Things got tense outside of a Manhattan courthouse on Monday (March 13) after Troy Ave testified against Taxstone about a 2016 incident that left Troy Ave’s bodyguard, Ronald “Banga” McPhatter, dead at Irving Plaza.
AGTV was outside of the courthouse to speak to rapper Manolo Rose, who stated that Troy Ave was lying on the stand about what unfolded that night at Irving Plaza. While Manolo was sharing his thoughts, two men started shouting at one another, which nearly led to a fight.
Troy Ave testified against Tax Stone today in court pic.twitter.com/xEOdrlvXr1
— SAY CHEESE! 👄🧀 (@SaycheeseDGTL) March 13, 2023
Troy Ave testified on Monday in Taxstone’s murder trial giving his account of the struggle between the two after the 2016 fatal shooting of Troy’s bodyguard.
Troy Ave, real name Roland Collins, told the jury his rationale behind fighting back after being shot and wounded backstage at Irving Plaza.
“If it’s fight or flight I’m always going to fight because at that point you could die,” he told the jury. “It looks like if you see people wrestle in high school wrestling — that type of position.”
“When the shot goes off I see the light from the spark and I hear the shot,” he testified. “This is all happening fast. I get up and start fighting Taxstone, trying to take him, grab the gun, and another shot goes off. I put my leg up to kind of block the shot from hitting me in the face or chest.”
Taxstone then reportedly shot him in the legs. “I got up,” Collins said. “I’d rather die fighting. People die from leg shots. I’d rather die fighting than laying on the ground. I got up immediately.”
Amidst the melee, Collins then described noticing his friend and bodyguard Ronald “Banga” McPhatter was laying face down. “I rolled his body over and I’m like, ‘Banga, get up. Come on.’ I’m smacking him, like, ‘C’mon bro. Get up,’” Collins testified. “And his eyes were rolling to the back of his head. His shirt was red so I could tell he got shot.”
Taxstone, whose real name is Daryl Campbell, is currently on trial on murder, attempted murder, assault and weapons possession charges.
Source: Nypost.com
