The ominous sound of sliding metal and the 9 mm semi-automatic pistol was cocked and ready to deliver death to two Athens cousins out for a night of drinks and dinner at T.G.I. Friday’s Dec. 17, 2006.

Chauncey Davis was seated at the table with Jamal Woods, who had just returned to the restaurant after a few minutes’ absence. Davis said the sound of a gun cocking came from under the table and he knew what it was because he had fired such a handgun at Larry’s Pistol & Pawn himself on many occasions.

Woods, 23, is on trial for capital murder in the shooting deaths of Tanqueray “Tank” Beavers, 21, and Thurston Turner, 27, both of Athens. He also is accused of attempted murder in the serious wounding of Autoro “Tory” Rogers of Athens and bystander William “Tim” Reliford of Hazel Green.

According to witnesses, the shootings were spurred by the Athens group’s disrespect of Woods when they disregarded him in favor of greeting his wife, Athens native Rotesia Horton Woods.

Davis told jurors in the fourth day of testimony in the courtroom of Madison County Circuit Judge Laura Hamilton that he had accompanied Woods, his wife, and another friend, Brandon Rucker, to the restaurant after Woods offered to buy them all dinner.

The four had been seated at a table by the door and they ordered a round of drinks. Rotesia had to order Jamal’s drink because he had forgotten to bring identification.

Davis, a Drake College student, said he had known Woods for about eight months. “But I really ‘tough hung’ around him for about five months before that,” Davis said, using a slang term.

He said everyone was in a good mood. Davis said he noticed a group of about four men waving and calling to Rotesia from the bar area. The people at the bar were Beavers, Thurston, Rogers and Terrence Williams.

“I got her attention because I heard them call her name,” said Davis. “I didn’t know their names.”

Davis asked Rotesia if she knew the man who waved.

“She told Jamal it was someone she went to school with,” said Davis.

“Did you hear Rotesia say to Jamal ‘Not like that’?” asked defense attorney Larry Morgan. “Did Jamal say, ‘Not like that? What do you mean, not like that?’”

Davis said he didn’t hear that exchange between the couple nor did he hear Woods say to Rotesia, “They see you’re not waving back, why don’t they turn around?”

Davis denied that Woods was angry, but said he was “real to hisself – like he had something on his mind.”

He did recall Woods saying to Rotesia, “So, they don’t have any reason to be speaking to you?” and Rotesia answering, “They didn’t speak to me in school, there’s no reason for them to be speaking to me now.”

Davis said Woods told the Athens men to, “Chill out. This is my wife.”

Morgan asked him if he heard Woods holler at the Athens men, “What the (expletive) is up? Can’t you see she’s not waving? Why don’t you just turn around?”

He also asked him if he heard the Athens men holler back, “(Expletive) you, you ain’t s***?”

“He just told them to chill out,” said Davis.

“Did you hear Jamal say to them, ‘Slow your roll, boy, can’t you see I’ve got this iron on you?’” the attorney asked.

Davis said, “They just blew it off.”

Davis said that Woods got up from the table and left the restaurant. Rotesia sent Brandon Rucker out to see if he was OK. Rucker returned without Woods.

Woods returned a few minutes later and sat down at the table and that’s when Davis said he heard the cocking of a gun.

Assistant District Attorney Shauna Barnett called Rotesia Woods to the stand. She testified that she and Woods were married on Sept. 28, 2004, after meeting when they were students at Alabama A&M; University. Neither graduated from that school.

The couple has two sons, ages 4 and 3. She admitted that Woods supported his family by selling drugs.

Barnett asked Rotesia what Woods’ demeanor was after he returned to the restaurant.

“He was upset,” she said. “It was like I’m fixing to go up there and see what’s going on.”

She acknowledged that Woods shoved her shoulder as he got up to confront the men at the bar.

She said she called to Woods to come back and sit down and then tried to get Davis and Rucker to go up to the bar and get him, but they declined.

“He asked me if he (Tank) was my cousin. I said no and there were a few more words going back and forth and the next thing I heard gunshots.”

After the shooting, Woods walked out of the restaurant, and according to witnesses, knocked a 5-year-old boy to the floor in his haste to get out of the restaurant. Witnesses say he drove away in a 1970s model black Chevelle with silver racing stripes.

With no way out, Davis, Rucker and Rotesia left on foot, traveling east on University Drive toward the Hampton Inn. Rotesia said she contacted a cousin, Crystal Coffman, and asked her to come pick them up at the Hampton Inn.

Meanwhile, Huntsville Police Department Canine Officer James Rucker arrived with his tracking dog Caesar, who immediately picked up a scent and pulled Rucker toward the Hampton Inn.

Rucker testified that the dog went to two black males and a black female seated outside the hotel. He said the three denied having been in T.G.I. Friday’s moments before and the officer “Marandized” (read them their legal rights) and placed them under arrest.

Rotesia, under cross-examination by co-defense counsel Morgan said she lied about being in T.G.I. Friday’s because, “I didn’t want to go to the chair.”

“Did the DHR factor in also?” he asked.

She said she was afraid of the Department of Human Resources coming to take her two sons.

The trial continues today.