Day one of Rodney ‘Big Head’ Jennings murder trial

CHATTANOOGA, Tennessee(WDEF) – A 2014 murder case in Chattanooga finally goes to trial.

Rodney Jennings junior, 29, of Chattanooga is on trial for the shooting death of Raphael White.

In day one of the Jennings murder trial, News 12 learned a lot about what happened the night Raphael White was fatally shot inside an East Lake apartment building.

Jurors first heard multiple 911 calls from witnesses. Then the jury heard testimony from Chattanooga Police Officer Caleb Brooks.

“When I walked through the door, I could see shirts on the ground with blood around them. There appeared to be red stains or blood smeared fingerprints on the window seal,” Brooks said.

According to multiple witnesses, Rodney Jennings Jr. was the shooter.

They claimed that on the night of January 28, 2014, Jennings showed up at the East Lake apartment to visit his two children. Then they stated Jennings and White got into a verbal dispute that ended with White beings shot in the chest.

White was transported to Erlanger where he was pronounced dead.

According to authorities, Jennings fled to Memphis where he hid from Chattanooga police for nearly three months. He was captured by federal marshals and brought back to Chattanooga to stand trial for murder; a trial that White’s family says is long overdue.

“I’m glad it’s going to trial because it’s been going on for like 27 months and both families are hurting because of this situation,” said White’s mother, Tina White.

“We’re just glad it’s about to come to an end. It’s been rough and hard. We’re just anxious to hear how everything unfolds but at the same time we don’t want to hear it. It’s a lot,” said White’s aunt Sukitha Burrows.

During the opening statements, the defense attorney argued that Jennings acted in self defense.

The trial is expected to last two more days.