slice Bell’s throat, Raphling said.
After several minutes of yelling at one another, Raphling said Bell returned to his shop to finish business for the day.
About an hour later, Bell again encountered Watson on his way to a nearby convenience store. Crazed and violent, Watson then threatened to kill Bell, his family and his dog, Raphling said.
Rattled but convinced Watson was harmless, Bell poured himself a drink back at the repair shop and got ready to head home, Raphling said. Moments later, Raphling said Bell heard someone pull at the door of his office.
When he called out and no one replied, Bell looked out from a window and saw Watson standing by the door holding a small blade, Raphling told jurors.
Bell then grabbed the.357 Magnum he keeps in his file cabinet drawer and went to call police, Raphling said. But when he realized his shop’s bay door was still open, Raphling said Bell heard a noise and immediately assumed Watson was inside.
Bell panicked and ran outside, Raphling said.
Raphling said Watson approached Bell from behind and jumped on him, prompting Bell to unleash a series of rounds that eventually led to Watson’s death about 90 minutes later.
“As (Watson) looks around, he hears ‘F--k, a f--king gun,’” said Raphling, who added that Watson then jumped on Bell. “He’s aiming low, he’s not really seeing through all the smoke and panic. He just wants the guy off of him.
“He’s aiming low, he’s not really seeing through all the smoke and panic.” — — JOHN RAPHLING Bell’s public defender
“Had Mr. Watson not died, then perhaps Mr. Bell would not have lived through this,” Raphling said as he concluded his opening statements to jurors.
Prosecutors tell a different story. Los Angeles Deputy District Attorney Mark Burnley said Bell methodically fired six rounds at Watson, four of which connected with his hip, thigh, knee and calf.
He said witnesses, who at first thought the gunshots were summertime fireworks, saw the entire shooting. Burnley said the witnesses will testify that Watson lay curled up in a fetal position as Bell shot at him.
More than 40 expert and eye witnesses are expected to testify.
Bell is being held on $2 million bail at the Men’s Central Jail in downtown Los Angeles.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on June 13, 2003. Read the original PDF.