Endia Kaver remembered the moment three years ago when James Austin was shot to death - her boyfriend, Raheem Currie is now on trial for murder
TRENTON - The last thing Raheem Currie's girlfriend thought before she heard the gunfire was, "Lord, don't let this get out of hand."
Moments later, she, Currie and the shooter, Robert Bartley, were fleeing the scene as James Austin, the son of a retired Trenton police officer, lay dying on the floor of an East State Street house.
Endia Kaver, 24, recalled the story in court Wednesday as she testified at the murder trial of her longtime boyfriend, Currie, 23. Mercer County Prosecutors believe Currie and Bartley conspired to kill Austin on Feb. 26, 2013 after the latter got into a fight with Currie earlier that day.
Bartley has since confessed to the shooting and pleaded guilty to manslaughter, but Currie maintains his innocence in the crime.
Kaver discussed the fight that instigated the shooting. She said she, Currie and another man were driving through Trenton earlier on the day of the shooting when they spotted Austin. Suddenly Currie turned the car around, got out and started arguing with Austin, Kaver said.
"They were tussling," she said, adding that it didn't look like a serious fight until Austin jumped on the hood of the car Currie was driving and kicked the windshield in.
In turn, Currie grabbed a steering wheel lock and threw it through Austin's windshield, Kaver said. Currie, Kaver and the third person fled the scene and Currie asked to use Kaver's phone, claiming he was going to call his mother, she said.
But instead he called Bartley. Kaver said she didn't hear the conversation between the two men but that they picked up Bartley a short time later.
Trial starts in killing of ex-cop's son
"(Bartley) said he would just ask (Austin) about the windows," Kaver said, adding that she didn't see Bartley holding a gun when he got into the car.
When they arrived at the East State Street house - which was home to Austin's girlfriend - Bartley got out of the car and said he was going to, "spray the place up."
"I didn't know what he meant," Kaver said, but added that she immediately hoped it wouldn't get, "out of hand."
Bartley and Austin argued at the door of the house before Kaver said she heard a shot go off. Moments later, Bartley was back in the car and the group sped off.
"He said, 'don't say anything,'" Kaver remembered.
Gary Britton, a retired detective with the Trenton Police Department, was one of the first at the scene. He also testified in court this week, saying he arrived to the East State Street house to find Austin lying on the floor with no pulse and no signs of life.
"I lifted his shirt and saw a hole in his chest area below his chin," Britton said. He added there were no signs of blood around Austin's body or on his shirt.
Britton identified Austin as the son of a retired police officer - a description that Superior Court Judge Pedro Jimenez objected to.
Jimenez told jurors that the "status of the victim and who he may be related to," had no bearing on the case.
"That is not to factor into your decision," Jimenez said.
Anna Merriman may be reached at amerriman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @anna_merriman Find The Times of Trenton on Facebook.