Leroy Whitaker, also known as ATK Scotty, is being tried for the murder of Charles McCormick along with Jacksonville rapper Ksoo.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The prosecution and defense have rested in the trial of Leroy Whitaker, also known as ATK Scotty. He stands trial alongside Jacksonville rapper Ksoo, whose real name is Hakeem Robinson. They are both accused of involvement in the 2020 murder of Charles McCormick.
Whitaker also faces charges related to a violent home invasion following the murder. According to prosecutors, he and another accomplice, Dominique Barner, escaped from the crime scene and broke into a woman’s residence. There, they took her husband’s pajamas to change out of the clothes worn during the shooting.
Ksoo’s father, Abdul Robinson Sr., testified that he was the one who retrieved them from the home. He identified Barner and Whitaker as the individuals present at the crime scene and verified seeing them dressed in “Mountain Dew pajamas.”
The home invasion victim provided testimony about the intrusion and was able to recognize a tattoo on Whitaker’s right arm. However, Whitaker’s attorney, Julie Schlax, pointed out during cross-examination that the victim had previously stated her assailant did not have a tattoo on his right arm.
Barner, who was also involved, has pled guilty. He reached a plea agreement with the state, promising to testify against Whitaker and Robinson to receive a reduced sentence. He acknowledged assaulting the home invasion victim.
On Tuesday, Sgt. Christopher Smith of the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office took the stand, revealing that he was not aware of the home invasion victim’s inability to identify Whitaker in a lineup following the incident.
Whitaker’s attorney, Julie Schlax, argued throughout the trial that her client is not the gunman in the crime and that the only person who would be proven involved in the murder was Barner.
During Barner’s testimony, Schlax asked him if he had lied to the police or attorneys in previous cases, including under oath. He agreed that yes, he had.
Schlax argued that Barner is a violent criminal who was testifying in order to walk free again. Barner is also charged in a second murder, where he was paid to kill someone and shot a bystander by mistake. This case was explained to the jury.
Whitaker’s case is being tried by a separate jury from Robinson. His attorney will deliver her closing argument after all the testimony is complete.
The state has also concluded calling witnesses in Robinson’s case, and Robinson’s team will now call their remaining witnesses.
