Bailiff (00:00):
[inaudible 00:10:57]. Good morning, Your Honor.
Judge (11:02):
Good morning, everybody, have a seat. All right, parties identify themselves for the record, please.
Chris Watson (11:05):
Chris Watson for the State. Good morning.
David Clifton (11:07):
Good morning, Your Honor David Clifton for the State.
Jonathan Raad (11:08):
Morning, Your Honor. Jon Raad on behalf of Cooper Ouellette.
Martin Minnella (11:10):
Martin Minella, Your Honor, for the defendant. Good morning.
Judge (11:13):
Good morning everybody. Good morning, Mr. Ouellette. Attorney Clifton or Watson, who's going first today?
Chris Watson (11:19):
Devon Krol.
Judge (11:21):
Devon Krol?
Chris Watson (11:22):
Yes.
Judge (11:22):
All right. Is the witness here?
Chris Watson (11:24):
He is.
Judge (11:25):
All right. Are we ready for the jury?
Chris Watson (11:27):
Yes.
David Clifton (11:27):
Yes, Your Honor.
Judge (11:28):
All right. Bring out Mr. Krol. Is that with a C or a K?
Chris Watson (11:38):
K, sir.
Judge (13:13):
Okay. All right. Will the parties stipulate to the presence of the jury?
Jonathan Raad (13:15):
Yes, Your Honor.
Chris Watson (13:15):
Yes, Your Honor.
Judge (13:15):
Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. Thank you. Make yourself comfortable. All right. State?
Chris Watson (13:33):
The State will call Devon Krol. For the benefit of the monitor, that's K-R-O-H-L. I could be wrong.
Judge (13:40):
We're going to find out right now. Good morning, Mr. Krol.
Devon Krol (13:40):
Morning.
Judge (14:11):
I'm just going to have you raise your right hand, okay? Face the clerk.
Clerk (14:12):
Do you solemnly swear or solemnly and sincerely affirm as the case may be that the evidence you shall give concerning the case now in question shall be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God or find penalty of perjury?
Devon Krol (14:20):
I do.
Clerk (14:21):
And please state your full name, spelling your last name.
Devon Krol (14:24):
Devon, K-R-O-L.
Clerk (14:26):
And please state your town of residence.
Devon Krol (14:34):
Harwinton, Connecticut.
Clerk (14:35):
Thank you.
Judge (14:35):
Thank you, Mr. Krol. Attorney Watson?
Chris Watson (14:35):
Thank you. Morning.
Devon Krol (14:36):
Morning.
Chris Watson (14:36):
I'm just going to ask you to scoot forward, please, if you wouldn't mind. So that microphone can do a great job of projecting your voice, okay? So did you complete your high school degree?
Devon Krol (14:44):
Yes.
Chris Watson (14:45):
And where'd you graduate from?
Devon Krol (14:46):
Oliver Wolcott.
Chris Watson (14:48):
And in what year was that?
Devon Krol (14:52):
'21.
Chris Watson (14:53):
Okay. And did you complete any other schooling after you graduated from high school?
Devon Krol (14:56):
No.
Chris Watson (14:57):
And do you currently live in Connecticut?
Devon Krol (14:58):
Yep.
Chris Watson (14:59):
And what do you do for a living right now?
Devon Krol (15:01):
Diesel mechanic.
Chris Watson (15:02):
You're a diesel mechanic. How long have you been doing that?
Devon Krol (15:05):
Eight years.
Chris Watson (15:06):
And did you receive training in order to have that job?
Devon Krol (15:09):
Yep.
Chris Watson (15:10):
And I'm going to show you what's marked as State's Exhibit 1. It's going to come up on that screen or the one that's right in front of you, okay? Do you recognize the name that's on that exhibit?
Devon Krol (15:24):
Yes.
Chris Watson (15:25):
And do you know that person?
Devon Krol (15:26):
Yes.
Chris Watson (15:27):
And so for the remainder of your testimony, if you have to refer to that person, you can refer to her as Sophie, okay?
Devon Krol (15:32):
Yep.
Chris Watson (15:33):
And how long did you know Sophie for?
Devon Krol (15:35):
Three years.
Chris Watson (15:37):
In the time that you knew Sophie, was she in a dating relationship with anyone?
Devon Krol (15:41):
Cooper Ouellette.
Chris Watson (15:44):
Okay. And did you know Cooper Ouellette?
Devon Krol (15:44):
Yeah.
Chris Watson (15:45):
And how long did you know him?
Devon Krol (15:47):
Seven years.
Chris Watson (15:48):
Okay. And do you see Cooper Ouellette here in the courtroom today?
Devon Krol (15:51):
Yes.
Chris Watson (15:52):
And could you reflect an article of clothing he's wearing, please?
Devon Krol (15:55):
Pink tie, pink and blue tie.
Judge (15:57):
Let the record reflect the in-court ID.
Chris Watson (16:00):
Now I'm going to direct your attention to May 20th of 2023, okay?
Judge (16:03):
Yep.
Chris Watson (16:04):
So on May 20th of 2023, did you have plans for the night?
Devon Krol (16:07):
Yes.
Chris Watson (16:07):
And what were your plans?
Devon Krol (16:09):
Had a prom to go to and then went to a party afterwards.
Chris Watson (16:12):
Okay. And who'd you go to the prom with that night?
Devon Krol (16:15):
Alexis Kellyanni, Morgan Peace, and CJ McIntyre.
Chris Watson (16:19):
And were you in a relationship with Alexis Kellyanni at that time?
Devon Krol (16:22):
Yes.
Chris Watson (16:23):
And are you in a relationship with her now?
Devon Krol (16:24):
No. No.
Chris Watson (16:28):
And that evening when you went to the prom with Alexis... Strike that, please. Did you all drive together to the prom?
Devon Krol (16:33):
Yes.
Chris Watson (16:35):
And did you all leave the prom together that night on May 20th of 2023?
Devon Krol (16:38):
Yes.
Chris Watson (16:39):
And when you all left the prom, where'd you go?
Devon Krol (16:42):
Back to her house and change, and then we went to the Schultz Corporation.
Chris Watson (16:46):
And who drove to the Schultz Corporation?
Devon Krol (16:47):
I did.
Chris Watson (16:48):
And did all four of you go?
Devon Krol (16:50):
Yes.
Chris Watson (16:50):
And had you been to the Schultz Corporation previous to that evening?
Devon Krol (16:53):
No.
Chris Watson (16:54):
And what time did you get to the Schultz Corporation?
Devon Krol (16:57):
10:00.
Chris Watson (16:57):
And is that in the PM?
Devon Krol (17:00):
PM.
Chris Watson (17:01):
And how old were you when you went to the Schultz Corporation on May 20th, 2023?
Devon Krol (17:06):
21.
Chris Watson (17:07):
And when you arrived at the Schultz Corporation, were there other people there?
Devon Krol (17:09):
Yes.
Chris Watson (17:10):
Was Cooper Ouellette there?
Devon Krol (17:11):
Yep.
Chris Watson (17:12):
Was Sophie there?
Devon Krol (17:13):
Yes.
Chris Watson (17:14):
And when you arrived there around 10:00 PM, were there people there that were drinking alcohol?
Devon Krol (17:19):
Yes.
Chris Watson (17:20):
Did you drink alcohol that night at the Schultz Corporation?
Devon Krol (17:22):
Yes.
Chris Watson (17:23):
And how much did you drink?
Devon Krol (17:25):
One or two.
Chris Watson (17:26):
Okay. And to your knowledge, was everyone else at that gathering under the age of 21?
Devon Krol (17:33):
Yes.
Chris Watson (17:35):
And while you're there, did you see Cooper Ouellette giving alcohol to anyone that night?
Devon Krol (17:39):
Yes.
Chris Watson (17:40):
And can you explain how that happened?
Devon Krol (17:42):
He pulled beer out of his cooler out of the back of the truck.
Chris Watson (17:45):
And what type of cooler was it?
Devon Krol (17:47):
Yeti.
Chris Watson (17:47):
A Yeti cooler? And when he pulled that beer out of the Yeti cooler, did he give it to other people that were at the party?
Devon Krol (17:53):
Yes.
