Man accused in OHP trooper's death bound over for trial

WALTERS, Okla. (AP) -- A trooper's widow wept as witnesses recounted the moments before he was shot to death on a Cotton County road near Devol.<br/><br/>Ricky Ray Malone shot Nikky Joe Green twice

Friday, June 11th 2004, 5:31 am

By: News On 6

WALTERS, Okla. (AP) -- A trooper's widow wept as witnesses recounted the moments before he was shot to death on a Cotton County road near Devol.

Ricky Ray Malone shot Nikky Joe Green twice in the back of the head early Dec. 26, witnesses alleged Thursday at Malone's preliminary hearing.

James Rosser and his wife, Jamie Rosser, testified that Malone spoke to them hours after struggling with Green, 35, when the trooper stopped Malone to inspect his vehicle.

The Rossers, who face drug-related charges in Stephens County, alleged that Malone told them that with a handcuff dangling from his right hand, he wrestled a gun from Green.

"... He fought with the trooper until he got ahold of the gun. The trooper started begging for his life. He said, 'Don't kill me,"' James Rosser, 22, said.

"But Ricky said he told him, 'If it had been me, you would do the same.' And that's when he shot him in the back of the head."

Linda Green, the trooper's widow, wept softly from the last row of the courtroom during the testimony.

Associate District Judge Leo Watkins ordered Malone to stand trial on a first-degree murder charge and set his formal arraignment for Thursday in Comanche County.

The Rossers are testifying as material witnesses for the state in exchange for having their charges dropped in Stephens County.

They said they met Malone while living at the Lawton mobile home of the defendant's sister, Tammy Sturdevant.

They were living on money from methamphetmine sales, James Rosser said.

On Christmas Day, Rosser said Malone left the Lawton trailer in his sister's white Geo Spectrum and returned the next day with handcuffs hanging from his right hand.

"He said he killed a cop," James Rosser testified. "I didn't believe him, though."

Rosser said he and his wife drove Malone to his Duncan home, stopping on a country road where Malone disposed of a white trash bag.

Neither said they knew what was in the bag, but did claim to see the alleged murder weapon once they arrived at Malone's home.

Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation agent Perry Unruh testified about viewing Green's dashboard-mounted camera.

Through enhanced imaging, Unruh claimed he positively could identify Malone after the sounds of a struggle, someone begging for his life and two shots.

He said Malone left the scene driving a white, four-door Geo Spectrum.