Witness says she saw McCray shoot three people

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) - A witness who testified Monday in the trial of accused City Grill shooter Riccardo McCray says she saw McCray pull the trigger on at least three victims.

It was another day of dramatic testimony in Erie County Court. During direct examination by prosecutors, Rickita Latham of Buffalo testified that she saw Riccardo McCray shoot at least three people out front of City Grill last August.

Latham, who at one point was overcome by emotion, says she took cover behind a car and that McCray was shooting while running across the street. At one point, she says she heard one of the victims plead with McCray, "Please don't kill me."

She identified McCray in court and told jurors she was certain that it was McCray who fired a gun that night. Defense attorney Joseph Terranova tried picking apart Latham's credibility by pointing out that she's currently attending drug court and has an arrest record involving larcenies.

Meanwhile, a Charlotte, North Carolina man was called to testify. Haywood Ticking told jurors he drove McCray back to Buffalo from North Carolina after being introduced to McCray by another man who was involved with McCray's sister. Ticking says the three men drove back to together. He also testified that during the ten-hour car ride to Buffalo, the City Grill shootings never came up in conversations.

Also taking the stand today, former Erie County forensic pathologist Dr. Mark LeVaughn, who testified that one of the victims, Willie McCaa, died of a gunshot wound to the back of the head and that McCaa was found with alcohol, marijuana, cocaine, and ecstasy in his system.

Also on Monday, several excerpts of jail house phone calls made by McCray were played for jurors. On one of the calls, McCray could be heard saying, "I'm done with this, if I make it through. If I don't, it is what it is. You make your bed, you lay in it."

The trial resumes Tuesday morning.