Chris Watson (17:54):
And the people that he gave it to, were those people under the age of 21?
Devon Krol (17:58):
Yes.
Chris Watson (18:00):
And did you see Cooper Ouellette drinking alcohol that evening?
Devon Krol (18:02):
Yeah.
Chris Watson (18:03):
What did you see him drinking?
Devon Krol (18:04):
Four Bud Lights.
Chris Watson (18:07):
Did you see him drinking anything else?
Devon Krol (18:09):
And butterscotch moonshine.
Chris Watson (18:11):
Okay. And how big was the bottle of butterscotch moonshine he was drinking out of?
Devon Krol (18:15):
A pint.
Chris Watson (18:16):
A pint? And could you roughly just indicate that with your hand? So may the record reflect he's making what would probably be six inches? Is that a fair assessment?
Devon Krol (18:25):
Yep.
Judge (18:25):
Record reflect that. Do you agree with that?
Martin Minnella (18:27):
Yes, Your Honor.
Chris Watson (18:30):
And how much of that butterscotch moonshine did you see him drinking?
Devon Krol (18:34):
About half the bottle.
Chris Watson (18:36):
Now, in your lifetime, have you been around people that were intoxicated or drunk before?
Devon Krol (18:41):
Yep.
Chris Watson (18:42):
And while you were at that gathering at the Schultz Corporation, did Cooper Ouellette show any signs of being drunk?
Devon Krol (18:47):
He was slurring his words and he was falling over himself.
Chris Watson (18:51):
Okay. And did you talk to Cooper Ouellette while he was there?
Devon Krol (18:54):
Yeah.
Chris Watson (18:55):
And when you talked with him, can you describe, was he slurring his words when you talked with him?
Devon Krol (19:00):
Yes.
Chris Watson (19:01):
Now at some... While you were... Actually, may I show you what's been marked as State's Exhibit 75, and this is a receipt, and I'm going to direct your attention to invoice number 338236. Do you see that there?
Devon Krol (19:23):
Yeah.
Chris Watson (19:31):
It'll come up on the screen in a moment. Could you tell me what the last thing that was purchased right there?
Devon Krol (19:35):
Dr. McGillicuddy's Root Beer, 50 ml.
Chris Watson (19:41):
Is that 50 milliliters?
Devon Krol (19:42):
Yes.
Chris Watson (19:44):
Are those nippers?
Devon Krol (19:45):
Yeah.
Chris Watson (19:46):
And did you see any Dr. McGillicuddy's Root Beer nippers at that gathering when you were there?
Devon Krol (19:51):
Yep.
Chris Watson (19:52):
And did you see Cooper Ouellette drinking any of those?
Devon Krol (19:54):
Yes.
Chris Watson (19:55):
Did Cooper Ouellette offer you one of those?
Devon Krol (19:58):
Yes.
Chris Watson (19:58):
And did you take it?
Devon Krol (20:00):
Yes.
Chris Watson (20:01):
Did Cooper Ouellette offer them to other people?
Devon Krol (20:03):
Yes.
Chris Watson (20:04):
And did they take them?
Devon Krol (20:05):
Yes.
Chris Watson (20:06):
When you saw Cooper Ouellette drinking that half a bottle of moonshine, did he offer you any of it?
Devon Krol (20:13):
Yes.
Martin Minnella (20:13):
Asked and answered, Your Honor.
Judge (20:15):
Overruled.
Chris Watson (20:16):
Did he offer you any of it?
Devon Krol (20:17):
Yes.
Chris Watson (20:18):
And what did you say?
Devon Krol (20:19):
No.
Chris Watson (20:20):
Why?
Devon Krol (20:21):
Because I don't like that shit.
Chris Watson (20:22):
Okay. Now, at some point in the evening, there were people inside the Schultz Corporation, correct?
Devon Krol (20:29):
Yep.
Chris Watson (20:30):
And there was some people outside the Schultz Corporation, right?
Devon Krol (20:33):
Yep.
Chris Watson (20:34):
And during that evening, did you see Cooper Ouellette outside of the Schultz Corporation?
Devon Krol (20:40):
Yes.
Chris Watson (20:41):
And were you inside of the Schultz Corporation when you saw him outside?
Devon Krol (20:42):
Yes.
Chris Watson (20:43):
And how could you see him from where you were?
Devon Krol (20:45):
I was up in the woodshed.
Chris Watson (20:46):
Okay. And is there a window or-
Devon Krol (20:48):
Barn door.
Chris Watson (20:48):
There's a barn door. Was the barn door open?
Devon Krol (20:50):
Yes.
Chris Watson (20:51):
And could you clearly see outside?
Devon Krol (20:53):
Yep.
Chris Watson (20:54):
And when you saw outside, what did you see Cooper Ouellette doing?
Devon Krol (20:57):
Standing by his truck.
Chris Watson (20:58):
Okay. And then what happened?
Devon Krol (21:01):
Someone pulled in, he gave him a beer, and then went back over to his truck and started it up.
Chris Watson (21:07):
Okay. And when Cooper Ouellette started his truck, did he get inside of it?
Devon Krol (21:15):
Yes.
Chris Watson (21:16):
Did he get into the driver's seat of the truck?
Devon Krol (21:18):
Yes.
Chris Watson (21:19):
And was there anybody else inside the truck with him when he first got in?
Devon Krol (21:21):
No.
Chris Watson (21:22):
How do you know he turned the truck on?
Devon Krol (21:24):
Because it was loud.
Chris Watson (21:25):
It was loud? And while you saw Cooper Ouellette inside that truck, did you see anybody else go up to the truck near him?
Devon Krol (21:34):
CJ McIntyre went up, shut his truck off and took his keys.
Chris Watson (21:38):
How do you know he shut his truck off and took his keys?
Devon Krol (21:40):
Because it turned off.
Chris Watson (21:41):
Okay. And when his truck turned off, did Cooper Ouellette get out of it?
Devon Krol (21:45):
Yes.
Chris Watson (21:46):
And who gave Cooper Ouellette his keys back that evening?
Devon Krol (21:50):
CJ.
Chris Watson (21:51):
CJ McIntyre? Now, after that happened, did Cooper Ouellette come back inside?
Devon Krol (22:02):
Yes.
Chris Watson (22:04):
And did you see Cooper Ouellette go outside near his truck again that night?
Devon Krol (22:07):
Yes.
Chris Watson (22:08):
And when you saw him near his truck again that night, was Sophie near him?
Devon Krol (22:12):
Yes.
Chris Watson (22:12):
Where was Sophie?
Devon Krol (22:14):
Right next to him.
Chris Watson (22:15):
Okay. And were they on the passenger side of the truck?
Devon Krol (22:17):
Passenger side.
Chris Watson (22:18):
Okay. And what, if anything, did you see Cooper Ouellette do to Sophie while she was near the passenger side of the truck?
Devon Krol (22:25):
Pushed her into the side of his truck.
Chris Watson (22:29):
And how many hands did he use to do that?
Devon Krol (22:30):
Two.
Chris Watson (22:30):
When you say he pushed her, can you describe or show us how he did that? Okay. And when he pushed her into the truck-
Judge (22:38):
He was pushing his two hands forward towards the prosecutor.
Chris Watson (22:41):
Thank you. I appreciate it, Your Honor. When he pushed her, did she hit the truck?
Devon Krol (22:46):
Yes.
Chris Watson (22:47):
And what side of the truck did she hit?
Devon Krol (22:48):
Her back. The backside.
Chris Watson (22:52):
Okay. And when I say the side of the truck, I mean the driver's side of the passenger?
Devon Krol (22:55):
Passenger.
Chris Watson (22:55):
Okay. And what part of her body hit the truck?
Devon Krol (22:58):
Back.
Chris Watson (23:03):
Now at that point, did Sophie go back inside?
Devon Krol (23:09):
Yes.
Martin Minnella (23:10):
I'm going to object, Your Honor. It's leading.
Judge (23:11):
Sustained.
Devon Krol (23:13):
Yes.
Judge (23:15):
Strike that answer. Just rephrase it.
Chris Watson (23:17):
After you saw Cooper Ouellette push Sophie into the truck, what did you see Sophie do?
