Is Teresa Is That
Is Teresa Is That
Is Teresa Is That
STATE OF TERESA A. TAYLOR EXAMINATION BY DETECTlVE JEFF BROWN: here, at the Ashtabula evening, the 17th, City
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Q.
Police Departrnent.
approxirnately 20 rninutes after 10:00 p.rn. Present are rnyself, Detective Detective perspective conducted Jeff Brown from the sheriff's department;
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investigation
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Lillie Taylor-Lathan;
MS. TAYLOR-LATHAN:
Q.
Teresa,
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we are going
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then I want you to, again, totally relaxed the story as you rernember it.
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rush here, you know, if there's silence, the silence and rush into something. and you need to correct yourself,
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Q.
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A.
Twelve. You live at what 923 West 43rd. How long have you Three years. This evening, or this afternoon, at to the fired In your your own lived there? address?
Q. A. Q.
A.
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Q.
approximately
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4:30, I believe,
to witness
being injured
would
OATMAN:
the people
involved
that would
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A.
door window, wearing Dallas jacket.
At first, I looked
the front
jacket,
a green
moved from in the front of my house part of it in the driveway. window to the side window
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arguing,
and the two -- and the one in the tan and green
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jacket and the one in the Dallas my yard and the third friend, cutting window through
Cowboy
he just, he left.
my yard and my mom, she was banging the yard, and they looked
and they just ignored her and that's towards the back of the fence, and the police
(inaudible)
the street
officer
and he
to them.
to run back
the officer
and, where
were back by the fence and the shooter told hirn to put it down, got right
but he wouldn't
there, he saw the gun and he told hirn to put it down and don't shoot, officer telling but he shot hirn and then it looked like the
Q.
Q.
banging
And you remernber what the sequence sound was? Was it close proxirnity, bang, it?
bang-bang-bang.
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A.
It was a elose,
elose,
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Q.
banging sounds?
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A.
and I heard--
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Q.
located? A.
Would
the bathroorn is
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on the seeond
floor.
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Q.
A.
Would
it be the south
MS. TAYLOR-LATHAN:
When you saw these rnen on the sidewalk, they were arguing, No. Did you aetually wateh eould you hear?
you
thought
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And, you said one 1eft, it was right then when they turned into your yard? No, they went down the street officer and that's
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feet away from the back fence and from where the officer was, on
across
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the other side of the woods. DETECTIVE that the officer went around, OATMAN: When you said
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or da you knaw, was it over by the Do you remernber, like, did you he went?
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Avenue?
to see where
between
the shooting
DETECTIVE that house that he was parked that house? A. the road.
OATMAN:
Like around
in the street,
in
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DETECTlVE OATMAN:
around A. in the street? (Moved head up and down.)
So, he went
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Q.
the street
Now, you know he went to the street is over there. couldn't Would
because
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a house there,
over there
actually
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I saw hirn was when he got out of the around the corner.
Q.
emergency
on the car?
A.
He stopped
on the -- he almost
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Q.
police car?
on the
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A. Q.
A.
No. On the roof? Uh-uh. So, you were watching the whole time, as I or
Q.
understand
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Q.
took interest
any particular
reason
that you
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A.
on our streets,
Q.
happened
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individuals
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A.
and
The girl's
one
over
so once in a while,
But, I know -- I can spot hirn any of hirn, I know who he iso see hirn hanging house, out on
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I always
I arn not
sure what coat he had on, but I know, I know hirn if I see hirn.
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Q.
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When you saw the man down by the fence, and for anyone listening to back up that we are to the
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us with photographs
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down by the fence, which we've and we know where that's at. You
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saw two men and you heard gun shots. someone's A. hands?
When did you first, actually, there was a gun present? When he pulled it straight
detect,
by
seeing,
A.
He
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just pulled
Q.
And this,
again,
the r,
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fence area you are tal king about? A. (Moved head up and down.) DETECT1VE he pulled it from his pocket, time? it out when he was back by the OATMAN: 1s that where
"
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He pulled
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Q.
he was pulling A.
Did you have site of the police the gun? Yes, I did. did you see the police officer
officer
as
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Q.
A.
officer?
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garage, A.
or Lisa's
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hat on, green hat, and I told hirn to get So, after they had done my yard and
that's when I told them to get out of my yard and one of the guys, in the Dallas Cowboy hat, was going to follow hat. I said get out of my the
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guy in the Green Bay Packer's yard. The guy in the Dallas
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up my street and the guy in the Green Bay Packer's continued Street. Q. Do you have any eye problems? No. to run through
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A.
Q.
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A.
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Q.
any problems either
So, you have never been told that you have with depth of field, you know, seeing things
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elose up or at a distanee, but yet they are apart? like that? I just wear You deseribed this evening, reading
together, problems A. Q.
