Man points to 3 in slaying trial

Was Mario Walls, a member of a street gang called the Bethel Heights Boys, just trying to do the right thing when he agreed to testify against three cohorts in a drive-by shooting that left Paris Whitehead-Hamilton, 8, dead? Or is Walls a snitch trying to avoid the lengthy prison term his former friends face?

Those were the two motivations raised Friday after Walls testified against Dondre Davis, Duong Nguyen and Stephen Harper, all 21. The three are charged with first-degree murder in the girl's death.

Walls, who testified he was driving the car used in the shooting, pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of second-degree murder in December in exchange for his testimony. He acknowledged on the stand Friday he hoped the move would drastically cut his sentence when it is handed down next month.

Walls, now 21, recounted the dispute between two gangs that led to the death of Whitehead-Hamilton on April 5, 2009, in South St. Petersburg.

Walls and the three defendants were members of the Bethel Heights Boys.

At the time of the girl's death, the gang was involved in an ongoing dispute with another gang, the Eight-Hype Boys, Walls testified.

An hour or so before the shooting, the two gangs were involved in a confrontation outside the Uhuru House, which is run by the International People's Democratic UHURU Movement, a black activist group.

According to Walls, the gangs squared off across the street from each other, with each throwing up their gang signs.

One of the the Eight-Hype Boys was Markeath Fielder, also known as Monster, Walls testified. A few weeks earlier, Walls said, he and some of his associates had jumped Fielder, and they thought he was still mad at them.

"All of a sudden someone pulled out a gun and started firing," Walls testified. He identified the shooter as Monster.

Walls and about a half-dozen of his associates took off in two cars, he testified. At first, they went to an address on 20th Avenue South, with Davis pulling a .45-caliber handgun and firing roughly six shots.

A young man was wounded.

Then, they decided to go to what used to be known as Bethel Community Heights apartment complex — now the Citrus Grove apartments — where Harper was known to keep some weapons, Walls testified.

Two assault rifles were retrieved. The four went to 771 Preston Ave. S., where they knew Monster sometimes hung out, Walls said. Paris Whitehead-Hamilton lived there with her aunt and her aunt's two sons, one of whom was a member of Monster's gang.

Walls was asked by Assistant State Attorney Rip Ripplinger what was the plan once they arrived at the address.

"Kill him," Walls replied.

With Walls driving the car, a red Ford Focus, the four pulled up, Walls testified. Davis and Nguyen got out and started shooting, Walls said.

As the four drove off, they were hyped and excited, Walls said. "They'll learn not to mess with Bethel Heights," Walls recalled them saying. They weren't aware until later that Whitehead-Hamilton was fatally wounded.

Defense attorneys brought up Walls' possible reasons for testifying.

In cross-examination, defense attorney Edward Panzica, who represents Davis, confronted him about the deal he made with prosecutors.

"Let's be clear about this," Panzica said. "You're here as a direct result of the deal you received. You're not all of a sudden testifying because you're a good guy."

Walls described his decision to testify as "the best thing to do."

Panzica noted Walls didn't agree to cooperate in the immediate wake of the shooting.

It was only after the charge was reduced to second-degree murder that Walls "come through with all this information," Panzica said.

"I felt like I should cooperate," Walls said.

The trial will resume next week.