Devon Krol (23:24):
She went inside the Schultz Corp.
Chris Watson (23:26):
Okay. And were you inside at that point?
Devon Krol (23:28):
Yes.
Chris Watson (23:28):
When Sophie came inside, what did you observe her do?
Devon Krol (23:32):
She was calling people to come pick her up.
Chris Watson (23:35):
Okay. And could you hear her making those phone calls?
Devon Krol (23:37):
Yes.
Chris Watson (23:43):
Now, at some point, did you see Sophie leave the inside of the Schultz Corporation and go back outside?
Devon Krol (23:48):
Yes.
Chris Watson (23:49):
And while Sophie was inside the Schultz Corporation, did you see her have a bloody nose?
Devon Krol (23:54):
No.
Chris Watson (23:56):
And did you see Cooper Ouellette leave that night in his truck?
Devon Krol (23:58):
Yes.
Chris Watson (23:59):
And was Sophie with him when he left?
Devon Krol (24:02):
Yep.
Chris Watson (24:02):
And was Cooper Ouellette driving the truck when he left?
Devon Krol (24:06):
Yes.
Chris Watson (24:07):
And when he left, did you witness him leaving the driveway of the Schultz Corporation?
Devon Krol (24:13):
Yes.
Chris Watson (24:14):
And can you describe how he left?
Devon Krol (24:15):
A bat out of hell.
Chris Watson (24:17):
And what do you mean by that?
Devon Krol (24:18):
Sped right off.
Chris Watson (24:21):
Okay. And did you subsequently leave that gathering after that?
Devon Krol (24:25):
Yeah, I left at 11:15.
Chris Watson (24:28):
And when you left, who went with you?
Devon Krol (24:30):
Alexis, CJ, and Morgan.
Chris Watson (24:33):
And were you driving still?
Devon Krol (24:34):
Yep.
Chris Watson (24:36):
And while you were driving, did anyone in the car receive a text message or a Snapchat, excuse me.
Devon Krol (24:42):
Yes, Morgan Peace.
Chris Watson (24:43):
And did you see that photograph?
Devon Krol (24:45):
Yes.
Chris Watson (24:46):
And I'll show you what's been marked as... I just want to make sure of one thing.
David Clifton (24:55):
I believe it's 11. I think it's 11.
Chris Watson (25:04):
Yes. I'll show you what's been marked as State's Exhibit 11. It's a full exhibit. Did you see the Snapchat that was sent to Morgan?
Devon Krol (25:11):
Yes.
Chris Watson (25:12):
Is that the photograph that you saw?
Devon Krol (25:14):
Yes.
Chris Watson (25:17):
Now, after you saw that photograph, did anyone in the car try to contact Sophie?
Devon Krol (25:21):
Morgan Peace.
Chris Watson (25:23):
Were they successful?
Devon Krol (25:24):
No.
Chris Watson (25:26):
At some point, did you sit down and talk with the Connecticut State Police?
Devon Krol (25:31):
Yes.
Chris Watson (25:32):
And did you provide them with a written statement?
Devon Krol (25:34):
Yep.
Chris Watson (25:34):
And do you recall where you spoke to the state police?
Devon Krol (25:37):
Litchfield.
Chris Watson (25:39):
At the troop?
Devon Krol (25:40):
Yeah.
Chris Watson (25:41):
And when you spoke with the state police, did you speak with some detectives?
Devon Krol (25:44):
Yes.
Chris Watson (25:46):
And did they ask you what you remember happening on May 20th of 2023?
Devon Krol (25:51):
Yes.
Chris Watson (25:51):
Did you tell them what you remembered?
Devon Krol (25:52):
Yep.
Chris Watson (25:53):
Did the detectives ask you to sign a statement?
Devon Krol (25:55):
Yep.
Chris Watson (25:56):
And did you read that statement before you signed it?
Devon Krol (25:58):
Yes.
Chris Watson (25:58):
And did you eventually sign it?
Devon Krol (26:00):
Yep.
Chris Watson (26:01):
May I have a moment? Nothing further.
Martin Minnella (26:02):
May I have a moment, Your Honor.
Judge (26:10):
Take your time.
Jonathan Raad (26:10):
Morning, Devon.
Devon Krol (26:10):
Morning.
Jonathan Raad (26:30):
So were you the only 21-year-old at the Schultz Corp that night?
Devon Krol (26:34):
I believe so.
Jonathan Raad (26:36):
What were the other ages?
Devon Krol (26:38):
19, 18, 17.
Jonathan Raad (26:40):
Okay. So teenagers?
Devon Krol (26:41):
Yeah.
Jonathan Raad (26:42):
All right. So you're the only... It's you, 21-year-old, with a bunch of teenagers, is that correct? And you're at this party.
Judge (26:48):
Let him answer.
Jonathan Raad (26:50):
I'm sorry.
Devon Krol (26:50):
Yes.
Jonathan Raad (26:51):
I'm sorry. And you're at this party, correct?
Devon Krol (26:54):
Yep.
Jonathan Raad (26:54):
All right. And where were you again before that?
Devon Krol (26:56):
Prom.
Jonathan Raad (26:57):
Prom. Were you drinking before?
Devon Krol (27:00):
Nope.
Jonathan Raad (27:01):
When did you start drinking?
Devon Krol (27:05):
When I got to the party.
Jonathan Raad (27:06):
So when you got to the party, you started drinking, correct?
Devon Krol (27:08):
Mm-hmm.
Jonathan Raad (27:09):
What were you drinking?
Devon Krol (27:10):
I had a Bud Light and one of those Dr. McGillicuddy's.
Jonathan Raad (27:14):
One of those Dr. McGillicuddy's?
Devon Krol (27:16):
Yep.
Jonathan Raad (27:17):
All right. How many drinks did you have?
Devon Krol (27:20):
Two.
Jonathan Raad (27:21):
Throughout that whole night?
Devon Krol (27:22):
Yep.
Jonathan Raad (27:23):
What time did you get to the Schultz Corp?
Devon Krol (27:25):
10:00.
Jonathan Raad (27:27):
10 o'clock. Did you bring any alcohol?
Devon Krol (27:29):
I brought alcohol.
Jonathan Raad (27:29):
What did you bring?
Devon Krol (27:29):
For myself. Beer.
Jonathan Raad (27:33):
What kind of beer?
Devon Krol (27:34):
Bud Light.
Jonathan Raad (27:36):
A 30 rack? How much?
Devon Krol (27:41):
12 pack.
Jonathan Raad (27:41):
12 pack. So you brought a 12 pack of Bud Light to a party full of teenagers, is that correct?
Devon Krol (27:45):
Yep.
Jonathan Raad (27:45):
All right. Would you often do that?
Devon Krol (27:48):
Yeah, but it's for myself.
Jonathan Raad (27:50):
Okay. So is it your testimony that you would often bring alcohol to parties with teenagers?
Devon Krol (27:58):
For myself.
Jonathan Raad (27:59):
Okay. Would you ever host parties yourself?
Devon Krol (28:03):
Yeah.
Jonathan Raad (28:03):
Would you invite these teenagers?
Devon Krol (28:05):
Yes.
Jonathan Raad (28:06):
All right. Would you have alcohol there?
Devon Krol (28:09):
For myself, not for them.
Jonathan Raad (28:10):
For yourself. Isn't it true that there was a refrigerator at the Schultz Corp?
Devon Krol (28:16):
I don't recall that.
Jonathan Raad (28:17):
You don't recall ever seeing a refrigerator?
Devon Krol (28:19):
Mm-mm.
Jonathan Raad (28:19):
Do you ever recall seeing a refrigerator full of alcohol?
Devon Krol (28:24):
Not at the Schultz Corp.
Jonathan Raad (28:25):
Not at the Schultz Corp? So where would you guys put this alcohol when you brought it there?
Devon Krol (28:29):
I left mine in my backseat of my truck.
Jonathan Raad (28:31):
Backseat of your truck?
Devon Krol (28:33):
But my truck was locked.
Jonathan Raad (28:35):
Okay. And you spoke to Detective Slaiby by phone on June 19th, 2023, is that correct?
