Murder suspect testifies in his own defense; Jennings claims self-defense

CHATTANOOGA, Tennessee(WDEF) – A Chattanooga gang member on trial for murder surprised the court and every news outlet covering the case when he got up and testified in his own defense.

In day three of the Rodney Jennings murder trial, Jennings testified as to why he killed Raphael White back in January of 2014 inside an East Lake apartment.

Jennings and his attorney were arguing to the court that Jennings acted in self-defense when he killed Raphael White. Jennings and White were opposing gang members who had beef with each other long before White was shot to death.

White and several other people including Jennings’ ex-girlfriend and one of his two children were in the apartment.  He said he came to the apartment pick up his child.  Jennings told the court that prior to the shooting, He and White got into a verbal argument about an incident involving Jennings’ ex-girlfriend.

“I put my hands up and said look, I don’t want any trouble. When I said I don’t want any trouble, he said well if you don’t want any problems, then it’s about to be some problems.”

Jennings told the court he found himself in imminent danger when he noticed White had a gun in his pants.

“When he went to reach for that firearm, I did a quick sidestep to the left and I pulled out my firearm; as I’m doing this, it was all in one motion, I raised my hand and squeezed. And that was it.”

Then he described the moment right after White was hit.

“He couldn’t take a step. He just fell back.”

White was shot in the chest and later died at Erlanger Hospital. Meanwhile, Jennings went into hiding for three months until he was captured in Memphis.

Jennings’s, a convicted felon who is barred from legally owning a gun told the jury that his actions were self-defense. He also reflected on the moment he took a life.

“I shot somebody. I never shot anyone before. I had to use that kind of force to defend myself. I never had to do that so I never experienced anything like that.”

News 12 will have an update on the case later tonight.

Click here to read previous story on Jennings Murder Trial