NEW PORT RICHEY — Russell Litten was hanging out and shooting pool at the home of some friends one afternoon last year. Christine Lightfoot, the friends' mother, was with them.
Litten, testifying in court Tuesday, said he was aware that Lightfoot knew someone who went by the nickname "Scooter." So as he was rolling around the driveway on a scooter, the 16-year-old said to Lightfoot, "Does this remind you of anybody?"
Scooter, it seems, was a former boyfriend of Lightfoot's, and she did not take the teasing well.
Next, according to authorities and Litten, Lightfoot told her 13-year-old son to get a gun. The son returned with a .22-caliber rifle from under a bed and handed it to his mother, who then cocked it and fired it into Litten's belly, Litten said.
The teen walked to his home about a half-mile away and deputies were called.
Assistant State Attorney Bryan Sarabia told jurors that Lightfoot, 37, gave several different accounts of how the gun went off the evening of Jan. 15, 2008, including that it accidentally fell off a work bench in the garage and discharged.
"Ms. Lightfoot's stories were all over the place," Sarabia said.
Defense attorney Charles Holloman questioned Litten about his relationship with Lightfoot and her sons.
Litten said he frequently spent the night at Lightfoot's house and always got along with her. He acknowledged that he argued and sometimes wrestled with the sons.
But nobody had been arguing that day, Litten said.
Lightfoot is charged with aggravated battery and could face up to 25 years in prison.
She did not take the stand in her own defense, and Holloman called no witnesses.
But he did call Litten back to the stand to ask him two questions.
"After you got out of the hospital, you went back to Ms. Lightfoot's house, correct?" Holloman asked.
"Yes," Litten answered.
"How soon?" Holloman asked.
"Probably like six hours," Litten said.
Under questioning from Sarabia, Litten said he had gone back to visit his friend, Lightfoot's son.
The trial is expected to conclude today.
Molly Moorhead can be reached at moorhead@sptimes.com or (727) 869-6245.
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