Devon Krol (28:41):
Yes.
Jonathan Raad (28:42):
All right. Did he tell you that the call was being recorded?
Devon Krol (28:45):
Yep.
Jonathan Raad (28:46):
And you told him what you saw on May 20th, 2023, is that correct?
Devon Krol (28:49):
Yes.
Jonathan Raad (28:52):
Was your memory better then than it is now?
Devon Krol (28:55):
Nope.
Jonathan Raad (28:56):
It's not? How come?
Devon Krol (28:58):
I remember shit.
Jonathan Raad (29:00):
You remember shit?
Devon Krol (29:00):
Yeah.
Jonathan Raad (29:01):
Do you remember that better now?
Devon Krol (29:07):
Can you repeat that again?
Jonathan Raad (29:08):
Yeah. Is it your testimony you remember shit better now than you did in May?
Devon Krol (29:13):
I just have a good memory.
Jonathan Raad (29:14):
You have a good memory?
Devon Krol (29:17):
Yes.
Jonathan Raad (29:18):
All right. On June 19th, Detective Slaiby asked you about May 20th. Do you recall that?
Devon Krol (29:25):
Yep.
Jonathan Raad (29:26):
And you told him Cooper shoved Sophie against the truck?
Devon Krol (29:29):
Yes.
Jonathan Raad (29:30):
Isn't it true that nowhere in that telephone conversation did you tell him you saw Cooper shove Sophie in that truck?
Devon Krol (29:36):
I don't recall.
Jonathan Raad (29:38):
If I were to show you a copy of Detective Slaiby's report, would that refresh your recollection?
Devon Krol (29:42):
Yes.
Jonathan Raad (30:00):
Is your memory refreshed?
Devon Krol (30:01):
Yep.
Jonathan Raad (30:02):
So isn't it true that when you spoke to Detective Slaiby on the phone regarding May 20th, you told him that you never saw Cooper shove Sophie in that truck?
Devon Krol (30:14):
He pushed her into the side of his truck.
Jonathan Raad (30:16):
That's not what I asked. When you spoke to Detective Slaiby on the phone during that recorded interview, isn't it true that you said you did not see Cooper shove Sophie in the truck?
Devon Krol (30:27):
No.
Jonathan Raad (30:28):
Yes or no?
Devon Krol (30:28):
No.
Jonathan Raad (30:30):
You never said that?
Devon Krol (30:31):
I don't know. Read the fucking paper.
Judge (30:37):
It's not going to be commentary back and forth. Okay? That's his answer. You could go for the question.
Jonathan Raad (30:45):
Okay. Are you aware that you're under oath?
Devon Krol (30:48):
What's that mean?
Jonathan Raad (30:50):
That you swore under oath to tell the truth as you sit there right now?
Devon Krol (30:52):
Yes.
Jonathan Raad (30:53):
Do you know the penalty for perjury?
Devon Krol (30:56):
Yes.
Jonathan Raad (30:57):
Okay. So I'm going to ask you again. Do you recall speaking with Detective Slaiby during that interview?
Devon Krol (31:02):
Yes.
Jonathan Raad (31:02):
Okay. Do you recall telling him that you never saw Cooper shove Sophie in that truck?
Devon Krol (31:08):
No, I don't recall that.
Jonathan Raad (31:16):
Okay. You testified that Cooper's truck was loud.
Devon Krol (31:18):
Yes.
Jonathan Raad (31:19):
Why was it loud?
Devon Krol (31:21):
Because it's a Duramax. It's deleted.
Jonathan Raad (31:23):
It's deleted. Can you tell the ladies and gentlemen of the jury what deleted means?
Devon Krol (31:26):
Deleted means it has no emissions on it, so it's a straight pipe.
Jonathan Raad (31:31):
So how loud are we talking about, roughly? Loud enough to wake people up at night?
Devon Krol (31:37):
Yes. If you step on it is.
Jonathan Raad (31:40):
All right. Would you agree with me that just that noise doesn't equal speed?
Devon Krol (31:45):
Yes.
Jonathan Raad (31:45):
Just because it's loud doesn't mean it's speeding. Yes or no?
Devon Krol (31:50):
Yes.
Jonathan Raad (31:51):
Okay. Were there any other adults at the Schultz Corp that night?
Devon Krol (31:59):
Tyler Schultz and his girlfriend.
Jonathan Raad (32:05):
Sorry?
Devon Krol (32:06):
Tyler and his girlfriend.
Jonathan Raad (32:08):
Okay. So you, Tyler, and his girlfriend were the oldest people there?
Devon Krol (32:12):
Yes.
Jonathan Raad (32:18):
Do you recall referring to this incident as rumors? Do you recall that?
Devon Krol (32:24):
No.
Jonathan Raad (32:25):
You didn't refer to what happened that night as rumors?
Devon Krol (32:33):
Can you rephrase that?
Jonathan Raad (32:34):
Yeah. When did you first learn that Sophie had passed away?
Devon Krol (32:38):
The next morning, so yes, it was rumors.
Jonathan Raad (32:40):
Okay. It was rumors. How many rumors?
Devon Krol (32:45):
Don't know.
Jonathan Raad (32:47):
All right. More than one?
Devon Krol (32:48):
Yeah.
Jonathan Raad (32:50):
Okay. In fact, these rumors continued, correct?
Devon Krol (32:52):
Yes.
Jonathan Raad (32:53):
Up until the time you agreed to come in and provide a sworn statement, correct? A statement that's different from what you said to Detective Slaiby on the phone, isn't that correct?
Devon Krol (33:05):
No.
Jonathan Raad (33:06):
So it's your testimony that everything in your sworn statement-
Devon Krol (33:09):
Everything in my sworn statement is true.
Jonathan Raad (33:11):
Okay. But what about your telephone interview with Detective Slaiby, is that true?
Devon Krol (33:15):
I don't remember the telephone. Shit.
Jonathan Raad (33:17):
If I were to show you a copy of Detective Slaiby's report, would that refresh your recollection?
Devon Krol (33:20):
No.
Jonathan Raad (33:21):
It wouldn't? Do you recall giving an interview on the phone?
Chris Watson (33:25):
Asked and answered.
Judge (33:26):
Overruled.
Jonathan Raad (33:28):
Do you recall giving an interview on the phone?
Devon Krol (33:30):
No.
Jonathan Raad (33:30):
You just told the jury about five minutes ago you did. Do you recall that testimony?
Devon Krol (33:34):
Yes. Yes.
Jonathan Raad (33:36):
Okay. And you also told them that it was recorded. You remember that, correct?
Devon Krol (33:39):
Yeah.
Jonathan Raad (33:40):
Okay. So you did give a telephone interview, correct?
Judge (33:43):
You got to say yes or no, sir.
Devon Krol (33:44):
Yes.
Jonathan Raad (33:45):
All right. And is it your testimony that that interview, there's nothing different in that interview than your sworn statement? Is that your testimony?
Devon Krol (33:55):
Yes.
Jonathan Raad (33:56):
Ask you again. Are you aware that you're under oath right now?
Devon Krol (33:58):
Yes.
Jonathan Raad (34:21):
Okay. May I have a moment, Your Honor?
(34:21)
Isn't it correct that you hosted parties at your house where you also provided alcohol to teenagers? Isn't that correct?
Chris Watson (34:27):
Relevance.
Judge (34:28):
Sustained. I don't know how that's relevant.
Jonathan Raad (34:29):
Nothing further, Your Honor.
Chris Watson (34:32):
When you talked to Detective Slaiby on the phone, did you set up a time to come and do an interview in person?
Devon Krol (34:39):
Yes.
Chris Watson (34:39):
And when you did that interview in person, did you tell Detective Slaiby that you saw Cooper Ouellette shove her into the truck?
Devon Krol (34:46):
Yes.
Chris Watson (34:48):
And when you did that telephone interview or when you had that telephone call with Detective Slaiby, did you provide him with all the information that you had that evening?
Devon Krol (34:58):
Yes.
Chris Watson (34:59):
And did you then provide him with all the information that you had when you gave that written statement?
Devon Krol (35:03):
Yes.
Chris Watson (35:00):
Then provide him with all the information that you had when you gave that written statement?