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glasses.
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horne earlier
that the two men were near the is ne ar the garage. area and around there?
fenee line in the back Isn't it true, there's, undergrowth, you know, Yes.
and things,
A. Q.
all that? A.
through
Yes. And you are eertain near that he was on the west window?
Q.
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the boarded
(Moved head up and down.) Was he one side of the other or sort of with that window? Um, sort of centered, on the left side of
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As you are if you were looking up at the the area over there?
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it would be towards
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A.
Q.
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probably
Yeah,
or around.
Onto the street? Yeah, but I think he went through because it would the
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driveway, around,
Q.
and all he had to do was go up the driveway. So, you are still watching window or upstairs window? from this
downstairs
A.
Q. '
Upstairs. Atwhat point did you go upstairs? by the window, You said
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the house, you saw the police being chased by the police
officer,
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At what point,
and why did you go upstairs? I went upstairs when the officer turned the
because
they drop
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out in the woods, the wooded part and that's why I was there. Q. When you first got .into the bathroom, what
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is the first thing you saw when you looked out that window? A. a gun. Q. A. Was he moving at the time or standing still? He was standing there and he pulled the gun I saw the one man, in the tan coat, pull out
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out of his pocket. Q. A. The other individual is there also? (Moved head up and down.) DETECTIVE OATMAN: individual wore what coat? A. Dallas Cowboy. DETECTIVE OATMAN: hirnto be who? A. Jimmie Ruth. MS. TAYLOR-LATHAN: Was he the one And you know And that
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that -- was Jimmie Ruth the one that had the Dallas coat? DETECTIVE. OATMAN: with you, I'm not sure. MS. TAYLOR-LATHAN: am not sure. DET~CTIVE OATMAN: His name, I I have a -- I To be honest
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don't know who was wearing what coat for certain, that's 13
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saw hirn pull the gun. right? A. You heard when Yes.
You heard the first shot, is that he fired the first time?
OATMAN:
his friend told hirn to put the gun-DETECTlVE OATMAN: His friend is?
Who is his friend? A. is Jimrnie Ruth. DETECTlVE hirn? OATMAN: And he told The guy in the Dallas Cowboy coat, I think
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A.
wouldn't
He told hirn to put the gun down and he listen'to hirn and, um, the officer, and the officer and that's
then he got right back up and he told hirn to put the gun down and that's when he fired the last couple shots. DETECTIVE OATMAN: When you saw -
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- you saw hirn fire the gun or did you just see hirn and he ar
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the shots'?
A.
Yes. When you heard the gun'? I mean, the shot, I mean, did you happen the gun while what did
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with
I mean, did you'? He had the gun, he held it a certa~n it like this (indicating) way.
(indicating). Q.
He held
it like this
Was. he holding
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you are sirnulating'? A. Q. or at shoulder the waist'? A. I don't know if he was aiming. I don't know Yes. Did he hold height it stretched out in front of hirn there'? At
or sornewhere in between
how -- when he shot it, it was like he was airning and he shot it. DETECTlVE at eye level, OATMAN: So, it was up
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A.
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A.
shot hirnat elose range for rneto be in my room to hear the shots and for me to run downstairs. That's too elose. too. That's too elose.
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had to have been elose range for everybody to hear it on the seeond floor. DETECTIVE OATMAN:
you
Close range,
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The guy with the Green Bay Packer's hat, you know, after it all had happened, he had his nerve to go across the street and wateh the stuff. A. On 41st Street. MS. TAYLOR-LATHAN: Over on 41st,
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in front of the red house and wateh what was happening. DETECTIVE OATMAN: with the Green Bay Paeker's? MS. TAYLOR-LATHAN: I don't know. Who is the one
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Green Bay Paeker's hat, green hat, I don't know his name. 16
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DETECTIVE OATMAN: wearing the green hat, do you know? A. Some people say his name was-DETECTIVE OATMAN:
Who was
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third person that left originally, is that the one you were talking about? A. was Odraye. DETECTIVE OATMAN: sure that's who you saw? MS. TAYLOR LATHAN: I saw a guy But, are you No, the one in the tan coat, they said it
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with a green cap run through my yard over there to West 41st Street and he had the nerve to stand over there and watch what was going on. I had ca11ed out to Terry Tu1ino,
because I know hirn, I know his family pretty weIl, to let hirnknow that one of the suspects is over across the street, over there, watehing this. It doesn't make sense.
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But, he never got around to me, because he was more concerned with helping this officer. DETECTIVE OATMAN: When you saw
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that man standing over there, did you see, I mean, mainly the hat or could you see the face also? MS. TAYLOR LATHAN: distance where I was at, I seen the hat. I -- from the He did have a
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see his face, but it was a black person. DETECTIVE clarified that. In the beginning, OATMAN: We had
you
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saw were black males. MS. TAYLOR-LATHAN: guess, somebody else must have pointed And so, I
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hirn from over there on West 41st hirn or not, but I there, but did
looked around and I didn't see hirn standing see some officers Q. over there.
In the beginning,
One
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Q.
rnen?
A.
Yes. Did you ever see a third man? No. Again-The other one, he just -- he left. I don't
Q. A. Q.
A.
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know where, but he, he left towards West Avenue. MS. TAYLOR-LATHAN: before the shooting A. or after? Did he leave
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After--
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Q.
MS. TAYLOR-LATHAN: A. Before the shooting. MS. TAYLOR-LATHAN: Could you see clearly that you would
I think,
too--
Before.
trees, person A.
a third
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he was the
hiding Dallas
Q.
out
--
I didn't
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you
looked out, first thing you said, as you explained was the man pulling correctly,
to me,
the gun out and, make sure I understand is already standing there in front
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of the garage
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A. Q.
Standing A. there?
(Moved head up and down.) Did you see the officer doing anything?
Does he have his gun out? No, he doesn't have his gun out. At first, in
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Did you see his gun in his hand? The officer? Yes. No.
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A.
i!
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Q.
comfortable,
to say
I don't
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it out
DETECTIVE hirn with a gun out though it, I want to make sure. his gun? A. hand back,
OATMAN:
or, I mean,
It's -- the way it looked when he put his it looked like he was reaching for his gun and
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that' s when the first shot came, t.he shooter, in the tan and green coat, probably just thought he was going to pull So, he
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his gun out and just shoot hirn right there. probably thought he was going to pull
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Do you
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then?
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A.
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Cowboy
jacket,
to, he ran
out of my yard and he ran towards West Avenue that back. He ran from my yard to Coleman for someone, West Avenue. DETECTIVE street, A.
Q.
Avenue
but nobody
was there,
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OATMAN:
On your
on West 43rd Street? Uh-huh. You said he ran to Coleman, how did he go to
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Coleman? A. through
Q.
He came from where he was standing, the yard and stopped Which at the bushes.
he ran
is 43rd Street?
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A. towards Coleman
43rd and he ran, he ran west -- no, east, and then he looked down the street, and he didn't see anyone he kept
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that he West
for or whatever,
time? A.
Q.
Yeah. You could see hirn run to the east and look
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Q.
west towards West Avenue? A. Yeah, 'cause after that, the person in the he ran
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tan coat, after he shot the police, the officer, towards the fence and couldn't towards
the bushes on 43rd and was looking for the kid in So, he ran back and rnust have detoured The other kid, in the find hirn, so he ran
through the opening that there was. Dallas coat, carne back, he couldn't
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through our yard. MS. TAYLOR-LATHAN: cut -- couldn't and Jeff'si A. That's when he
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I did see hirn run that way. Then, he cut through the house, the house
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that was behind, north of us, he went behind their back yard and through sorne garages there, I think, and the other kid in the tan coat, he just ran straight. DETECTIVE which direction?
A.
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Straight,
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OATMAN:
i
North, towards 41st. that ran
North.
Q.
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back through your yard, you saw hirn sornehow get across the fenced area and you turned back to the west? 22
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A.
told both of the guys to get out of rny yard. COlernan, like she stated, couldn't
One ran up to
and the guy with the green hat so he cut through rny neighbor's
and that's
Q.
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Q.
This was after the shots were fired? MS. TAYLOR-LATHAN: This is after I
everything,
yeah.
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back there,
went towards
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house? MS. TAYLOR-LATHAN: when -- after the cops had gotten standing there, there, Right, that's
watehing
OATMAN:
41st--
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time you lost site of hirn or did you actually your yard and go to that position
I watched
hirn,
the fence
He went down a little bit and, I guess, that were observing, standing
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I am
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I rnean, wasn't
MS. TAYLOR-LATHAN:
Right,
that's
when he ran, there was time be fore the cops got there. That's when he ran back, after they did what they did and I seen thern coming up through through the yard, that's when he ran back
and he went up that way and I see hirn going down 41st Street, before all the cops and stuff had gotten When the officer there.
Q.
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A. he turned
Yeah, he went south a little ways around and went back north
and then
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the evidence,
Q.
rnean by that?
A. Q.
Where his body was found. And where his body was found, could you see
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A.
there.
laid
MS. TAYLOR-LATHAN: any part of hirn as he was falling? A. Just like this (indicating
Was he holding
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Q.
wood?
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A.
garage,
This was east of rny house and west by the neighbors. Where he fell? He fell when he in the clearing,
of the
Q.
A.
like a clearing
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it's
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the driveway
the houses
that he walked
that you
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to tell us and I don't think we communicated You said he ran around the house, You are talking and did he did he go and
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about,
the garage,
or did he
the house
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Where his car was parked, of where his car was parked,
he went
through
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rnean that little pathway? Q. But, his body was found on the north side of
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and that's why I asked whether where he's fallen'? A. seen hirn where the entrance Yeah, I could
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garage and then there's a spot and there's debris. it be by the garage or in the spot near the debris? A.
Would
right here, that's where he fell, 'cause over here is all the debris, right here is the spot, and that's where the entrance was. MS. TAYLOR-LATHAN: You said
there's a little opened pathway through there? DETECTIVE OATMAN: move once he fell? move? A. I seen hirntrying to crawl and after that, I . Did he ever
ran downstairs, I told my mom what happened and someone notified the police and that's when we all ran outside towards the woods where the police were (inaudible). Q. at the window? A. My mornwas outside. MS. TAYLOR-LATHAN: I was outside When you went down the steps, was your mom
over by the fence, where the officer was laying, on the opposite side of the fence. Q. SO, after you watched the gun fire, or heard Was it immediately
the gun fire, you saw the officer fall. thereafter that you went down the steps? A.
000163
Q.
A. trying Q.
What did you see then? He was moving a little bit, towards --
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to rnove out of the clearing. The other two rnen, the shooter and this
other man, were gone? A. Q. returned Yes. They were and disappeared already gone to 43rd Street and as you've already
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to the north
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explained? A. Yeah. And after you saw the officer try to move
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Q.
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Was there
anyone downstairs?
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was downstairs
and my
mom, she was outside. MS. TAYLOR-LATHAN: (inaudible). I wish I could have done I don't know for hirn,
something
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already
just too close to horne. Is there anything else you can think of Jim
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anything
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rnissed, because
to hash this over all night trying Maybe there is, like, an obvious
to put pieces
question
or something
you think we should be asking asked you yet, like that? that you saw.
or something
that we haven't
sornething that you can remernber that we haven't yet? A. police After the police officer
asked you
the
he came back to the scene where hirn, and then he ran and
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OATMAN:
He ran over to
Yeah, he ran over and kicked hirn, and he was something, then he took off back north where DETECT1VE OATMAN: he was.
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all done? The shooting was all done. OATMAN: So, he didn't
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41st Street.
Q.
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you
actually
A.
At this point,
in the
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kitchen
sornething to drink
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by the officer
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A.
10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 towards? A.
Q.
MS. TAYLOR-LATHAN:
You rnean
towards
Q.
already
When you came downstairs, outside? (Moved head up and down.) You went to the kitchen? (Moved head up and down. ) You looked out the window
A.
Q.
A.
Q.
there?
A.
Q.
returning, A.
(Moved head up and down. ) And that's what you saw, you saw the man the officer's body?
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OATMAN:
window?
This
Yeah,
to
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get downstairs .
Q.
tell
this to us before?
A. Q.
(Moved head from side to side.) I arn not being things critical of you.
Uh-uh. Sometimes,
everything's
A.
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19.
why I didn't
that same guy with the tan and green? A. Yeah. DETECTIVE you saw did the shooting? A. Yes. MR. TAYLOR-LATHAN: same one with the Green Bay Packer's hat? He was the OATMAN: The same guy
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OATMAN:
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in a while?
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describe
the kick?
sornething?
It was a hurt-type
MS. TAYLOR-LATHAN: demonstrate or show them? DETECTIVE he, like, rear back when he kicked hard kick? OATMAN:
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I mean,
did like a
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A.
Yeah,
he was rushing
towards
hirn, as soon as
him really
he kicked
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A.
Q.
distance happen
to see what kind of shoe or color? No. Is there anything No. After he threw this kick, was there more else?
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A.
Q.
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A.
Q.
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No, just one kick. After he threw that kick, where did you see
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and that's when the police arrived and, I guess, that's where he, like my rnom said, watched the scene. Standing right
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that's
looking back,
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Yeah. And you see hirn over there, you didn't see by an officer or anything? MS. TAYLOR-LATHAN: No, I just
hirn confronted
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seen hirn across the street looking on like a spectator, like nothing happened. Q. Did you see hirn leave? MS. TAYLOR-LATHAN: walking back and forth down the street, I seen hirn I
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and I hollered,
at Terry to let hirn know one of the that, you know, so he never got
around to it -- that's the guy in the tan coat and Green Bay hat. I don't know which one are, were apprehended 33 or,
OUU169
because
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up and down
our streets
continuously. 2
Q.
3 we talk to you.
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so
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000170 ..