The crowd at the West Valley disco cheered for Malik Smith, the son of a Hollywood actress and a talented break dancer.
It booed John Tavo Leota, the son of Tongan immigrants, who refused to compete with Smith.The taunting by Smith and the booing embarrassed Leota, who became angry and punched Smith in the face.
Leota, charged with second-degree murder, took the witness stand Wednesday to tell the court repeatedly that he was angry at Smith but never intended to kill him that night of March 18.
The jury began deliberations Thursday afternoon.
"In my mind, I didn't hit him that hard," he said.
The incident began on Club 35's main dance floor, which was cleared so Smith could perform alone.
"He was egging us on . . . showing off that he was better than we were, specifically me," Leota testified. The spectators cheered for Smith and booed when Leota failed to accept the challenge. Leota said he became embarrassed.
"Whose fault was it that you were embarrassed?" prosecutor Kent Mor-gan asked.
"I believe it was (Smith's) fault," Leota replied.
Smith later went into a video room and was followed by Leota and his two cousins.
"I said, `Why were you doing that outside?' " Leota said. But Smith just gestured for Leota to go away.
"I said, `Come on. You wanna go outside and settle this?' He said no and I said, `Yeah, that's what I thought.' "
Smith then made an obscene remark to Leota.
"And that's when I hit him."
Smith fell straight back, striking his head on the floor. Leota then kicked Smith on the side of the face and said, "How do you like that?" according to David Bloomfield, Leota's cousin, who was called as a defense witness.
Bloomfield also testified that prior to the blow, Smith told Leota to "take your gang crap and get out of here."
Leota said he doesn't recall that statement and denied that he was in a gang.
Smith died two days later of brain injuries.
"Isn't it true that Malik Smith didn't want anything to do with it and was doing everything he could get away from that fight?" Morgan asked.
"Yeah," said Bloomfield.
Morgan told the jury that Leota intended to cause serious bodily injury to Smith and is therefore guilty of murder.
Defense attorney Phil Hansen, however, said the crime was no more than a "common fist fight" and that Leota is guilty of nothing more than simple assault and battery.