Speaker 1 (35:03):
Yes.
Chris Watson (35:03):
And may counsel, may I approach please? The phone call that you had with Detective Slaby, have you listened to that recording at all in the last three years?
Speaker 1 (35:43):
No.
Chris Watson (35:51):
Thank you. Nothing further, Your Honor.
Judge (35:52):
Okay. Thank you, sir.
Speaker 1 (35:52):
Thank you.
Chris Watson (36:20):
The State will call Alyssa Georgiadis. This time I'm not going to spell it in case I get it wrong.
Judge (37:21):
Good morning, ma'am.
Alyssa Georgiadis (37:21):
Morning.
Judge (37:22):
I'm just going to have you raise your right hand, okay?
Clerk (37:25):
Do you solemnly swear or solemnly and sincerely affirm as the case may be that the evidence you shall give concerning the case now in question shall be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God under penalty of perjury?
Alyssa Georgiadis (37:33):
I do.
Clerk (37:34):
And please state your full name, spelling your last name.
Alyssa Georgiadis (37:36):
Alyssa Georgiadis, G-E-O-R-G-I-A-D-I-S.
Clerk (37:41):
And please state your town of residence.
Alyssa Georgiadis (37:42):
New Britain.
Clerk (37:43):
Thank you.
Judge (37:44):
Thank you. Make yourself comfortable, okay? You're soft-spoken, so it's a big courtroom, I'm just going to ask you to keep up your voice, okay?
Alyssa Georgiadis (37:49):
Sure.
Judge (37:49):
Thank you.
Chris Watson (37:49):
Morning.
Alyssa Georgiadis (37:51):
Morning.
Chris Watson (37:53):
Did you complete your high school degree?
Alyssa Georgiadis (37:54):
I did.
Chris Watson (37:55):
And where did you graduate from?
Alyssa Georgiadis (37:57):
Oliver Wilkett Tech.
Chris Watson (37:59):
And in what year was that?
Alyssa Georgiadis (37:59):
2022.
Chris Watson (38:00):
And are you currently working?
Alyssa Georgiadis (38:03):
I am.
Chris Watson (38:03):
And what do you do for a living?
Alyssa Georgiadis (38:04):
I'm a barber.
Chris Watson (38:06):
You're a, excuse me?
Alyssa Georgiadis (38:07):
A barber.
Chris Watson (38:07):
A barber. Okay. And how long have you been doing that?
Alyssa Georgiadis (38:11):
About six years.
Chris Watson (38:13):
And do you currently live in Connecticut?
Alyssa Georgiadis (38:14):
I do.
Chris Watson (38:15):
And who do you live with?
Alyssa Georgiadis (38:16):
My fiance.
Chris Watson (38:18):
Okay. What is your fiance's name?
Alyssa Georgiadis (38:19):
Ezra Andrade.
Chris Watson (38:20):
Okay. And how long have you and Ezra been together?
Alyssa Georgiadis (38:24):
Five years.
Chris Watson (38:24):
And are you engaged?
Alyssa Georgiadis (38:26):
Yes.
Chris Watson (38:29):
Now I'm going to show you what's been marked as State's Exhibit one. Do you recognize the name that's indicated there?
Alyssa Georgiadis (38:40):
Yes.
Chris Watson (38:41):
And for the remainder of your testimony, I'm going to ask that you refer to her as Sophie if you have to refer to her as, okay?
Alyssa Georgiadis (38:46):
Yes.
Chris Watson (38:48):
How long had you known Sophie?
Alyssa Georgiadis (38:52):
About-
Judge (38:52):
All right. Hang on. I apologize, Attorney Watson. All right. It happens, but I'm going to tell everybody right now to take out their phone, don't put it on silent, turn it off. All right. You can rephrase.
Chris Watson (39:10):
Thank you.
Judge (39:10):
All right.
Chris Watson (39:11):
How long had you known Sophie?
Alyssa Georgiadis (39:13):
About two years.
Chris Watson (39:14):
Okay. And were you friends with Sophie?
Alyssa Georgiadis (39:15):
I was.
Chris Watson (39:17):
And when you knew Sophie, was she in a dating relationship with anyone?
Alyssa Georgiadis (39:20):
Yes.
Chris Watson (39:20):
And who was she dating?
Alyssa Georgiadis (39:21):
Cooper Ouellette.
Chris Watson (39:21):
And did you know Cooper Ouellette?
Alyssa Georgiadis (39:22):
I did.
Chris Watson (39:25):
And did you and Ezra hang out with Cooper Ouellette and Sophie on occasion?
Alyssa Georgiadis (39:27):
Yes.
Chris Watson (39:29):
And was that almost a weekly thing?
Alyssa Georgiadis (39:31):
Yes.
Chris Watson (39:32):
Now I'm going to direct your attention to May 20th, 2023, okay? On May 20th of 2023, were you with Ezra?
Alyssa Georgiadis (39:39):
I was.
Chris Watson (39:40):
And what did you and Ezra do that evening of May 20th of 2023?
Alyssa Georgiadis (39:43):
We went to a concert in Bridgeport.
Chris Watson (39:47):
Okay. And did you eventually leave that concert?
Alyssa Georgiadis (39:49):
Yes.
Chris Watson (39:50):
And when you left the concert, did you get back in the car?
Alyssa Georgiadis (39:55):
Yes.
Chris Watson (39:56):
And who was driving?
Alyssa Georgiadis (39:57):
Ezra.
Chris Watson (39:59):
And while you were in the car with Ezra leaving the concert, did Ezra get a phone call?
Alyssa Georgiadis (40:03):
Yes.
Chris Watson (40:04):
And was that phone call through the car?
Alyssa Georgiadis (40:08):
It was on speakerphone.
Chris Watson (40:10):
Okay. And could you hear the phone call?
Alyssa Georgiadis (40:11):
I did.
Chris Watson (40:12):
And who called Ezra?
Alyssa Georgiadis (40:13):
Sophie.
Chris Watson (40:15):
And what-
Judge (40:17):
I'm sorry, who did?
Alyssa Georgiadis (40:17):
Sophie.
Chris Watson (40:18):
Okay. And what time did Sophie call Ezra?
Alyssa Georgiadis (40:20):
About 11:10.
Chris Watson (40:23):
And when Sophie called Ezra, what did she say?
Alyssa Georgiadis (40:26):
She said that-
Jonathan Raad (40:27):
Objection, your honor. It's hearsay.
Judge (40:30):
It is hearsay. Sustained.
Chris Watson (40:41):
Your Honor, we're not offering it for the truth of the matter asserted, we're offering for the effect of the listener.
Judge (40:48):
Well, do you want to ask what Ezra did as a result of that phone call?
Chris Watson (40:53):
What did Ezra do as a result of that phone call?
Alyssa Georgiadis (40:56):
We started driving towards Terryville.
Chris Watson (40:59):
And why were you driving towards Terryville?
Alyssa Georgiadis (41:01):
To pick her up.
Chris Watson (41:02):
To pick who up?
Alyssa Georgiadis (41:03):
Sophie.
Chris Watson (41:04):
And why were you going to go pick Sophie up?
Alyssa Georgiadis (41:07):
She had asked for a ride.
Chris Watson (41:10):
Okay. While Ezra was on that phone call with Sophie, did the call eventually end?
Alyssa Georgiadis (41:18):
Yes.
Chris Watson (41:19):
And when it ended, were you heading back to where Sophie was?
Alyssa Georgiadis (41:22):
Yes.
Chris Watson (41:24):
And while you were in that car, did you then, or did you call Sophie after that?
Alyssa Georgiadis (41:30):
I did.
Chris Watson (41:31):
And did you use your phone to do that?
Alyssa Georgiadis (41:32):
I did.
Speaker 1 (41:34):
Your Honor, I'm going to object, it's leading. Continues to lead the witness.
Chris Watson (41:39):
It's not suggesting an answer, so it's not leading.
Judge (41:42):
That was a yes or no. I'll overrule it.
Chris Watson (41:48):
While you were in the car after the phone call ended, did you then try to contact Sophie?
Alyssa Georgiadis (41:54):
I did.
