charges that includes attempting to set fire to Nickles' business, grand theft auto and taking surveillance equipment.
The trial, being held in the Montgomery County Common Pleas Court, is in its second week, and is expected to last up to a month. If Stargell is found guilty of aggravated murder specifications, there will be a penalty phase for jurors to determine whether he should be put to death.
Prior to witness testimonies on Wednesday, prosecutors showed jurors a surveillance video of Nickles being shot in the head by someone they say is Stargell. Several jurors gasped or covered their mouths as they watched the video. Nickles' relatives cried in the gallery as prosecutors showed footage of Stargell also shooting the man's dog Rusty and taking cash, guns and a television from Nickles' business as his body is slumped in a chair behind his desk.
The courtroom was mostly silent as the 12 jurors and four alternates watched hours of video-only surveillance footage from eight cameras showing Stargell and Nickles drinking, doing what witnesses said was smoking methamphetamine, shaking hands and looking at guns.
Video from earlier in the evening the night of the killing shows two women and a man with Nickles and Stargell in the office. Later, a different man comes into the office and throws some money on Nickles' desktop as all shake hands, smile and talk.
Stargell's cousin, Gerald Pendergrass, testified that the night Nickles was shot, Stargell called Pendergrass on his sister's phone asking for help.
Pendergrass, who is incarcerated on unrelated charges, met him at his own residence where Stargell had driven Nickles' van to, and they went back to the dead man's business.
When asked what Stargell's demeanor was when Stargell told him to go into Nickles' office to see his body, Pendergrass said, "laughing, smiling."
Pendergrass, who said he ran away from the scene that night, also testified that Stargell later threatened him by saying if he tells anyone else about the dead man that "he'd kill me and my family."
During opening statements Monday in Judge Gregory Singer's courtroom, Stargell's attorneys said their client acted in self-defense during the alleged robbery attempt.
"Just moments before Anthony shoots Tommy Nickles in an office that you can see is full of guns, that Tommy Nickles is reaching for something in the desk," defense attorney Marshall Lachman said. "It is precisely at the moment that Tommy Nickles is reaching for something on the desk, Anthony shoots Tommy Nickles."
The video showed Nickles did reach for something on the desk, as he did numerous other times during the video. Nickles picked up money, cigarettes, his mobile phone and paperwork at different times during hours of footage.
After the shooting, surveillance video shows Stargell removing cash from Nickles' desk, something from Nickles' pocket, at least two long guns and the TV. Footage also showed Stargell and Pendergrass wearing rubber gloves and carrying towels in the office and business' garage.
Singer hasn't ruled on a defense motion to dismiss the jury due to its racial makeup, which includes two African-American women and no African-American men among the 12 jurors and four alternates.
The trial is expected to resume this morning.
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