Mackey takes the stand to defend himself

OAKLAND, Calif. (KGO) -- There was a surprise witness in the Chauncey Bailey murder trial. One of the men accused of killing the Oakland journalist took the stand Tuesday in his own defense.

One of the first questions Antoine Mackey's lawyer asked his client when he got on the stand was "Why are you doing this?" Mackey's answer was crystal clear; he said, "I want to tell my side of the story."

Yusuf Bey IV's mother and Chauncey Bailey's family all packed the courtroom expecting to hear closing arguments. Instead, there was a surprise twist -- the man accused of driving the getaway car from Bailey's murder scene spent the day testifying in his own defense.

"My client has wanted to testify and tell his side of the story. And this is the moment that it had to be done," said Gary Sirbu, Mackey's lawyer.

Mackey told the jury he joined Your Black Muslim Bakery to get away from San Francisco, where over five years, he'd been shot three times. Prosecutors pounced on his criminal history and gang ties, but Mackey described himself as a loyal bakery employee who became a supervisor and went by the Muslim name, Ali. He told the jury he had nothing to do with the murder of Bailey or two other men he's accused of killing.

Sirbu: "Did Yusuf Bey ever order you to kill Chauncey Bailey?"
Mackey: "No."
Sirbu: "Did he ever order you to kill anyone?"
Mackey: "No?"
Sirbu: "Were you ever involved in the murder of Chauncey Bailey in any way?"
Mackey: "No."

Bey IV's lawyer says the former bakery leader did not order the journalist killed because of a negative story about the bakery. He says Mackey proves the prosecution's star witness, the man who admitted to shooting Bailey, lied on the stand.

"He's exonerating my client. He's saying he wasn't involved and he's saying Broussard's a liar, which is basically what we've been saying all along," said Gene Peretti, Bey IV's lawyer.

Mackey implied Devaughndre Broussard linked him to the murders because he was mad, mad that Mackey had sexual relations with three women Broussard also slept with.

"It certainly goes to a bias, a direct bias that Broussard would have against Antoine Mackey," said Sirbu.

But prosecutors read back cellphone records that show Mackey called Bey IV before and after Bailey's murder. In his own defense, Mackey said he called Bey to wake him up early so that he could pray.

Mackey also contradicted previous testimony we've heard during this trial, saying he never heard Bey IV call white people "devils" or any talk against whites inside Your Black Muslim Bakery. Trying to drive that point home, Mackey's lawyer showed photos of Mackey's family members, some of whom were white. Closing arguments are expected to take place Wednesday.

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