Chris Watson (41:55):
And did you use your phone?
Alyssa Georgiadis (41:57):
I did.
Chris Watson (41:57):
And what time did you try to do that?
Alyssa Georgiadis (42:02):
About 11:15.
Chris Watson (42:02):
Okay. And why did you call her?
Alyssa Georgiadis (42:06):
I wanted to make sure she was okay.
Chris Watson (42:08):
And when you called her, did you put your phone on speakerphone?
Alyssa Georgiadis (42:12):
I did.
Chris Watson (42:13):
And was Ezra still in the car with you?
Alyssa Georgiadis (42:15):
He was.
Chris Watson (42:20):
And did you speak with her when you called her?
Alyssa Georgiadis (42:21):
I did.
Chris Watson (42:24):
And while you were on the phone with Sophie, did you hear anything out of the ordinary or abnormal?
Alyssa Georgiadis (42:31):
I heard a shuffling and then the phone abruptly ended, the call.
Chris Watson (42:35):
The phone call abruptly ended?
Alyssa Georgiadis (42:36):
Yes.
Chris Watson (42:39):
After the phone call abruptly ended, did you try and contact Sophie again?
Alyssa Georgiadis (42:43):
I did.
Chris Watson (42:44):
How'd you do that?
Alyssa Georgiadis (42:45):
I texted her.
Chris Watson (42:46):
And what time did you do that?
Alyssa Georgiadis (42:49):
Immediately after.
Chris Watson (42:52):
And when you did that, did you receive any texts back from Sophie after you sent it?
Alyssa Georgiadis (42:56):
I did.
Chris Watson (42:57):
What did you receive back from Sophie?
Alyssa Georgiadis (42:59):
She had said that she was scared.
Chris Watson (43:01):
And what time did she text you that she was scared?
Alyssa Georgiadis (43:04):
Around 11:25.
Chris Watson (43:05):
Okay. May I have a moment?
Judge (43:06):
Yes.
Chris Watson (44:14):
Hold on. 18B. Got you. She texted you, "I'm scared?"
Alyssa Georgiadis (44:16):
Yes.
Chris Watson (44:16):
Did she text you anything else besides, "I'm scared"?
Alyssa Georgiadis (44:19):
She said, "I'm saved," and corrected it to scared.
Chris Watson (44:22):
Okay. What was the first text that you got, "I'm saved or I'm scared?"
Alyssa Georgiadis (44:26):
I'm saved.
Chris Watson (44:28):
Okay. And did you immediately get a text after that?
Alyssa Georgiadis (44:30):
Yes.
Chris Watson (44:31):
And what did that text say?
Alyssa Georgiadis (44:32):
"I'm scared."
Chris Watson (44:37):
Do you need a moment for technology? I'll show you what's been marked as State's Exhibit, I believe it's 18, and it's marked A?
Jonathan Raad (44:51):
B.
Chris Watson (44:52):
B, excuse me. It's going to populate on the screen. Okay? And may I approach the witness, Your Honor?
Judge (45:04):
You may.
Chris Watson (45:04):
[Inaudible 00:45:04] one second [inaudible 00:45:06]. Okay, thank you. Can you see that screen?
Alyssa Georgiadis (45:09):
Yes.
Chris Watson (45:10):
And you can see it in front of you as well, correct?
Alyssa Georgiadis (45:12):
Yes.
Chris Watson (45:16):
So look at entry number 83. Do you see it there? With the number one on the side, on the right-hand side?
Alyssa Georgiadis (45:22):
Yes.
Chris Watson (45:23):
If you're facing it. That is a message you received from Sophie, correct?
Alyssa Georgiadis (45:28):
Correct.
Chris Watson (45:29):
And what is the date?
Alyssa Georgiadis (45:32):
May 20th.
Chris Watson (45:33):
And what is the time indicated?
Alyssa Georgiadis (45:33):
11:25.
Chris Watson (45:36):
And is that your number that's indicated on the screen there?
Alyssa Georgiadis (45:39):
Yes, it is.
Chris Watson (45:40):
And what was the first text that Sophie sent you?
Alyssa Georgiadis (45:43):
She said, "Alyssa, I'm saved."
Chris Watson (45:46):
And what was the next text that she sent you?
Alyssa Georgiadis (45:47):
"Scared."
Chris Watson (45:55):
Thank you. Did you find out the next day that Sophie had passed away?
Alyssa Georgiadis (45:58):
I did.
Chris Watson (45:59):
And after you found out that Sophie had passed away, did you meet up with anyone?
Alyssa Georgiadis (46:03):
Yes.
Chris Watson (46:04):
Who did you meet up with?
Alyssa Georgiadis (46:04):
Leah Monterio and Colby Cables.
Chris Watson (46:08):
And when you met up with Colby and Leah, was Ezra with you?
Alyssa Georgiadis (46:10):
Yes.
Chris Watson (46:12):
Now, while you're with those three individuals, did you receive an invite to go over Cooper Ouellette's house?
Alyssa Georgiadis (46:16):
Yes.
Chris Watson (46:18):
And how did you guys receive that invite?
Alyssa Georgiadis (46:20):
Cooper's mother had texted Colby.
Chris Watson (46:23):
Okay. And did you eventually, all of you, go over to Cooper's house?
Alyssa Georgiadis (46:29):
Yes.
Jonathan Raad (46:29):
Objection, Your Honor. Leading.
Judge (46:31):
Sustained.
Chris Watson (46:34):
After you received that invite, did you go over to Cooper's house?
Alyssa Georgiadis (46:36):
I did.
Chris Watson (46:38):
Did all of you go over to Cooper's house?
Alyssa Georgiadis (46:40):
We did.
Chris Watson (46:42):
And when you all got there, did you go to the entrance door?
Alyssa Georgiadis (46:44):
Yes.
Chris Watson (46:45):
And who answered the door?
Alyssa Georgiadis (46:47):
Mrs. Ouellette.
Chris Watson (46:50):
And when Mrs. Ouellette had answered the door, what did she say to you?
Jonathan Raad (46:53):
I'm going to object, Your Honor. It's hearsay.
Judge (46:55):
Sustained.
Chris Watson (47:05):
And may I be heard outside the presence of the jury?
Judge (47:07):
Yep.
Chris Watson (47:07):
[inaudible 00:53:11] Your Honor.
Judge (53:13):
Thank you. All right. I'm going to tell the jury, have a seat. I'm going to tell the jury that that last objection has been sustained. Bring him in.
Jonathan Raad (53:20):
[inaudible 00:53:20] a different objection was sustained.
Chris Watson (53:38):
And just for clarification purposes, is the court sustaining that objection as to it being hearsay or as to it being cumulative testimony?
Judge (53:45):
One is enough cumulative.
Chris Watson (53:45):
Thank you.
Judge (54:57):
All right. Will the parties stipulate to the presence of the jury?
Chris Watson (55:00):
Yes, your Honor.
Judge (55:00):
Have a seat, ladies and gentlemen. Thank you. All right, ladies and gentlemen, that last question, the objection was sustained. State's going to move on.
Chris Watson (55:12):
Did you go inside the house?
Alyssa Georgiadis (55:13):
I did.
Chris Watson (55:15):
And when you went inside the house, did you see Cooper Ouellette?
Alyssa Georgiadis (55:16):
I did.
Chris Watson (55:16):
And where was Cooper Ouellette?
Alyssa Georgiadis (55:20):
He had met us in the kitchen.
Chris Watson (55:21):
Okay. And did you leave the kitchen area and go to another place in the house?
Alyssa Georgiadis (55:25):
Yes, we went to the living room.
Chris Watson (55:25):
Okay. And when you went to the living room, were other people present besides Cooper Ouellette?
Alyssa Georgiadis (55:31):
Yes.
Chris Watson (55:32):
And while you were all there in the living room, did anyone ask Cooper Ouellette what happened the night before with Sophie?
Alyssa Georgiadis (55:38):
Yes.
Chris Watson (55:40):
And did Cooper Ouellette say anything when he was asked that?
Alyssa Georgiadis (55:42):
He did.
Chris Watson (55:43):
And what did he say?
