ATHENS — Actions that led to a deadly confrontation between a defendant and an 80-year-old widower resembled a video game to the accused.

That's according to defense attorney Randy Gladden, representing Andrew Reid Lackey, 24, of Huntsville.

Lackey is on trial for the 2005 Halloween slaying and robbery of Charlie Newman of Athens.

After the confrontation, Athens police found Newman lying on his living room floor in blood-soaked pajamas with more than 70 stab wounds, one eye gouged out and a gunshot wound.

Gladden contends Lackey did not intentionally kill Newman. Lackey is charged with capital murder and faces the death penalty or life in prison.

Gladden described Lackey as a computer geek who had immersed himself in video games and lived in "a different world than you and I." He said Lackey reacted defensively when Newman, protecting himself against the intrusion, shot Lackey.

District Attorney Kristi Valls contends Newman died after experiencing a real-life nightmare at the hands of a prepared attacker who brought with him a knife, stun gun, starter pistol and other items.

Valls said Newman was keeping his door closed to trick-or-treaters and preparing for bed when Lackey came to his home around 7:30 p.m.

Newman called 911 but never spoke directly to the dispatcher. The 911 recording captured sounds of a struggle and voices.

According to Valls' interpretation of the voices, Lackey asked Newman seven times, "Where's the vault?"

Newman told Lackey his son was in another room, Valls said. (Actually, no one else was home.) Gladden's interpretation is that Newman said he had a gun in another room.

Newman also pleaded with Lackey, saying, "Son, don't do that," "What do you want?," "Sit down and let me pray for you," "Oh, God, Lord, what's the matter with you?” and lastly, "I'm having a heart attack." The call then disconnected.

According to Athens and Madison police officers' testimony, Lackey fled in his rental car with a gunshot wound to his chest.

He went to a Madison Chevron convenience store, where he went inside and bought an orange drink. He had to pay the store clerk $5 to use the phone to dial 911 to report his gunshot wound.

When Madison police arrived, Lackey was sitting on a curb, drinking his soft drink. Madison police Sgt. Clayton Jordan said Lackey would only say he had been shot. He would not say where or how it happened.

Lackey went to Huntsville Hospital for treatment.

Newman's grandson, Derrick Newman, 24, testified that he has known Lackey since they were in the fourth grade.

Derrick Newman said he told Lackey that he was estranged from his grandfather, and that his grandfather was a mean man who was a millionaire with a vault in the stairwell of his home.

Derrick Newman said he told Lackey about the money and vault because he thought it was "cool" his grandfather had a vault.

Gladden asked whether Derrick Newman plotted with Lackey on the robbery. Derrick Newman denied that he did.

Valls asked Derrick Newman if he learned after the murder that there was no vault, only a closet under the stairwell. Derrick Newman said he did.

Valls then asked if he felt guilty about talking to his best friend about his grandfather.

"If I wouldn't never have said it —" Derrick Newman replied and then broke into tears before finishing his sentence.

Derrick Newman left the courtroom when the prosecution played the crime scene video that showed Newman lying in a pool of blood and three bloody footprints leading out the back door. Lackey watched the video with a blank expression.

The trial continues at 9 a.m. Thursday in Circuit Judge Bob Baker's courtroom in the Limestone County Courthouse.

In defendant's rental car

Some of the items that the prosecution and law enforcement say were recovered in a car that accused killer Andrew Lackey drove to Charlie Newman's home on Halloween night 2005: