Jurors Seated for Arthur Lee White Murder Trial

BARTOW | Jurors will begin hearing testimony today in the trial of Arthur Lee White, who is accused of fatally stabbing a Lakeland man in March 2005.

White, 50, of Winter Haven, is charged with the first-degree murder of Gerald "Ricky" Franklin Jr. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty.

White's lawyer, Karen Meeks, said her client didn't kill Franklin, but went to his home to pick up a bundle of women's clothing.

Franklin, 44, supported himself by shoplifting clothing, and White would sell the clothing to get money, Meeks said.

During Tuesday's opening statements, Assistant State Attorney Hardy Pickard described Franklin as a homosexual who sometimes dressed in women's clothing, and was also known as Sweet Ricky or Punk Ricky.

Pickard said Franklin's mother awoke on the morning of March 25, 2005, after hearing some noises. She found her son covered in blood and stumbling around before collapsing on the floor of his bedroom.

His jeans were pulled down just below his knees, Pickard said.

Franklin's blood was strewn about the home on West Seventh Street in Lakeland, Pickard said. There were signs of a struggle inside, but no sign of a forced entry into the home, he said.

An autopsy concluded Franklin had been stabbed 13 times and bled to death.

Pickard said one witness told detectives that White confessed to killing Franklin because Franklin tried to have sex with White.

He said another witness would testify that she drove White to Franklin's home and that White went inside for about 15 minutes and came back carrying a bunch of clothing.

[ Jason Geary can be reached at jason.geary@theledger.com or 863-802-7536. ]