Alyssa Georgiadis (55:45):
He said that he had been driving about 30 miles an hour. Sophie had said that she felt sick and needed to throw up, and he slammed his brakes down when he realized the truck door was open and she had fallen out.
Chris Watson (55:59):
And did he say where she had fallen out?
Alyssa Georgiadis (56:03):
On Polly Dan Road.
Chris Watson (56:04):
Okay. And did he say anything about where on Polly Dan Road she had fallen out of the car?
Alyssa Georgiadis (56:10):
Yes, the dip.
Chris Watson (56:10):
The dip?
Alyssa Georgiadis (56:10):
The dip.
Chris Watson (56:11):
And have you gone to Sophie's house before?
Alyssa Georgiadis (56:13):
I have.
Chris Watson (56:15):
And have you driven Polly Dan Road?
Alyssa Georgiadis (56:17):
I have.
Chris Watson (56:18):
And are you familiar with Polly Dan Road?
Alyssa Georgiadis (56:19):
I am.
Chris Watson (56:20):
And is there anywhere on Polly Dan Road that has a dip in the roadway?
Alyssa Georgiadis (56:25):
There is.
Chris Watson (56:25):
And I'm going to show you what's been marked as State's Exhibit two. It should populate in a second, make sure that this is on. Somebody actually knows how to do this. Okay. And looking at State's Exhibit two, can you just use that mouse there and indicate where you know the dip in the road to be on Polly Dan? And may the record reflect she's circling the area on Polly Dan Road, which is halfway between the intersection of Johnny Cape Mountain Road and Fieldview Drive where there is a concession in the roadway.
Judge (57:11):
Record will reflect so.
Chris Watson (57:18):
And when you went to Cooper Ouellette's house that day, how was he acting?
Alyssa Georgiadis (57:25):
Emotional.
Chris Watson (57:26):
And when you first arrived there, how was he acting?
Alyssa Georgiadis (57:27):
He was normal.
Chris Watson (57:30):
He was normal? Did you sit down with anyone from the state police and provide them with a written statement?
Alyssa Georgiadis (57:37):
I did.
Chris Watson (57:38):
And where did you speak to the state police?
Alyssa Georgiadis (57:40):
Troop L.
Chris Watson (57:42):
And when you spoke to the state police, did you talk to a detective there?
Alyssa Georgiadis (57:45):
I did.
Chris Watson (57:46):
And did you tell that person what you remembered happening?
Alyssa Georgiadis (57:49):
I did.
Chris Watson (57:49):
And did they ask you to sign a written statement after you spoke with them?
Alyssa Georgiadis (57:52):
Yes.
Chris Watson (57:53):
And did you have an opportunity to review that written statement before you signed it?
Alyssa Georgiadis (57:56):
I did.
Chris Watson (57:57):
Did you subsequently sign it?
Alyssa Georgiadis (57:58):
Yes.
Chris Watson (58:02):
Nothing further.
Jonathan Raad (58:08):
Good morning.
Alyssa Georgiadis (58:09):
Morning.
Jonathan Raad (58:10):
Are you aware that Sophie separated from the truck on two separate occasions?
Chris Watson (58:15):
Relevance?
Jonathan Raad (58:15):
Your Honor.
Judge (58:17):
That's overruled. Yes or no?
Alyssa Georgiadis (58:20):
Yes.
Jonathan Raad (58:20):
Okay. The first time she separated from the vehicle, are you aware of... Or let me rephrase. You can't tell us where she was when she sent that text to you [inaudible 00:58:30]?
Alyssa Georgiadis (58:29):
I don't know.
Jonathan Raad (58:29):
Okay. Are you aware that at some point she was out of the truck by herself alone?
Alyssa Georgiadis (58:38):
I've heard that.
Jonathan Raad (58:40):
Okay. And once again, you can't tell us if she sent you that text, "I'm saved," and then correct to scared when she was outside of the truck alone?
Alyssa Georgiadis (58:48):
I don't know that.
Jonathan Raad (58:50):
Okay. You can't tell us that she sent that... Oh, let me rephrase. You just testified that you went to comfort Cooper, is that correct?
Alyssa Georgiadis (58:59):
Yes.
Jonathan Raad (58:59):
Okay. And he was emotional. And there were other people there doing the same, correct?
Alyssa Georgiadis (59:03):
Yes.
Jonathan Raad (59:04):
Okay. Do you recall giving a sworn statement?
Alyssa Georgiadis (59:08):
I do.
Jonathan Raad (59:09):
Do you recall telling the police officer who took that sworn statement or talking to him about that text, the "I'm scared" text?
Alyssa Georgiadis (59:19):
I told the police officer that, yes.
Jonathan Raad (59:22):
Okay. Do you recall saying that Sophie was usually drunk on Friday and Saturday nights?
Alyssa Georgiadis (59:26):
I do.
Jonathan Raad (59:29):
Okay. And that was in regard to that text message, correct? Or let me rephrase. That was when he was asking you about that text message, correct?
Alyssa Georgiadis (59:39):
I don't understand the question, I'm sorry.
Jonathan Raad (59:42):
When you were talking about that text message that Sophie sent you-
Alyssa Georgiadis (59:44):
Yes.
Jonathan Raad (59:45):
Do you recall telling the police officer that Sophie was usually drunk on Friday and Saturday nights?
Alyssa Georgiadis (59:51):
Not in the same sentence, but yes.
Jonathan Raad (59:53):
With regard to that, it was in the conversation?
Alyssa Georgiadis (59:54):
It was in the conversation.
Jonathan Raad (59:57):
Okay. Thank you. Nothing further.
Judge (01:00:03):
Thank you very much. Just be careful stepping down, okay?
Chris Watson (01:00:21):
We'll call Christos Stergos. Not a big deal.
Judge (01:00:53):
Mr. Stergos, face the clerk, raise your right hand, okay?
Clerk (01:00:55):
Do you solemnly swear or solemnly and sincerely affirm as the case may be that the evidence you shall give concerning the case now in question shall be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God upon penalty of perjury?
Christos Stergos (01:01:04):
Yes.
Clerk (01:01:04):
And please state your full name, spelling your last name.
Christos Stergos (01:01:06):
Christos Stergos, S-T-E-R-G-O-S.
Clerk (01:01:09):
And please state your town of residency.
Christos Stergos (01:01:11):
Burlington.
Clerk (01:01:18):
Thank you.
Judge (01:01:18):
Thank you, Mr. Stergos. Have a seat. State?
Chris Watson (01:01:19):
Thank you. Good morning.
Christos Stergos (01:01:19):
Morning.
Chris Watson (01:01:20):
Mr. Stergos, did you complete your high school degree?
Christos Stergos (01:01:23):
Yes.
Chris Watson (01:01:23):
Where'd you graduate from?
Christos Stergos (01:01:24):
Lewis Mills.
Chris Watson (01:01:26):
And in what year was that?
Christos Stergos (01:01:27):
2022.
Chris Watson (01:01:28):
And did you do any other schooling after you completed your degree?
Christos Stergos (01:01:31):
CDL school and Crane school.
Chris Watson (01:01:34):
Excuse me?
Christos Stergos (01:01:34):
CDL school and Crane school.
Chris Watson (01:01:36):
Oh, Crane school?
Christos Stergos (01:01:37):
Yep.
Chris Watson (01:01:37):
What's Crane school?
Christos Stergos (01:01:39):
Where you get certified to run a crane.
Chris Watson (01:01:40):
And is that what you do for a living now?
Christos Stergos (01:01:42):
Yes.
Chris Watson (01:01:42):
And how long have you been doing that?
Christos Stergos (01:01:44):
About two and a half years.
Chris Watson (01:01:46):
And do you currently live in Connecticut?
Christos Stergos (01:01:46):
Yes.
Chris Watson (01:01:47):
And do you have a twin brother?
Christos Stergos (01:01:48):
Yes.
Chris Watson (01:01:49):
And what is his name?
Christos Stergos (01:01:51):
Savas.
Chris Watson (01:01:55):
Did Savas have a nickname that he went by?
Christos Stergos (01:01:58):
Yes.
Chris Watson (01:01:59):
And what's that nickname?
Christos Stergos (01:02:00):
Stevo.
