COLUMBUS, Georgia (WRBL) – Eight days into the trial of four men accused of killing a Columbus rapper in a Pizza Hut parking lot in 2018, the state’s star witness has recanted most of his testimony.

Eric Spencer entered into a plea deal before the trial began.

Spencer’s murder charge was dropped in exchange for her agreeing to testify for the prosecution. He spent hours on the stand, testifying that he was at the crime scene, but Dover Coppins, one of four co-defendants, is the man who fatally shot Brandon Denson in 2018.

On Thursday, Spencer returned to the stand and told prosecutors he feared for his life, after being threatened at the government center. He pleaded the fifth and told acting prosecutor Sheneka Terry that he did not want to proceed without his attorney.

However, Judge David Emerson ruled that Spencer must answer questions from the defense about the nature of the threats against him.

Terry asked the judge to consider impeachment of Spencer’s testimony, which would signal to the court that his statements are not credible. His request was also denied.