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Robinson Testifies on Fair's Killing

*Warning: The following report contains vulgar language.* "I was pissed-off, I felt victimized". That's the rationale John Robinson is explaining to the court, as to why he struck Clifford Fair twice with an aluminum pipe, blows that killed the 26-year-old in 2008. Robinson took the jury through his thought process, step-by-step, the night Fair died on the livingroom floor of his basement apartment. He says Fair came over and started drinking his girlfriend's (Amy Gilbert) beer. He says Fair went through four beers in about an hour, as Robinson says he tried to hint to Cliff that he wasn't welcome. Robinson says he made mention that he and Amy were tired, and said he had to work in the morning. Robinson says he also started kissing and cuddling with Gilbert on the couch at one point, thinking it may make Fair uncomfortable and prompt him to leave. But Robinson says he detected a change of attitude, as Fair started teasing the couple about their tigers and dolphins - nick-knacks they had in their apartment. Robinson says at one point, Gilbert got up to use the washroom, and Fair got up and took another beer out of the box, without being offered. Robinson says he told Fair "Look it, this will be your last beer, then you have to go." He says Fair shot back "What's your fucking problem man? I thought we are having a party here." He says Cliff then opened the beer and dropped the cap on the living room floor. Robinson told the court "I was offended by that." It wasn't long after that, Robinson says Gilbert got into an argument with Fair about money he owed her. Robinson says he was concerned the argument would escalate, and a fight might start. He says he knew Fair to "be a scrapper", and that there was a big size difference between the two (Fair at 6'-4" to Robinson at 5'-2"). That's when Robinson says he went to the furnace room, where he kept his tools to find something to "shoo him away". He says some tools were too heavy, some too short, too long, and he settled on a 16" aluminum pipe. He says it was a "good light weight pipe". He wrapped a towel around it and duct-taped the end, "to make it softer". Before going back out to the living room, Robinson says he noticed Cliff's backpack had moved beside the case of beer. Robinson looked in the backpack, saying he saw cologne from their medicine cabinet, a DVD and Robinson's camera. He told the jury "I felt like we were being set up, I was pissed-off, I felt victimized." That's when Robinson went back out to the living room where he says he yelled "Cliff", before hitting him with the pipe. He says Cliff got up, and got in his face saying "You little fucker, I'm gonna break your ass." That's when Robinson says he hit him again, this time in the collarbone area. He says Robinson hit the wall, then fell down to the floor. Robinson says there was blood coming from Fair's nose and mouth. His eyes started fluttering, then just stopped moving. Robinson says "Then his body just sunk. I know he's dead. I can tell he's dead." He says Gilbert was screaming "What did you do?", Robinson said "I didn't mean to, I just wanted to teach him a lesson". His testimony continues this afternoon.

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