SAN ANTONIO -- A man who was asked to leave a Halloween 2006 poker party shot and killed one of the other players after an argument, prosecutors said during the murder trial over the alleged shooter.

Ian Van Buren, 22, listened as a friend of the victim testified he saw the defendant open fire and kill Jeremy Lathem after a poker party was breaking up at Lathem's home on the 5400 block of Kensington Run.

"Right in front of me, in my arms almost," Fernandez said. "It was a traumatic event. I mean, I don't think anyone can say that everyday, 'That's what I saw, I've seen that before.'"

Prosecutors said Van Buren got into an argument with a female friend when she tried to take a beer from him. When Lathem -- then brandishing a baseball bat -- ordered Van Buren to leave, the defendant shot and killed the victim, prosecutors said.

Defense attorneys said Van Buren was defending himself and shot Lathem in self-defense. The trial is expected to resume Thursday when others who witnessed the shooting are expected to testify.