Mixed testimony at murder witness stand

Terrance Woods was having some problems with his memory Wednesday.

Testifying in the second day of William Pressley's first-degree murder trial, Woods was unsure of many of the details of the events that led to the beating death of Jesus Gaytan in a Gurnee industrial park.

But Woods, who has already pleaded guilty to second-degree murder for his role in Gaytan's Sept. 25, 2005 killing, was sure of one thing.

He never told anyone he saw Pressley kicking Gaytan as Gaytan lay dying on the pavement.

Gaytan, 26, of Waukegan, died of massive internal injuries when he was beaten after he crashed into a car while leaving a Park City bar.

Gregory McKnight, 32, was driving the car Gaytan hit, and Woods, 26, and Pressley, 29, were his passengers.

The three Waukegan residents chased Gaytan to an industrial park off Delany Road in Gurnee, where McKnight began beating Gaytan after Gaytan threw a punch at him.

Woods testified Wednesday he could not remember when he and the others left the bar, how much they had to drink or even how long he had known Pressley before the night in question.

He did say that he and Pressley got out of the car after Gaytan was already laying on the ground and being kicked by McKnight.

But under questioning by Assistant State's Attorney Eric Kalata, Woods' testimony wandered away from the statement he gave police on Oct. 14, 2005 after he was identified as one of Gaytan's attackers.

Woods said Wednesday that Pressley was "seriously drunk" and was trying to pull him away from Gaytan as Woods was punching and kicking the victim.

He said at one point, Pressley either dove or fell in front of him and onto the victim, and Woods described seeing Pressley make three punching motions in the direction of Gaytan's head.

But he contradicted his statement to police when Kalata told Woods the statement said he told police all three suspects kicked Gaytan about five times each.

"The detective said five times; I was scared and wanted to go home," Woods responded. "I never saw Corey (Pressley's nickname) kick that boy."

Kalata accused Woods of changing his story because he was upset because he had been sentenced to 18 years in prison.

Woods denied he was upset but did admit that he was appealing the sentence, as is McKnight, who was sentenced to 19 years for second-degree murder.

In his testimony Tuesday, McKnight also denied he had ever said Pressley struck and kicked Gaytan and claimed he had only seen Pressley "wrestling" with Gaytan on the ground.

Testimony is expected to continue today.