MAYVILLE – For the first time, the jury was able to hear a recording of his stepson discussing the events of the day he shot and killed his stepfather after the two got into a fight.

Thursday marked the seventh day of the trial of Tucker Richard, who is charged with second-degree murder. He was arrested in connection with the death of Scott Blake, who was shot to death on Willard Street Extension on January 6, 2023. At the time, Richard was 18 and Blake was 57.

Sergeant. Kevin Pierce of the Ellicott Police Department took the witness stand and described how he took Richard to the police station, read him his Miranda Rights, and asked him if he wanted to be interviewed, which would be recorded.

According to Pierce, Richard said he “probably should get a lawyer” but would talk “if it would make it easier for you.”

Pierce said during the interview, Richard said he was asleep when Blake entered his room holding a shotgun.

According to Pierce, Richard said he was angry that Blake’s room was messy, and Blake began hitting him with an unloaded shotgun, “trying to knock him out.”

According to Pierce, Tucker said he took the gun from him while he was wrestling in the hallway and it broke.

He said Richard told him that Blake ran downstairs to get another gun and Richard followed close behind.

In the living room, Blake pulled another gun from the closet and the two began wrestling for it.

Pierce said Richard told him that while the two were wrestling, Blake accidentally pulled the trigger and shot himself in the head.

According to Pierce, Richard said his hand was on the “pump” part of the gun while he was wrestling.

However, Pierce said he understood that Blake had been shot in the back of the head and could not understand how he could hold the gun in that position.

Therefore, Pierce asked Richard to retell his entire story.

The second time, Pierce said, Scott said Blake kicked the door into the bedroom and shot him with a shotgun.

But this time, Pierce said Richard told him that after the gun broke upstairs, Blake ran downstairs to get another gun and the two began wrestling over it.

Pierce said Richard told him there was a third gun that he believed Blake was trying to take, and that’s when Richard shot Blake.

Pierce said Richard told him he didn’t point the gun and didn’t know if it was loaded. He pulled the trigger “instinctively.”

Pierce asked Richard why he didn’t run out the front door, and he said he didn’t want to get shot in the back.

At one point during the interview, Pierce went to check the recording being made and realized the audio couldn’t be heard, so he brought in his body camera and had Tucker share his story for the third time.

The prosecution had asked Judge David Foley earlier Thursday if they could play the original recording and provide a transcription, but Foley had previously ruled against it. Foley agreed to re-review Pierce’s recording before he was put on the stand and reaffirmed his decision against the transcript.

At the end of Thursday, the jury was played body camera footage of Richard sharing his story for the third time.

Richard can be heard saying he fired the gun at Blake “just to scare him” and that it was done out of instinct.

Richard also said he contemplated suicide immediately after shooting Blake.

Earlier in the day, the defense wrapped up questioning Vanessa Richmond, a forensic expert with the state police Investigative Laboratory in Albany.

The hearing is planned to continue on Friday.