MIAMI – Opening statements began in Courtney Britton’s trial for the murder of Joshua Caraballo and attempted murder of Robert Fulton in April of 2021.
The state is calling it murder, but Britton and his attorneys say it was self-defense.
Britton’s lawyer told the jury this began when he was robbed of his gold chain near Tiny’s Liquors off Northwest 22nd Avenue in Miami.
Offering a demonstration as part of her opening, the defense attorney said, “Pardon my French, he says ‘Give me all your s---. You heard me, give me all your s---.’”
On Tuesday evening, Local 10 News sat down with Britton, who described the moments leading up to the shooting.
He said, “He pushes it into my chest harder, that’s how I know it was a gun. He said, ‘Give me all your s---’ and popped the chain off that I had.”
That’s when Britton says he got a gun himself.
“I unholster and fire one round,” he said.
His defense team says the shot was a warning.
“Mr. Britton was trying to warn them,” said a member of his team.
Britton said he didn’t know at that moment that he shot someone.
The bullet hit the two men, killing Caraballo and injuring Fulton. Britton did not know the two but said they were having a casual conversation in a parking lot.
The state said while the victim started it, this was not self-defense. Instead, it was a rage-filled shooting, adding that Britton walked a quarter of a football field to retrieve the weapon.
Britton left the scene but cooperated in the hours after the shooting and was arrested three months later.
He is facing up to life in prison if convicted.
The victim’s family was in the courtroom but said they are not ready to talk yet.
Britton says he refused a recent plea offer and plans to testify.