CROWN POINT | Gerald Smith walked outside and turned around for Gary police officers, repeating "I have no weapons," before he admitted there was a dead man on his couch, a Gary police officer testified Monday.

Smith, 56, of Gary, is on trial this week in Lake County Criminal Court for the 2006 murder of Anthony Dennison.

Dennison's body was found sitting on Smith's couch, his hands clasped over a small bullet wound in his chest, court records allege.

Gary police Cpl. Kenneth Etchinson testified Monday that he responded to a disturbance call -- not a murder -- when he arrived in September 2006 at Smith's Pennsylvania Street residence.

Etchinson said he didn't realize it was a homicide until Smith told him about the body.

"I didn't want to shoot him," Smith is quoted as having told Gary police at the scene. "But he wouldn't leave when I told him to leave, so I popped him."

Smith told officers he fired six warning shots into the wall, then Dennison approached him, defense attorney T. Edward Page said Monday in court.

Deputy Prosecutor Joe Curosh III pointed out Smith had no injuries or wounds.

Page said Smith called 911 twice for help, and there were 11 minutes between his call and the call being dispatched to officers.

In court Monday, Etchinson could not offer a reason for the time lag, suggesting the question be posed to dispatchers.

The trial is expected to continue today.

If convicted, Smith faces up to 65 years in prison.