Chris Watson (01:02:00):
Stevo?
Christos Stergos (01:02:01):
Yep.
Chris Watson (01:02:02):
And did you have a nickname that you went by?
Christos Stergos (01:02:03):
Yes.
Chris Watson (01:02:04):
And what is that nickname?
Christos Stergos (01:02:05):
Urkel.
Chris Watson (01:02:06):
Now I'll show you what's been marked as State's Exhibit one. Do you see the name that's displayed there?
Christos Stergos (01:02:30):
Yes.
Chris Watson (01:02:31):
Are you familiar with that person?
Christos Stergos (01:02:32):
Yes.
Chris Watson (01:02:33):
And for the remainder of your testimony, I'm just going to ask that you call her Sophie, okay?
Christos Stergos (01:02:35):
Okay.
Chris Watson (01:02:37):
How long did you know Sophie?
Christos Stergos (01:02:39):
About two and a half, three years.
Chris Watson (01:02:41):
And prior to May of 2023, was Sophie in a dating relationship with anyone?
Christos Stergos (01:02:47):
Yes.
Chris Watson (01:02:48):
Who was she in a dating relationship with?
Christos Stergos (01:02:49):
Cooper Ouellette.
Chris Watson (01:02:50):
When did you meet Cooper Ouellette?
Christos Stergos (01:02:53):
Freshman year of high school, I'd say.
Chris Watson (01:02:55):
Did you become close friends with him at some point?
Christos Stergos (01:02:57):
Yes.
Chris Watson (01:02:58):
And when was that?
Christos Stergos (01:02:58):
Around junior year.
Chris Watson (01:03:02):
And from your junior year on, would you regularly hang out with Cooper Ouellette?
Christos Stergos (01:03:05):
Yes.
Chris Watson (01:03:06):
And would your brother do the same?
Christos Stergos (01:03:07):
Yes.
Chris Watson (01:03:07):
And was that a weekly thing?
Christos Stergos (01:03:12):
Yes, weekend, weekly. Yeah.
Chris Watson (01:03:14):
At this point, I'm going to ask that, do you see Cooper Ouellette in the courtroom?
Christos Stergos (01:03:17):
Yes.
Chris Watson (01:03:19):
I'm going to ask you to identify an article of clothing he's wearing, please.
Christos Stergos (01:03:21):
White shirt.
Judge (01:03:23):
Record reflecting in court ID.
Chris Watson (01:03:24):
Thank you. I'm going to direct your attention to May of 2023, okay?
Christos Stergos (01:03:28):
Okay.
Chris Watson (01:03:29):
In May of 2023, where were you living?
Christos Stergos (01:03:33):
Burlington, Connecticut.
Chris Watson (01:03:34):
And what was the address of where you lived?
Christos Stergos (01:03:36):
12 White Vensala, Burlington, Connecticut.
Chris Watson (01:03:38):
And who else lived with you at that house?
Christos Stergos (01:03:40):
Me, my mom, my sister, and my twin brother.
Chris Watson (01:03:43):
And how old were you on May 20th specifically of 2023?
Christos Stergos (01:03:46):
18.
Chris Watson (01:03:48):
Now, on May 20th of 2023, were you at your house in Burlington, Connecticut?
Christos Stergos (01:03:51):
Yes.
Chris Watson (01:03:52):
And during the day, had you made plans with one of your other friends?
Christos Stergos (01:03:56):
Yes.
Chris Watson (01:03:57):
And who was that friend?
Christos Stergos (01:03:58):
Brody Manuel.
Chris Watson (01:03:59):
And what were your plans?
Christos Stergos (01:04:01):
Hang out for the night because he was coming home from college.
Chris Watson (01:04:03):
Okay. And did Brody Manuel come to your house?
Christos Stergos (01:04:05):
Yes.
Chris Watson (01:04:07):
On May 20th of 2023?
Christos Stergos (01:04:08):
Yes.
Chris Watson (01:04:11):
And while Brody Manuel was at your house on May 20th of 2023, did another one of your friends come by?
Christos Stergos (01:04:16):
Yes.
Chris Watson (01:04:16):
Who was that?
Christos Stergos (01:04:17):
Aiden Zaherik.
Chris Watson (01:04:18):
Aiden Zaherik?
Christos Stergos (01:04:19):
Yep.
Chris Watson (01:04:21):
And were you, Aiden, and Brody hanging out at your house?
Christos Stergos (01:04:24):
Yes.
Chris Watson (01:04:24):
And while you were hanging out at your house around 6:30, did Cooper Ouellette telephone you?
Christos Stergos (01:04:31):
Yes.
Chris Watson (01:04:31):
And did you talk to Cooper Ouellette on the phone?
Christos Stergos (01:04:31):
Yes.
Chris Watson (01:04:35):
And after you spoke with him, did Cooper Ouellette show up at your house?
Christos Stergos (01:04:38):
Yes.
Chris Watson (01:04:40):
Did he drive there?
Christos Stergos (01:04:41):
Yes.
Chris Watson (01:04:41):
What did he drive there?
Christos Stergos (01:04:42):
A black pickup truck.
Chris Watson (01:04:44):
Had you seen him drive that truck before?
Christos Stergos (01:04:46):
Yes.
Chris Watson (01:04:47):
And when he came to your house, was there anyone with him?
Christos Stergos (01:04:50):
Yes.
Chris Watson (01:04:50):
Who was with him?
Christos Stergos (01:04:51):
Sophie.
Chris Watson (01:04:53):
And when Cooper Ouellette and Sophie showed up at your house, did they come inside?
Christos Stergos (01:04:59):
I don't remember.
Chris Watson (01:05:01):
Okay. While everyone was there, did you guys make plans for the evening?
Christos Stergos (01:05:04):
Yes.
Chris Watson (01:05:05):
What were the plans you were making?
Christos Stergos (01:05:06):
Go to Tyler Schultz's shop.
Chris Watson (01:05:07):
Okay. Did you make plans as to what you were going to do before you went to Tyler Schultz's shop?
Christos Stergos (01:05:12):
Yes. Yes.
Chris Watson (01:05:13):
What were those plans?
Christos Stergos (01:05:15):
Go to Chili's.
Chris Watson (01:05:15):
Okay. And where was the Chili's that you were going to go to?
Christos Stergos (01:05:18):
In Bristol on Route six.
Chris Watson (01:05:19):
Okay. And did the five of you then go to the Chili's on Route six in Bristol?
Christos Stergos (01:05:24):
Yes.
Chris Watson (01:05:25):
Did you take separate cars?
Christos Stergos (01:05:26):
Yes.
Chris Watson (01:05:26):
Who did you go with?
Christos Stergos (01:05:27):
Brody and Aiden.
Chris Watson (01:05:29):
And did Cooper and Sophie go to the Chili's?
Christos Stergos (01:05:31):
Yes.
Chris Watson (01:05:33):
Once you were at the Chili's, did you go inside?
Christos Stergos (01:05:35):
No.
Chris Watson (01:05:35):
What did you guys do?
Christos Stergos (01:05:38):
Hung out in the parking lot and then we went to Walmart.
Chris Watson (01:05:40):
Okay. Did you eventually leave the Walmart?
Christos Stergos (01:05:52):
Yes.
Chris Watson (01:05:53):
And when you left the Walmart, did everybody get back in the cars that they were driving?
Christos Stergos (01:05:56):
Yes.
Chris Watson (01:05:57):
And did Sophie go into Walmart?
Christos Stergos (01:05:59):
No.
Chris Watson (01:06:00):
What did Sophie do?
Christos Stergos (01:06:01):
Stayed in Cooper's truck.
Chris Watson (01:06:03):
Did you find that odd?
Christos Stergos (01:06:05):
Yes.
Chris Watson (01:06:05):
Why is that?
Christos Stergos (01:06:07):
Everyone seemed to be in a good mood and hanging out. I just didn't know why she didn't go into Walmart.
Chris Watson (01:06:12):
And did you eventually leave the Walmart and go back to your cars?
Christos Stergos (01:06:15):
Yes.
Chris Watson (01:06:17):
And where were you headed at that point?
Christos Stergos (01:06:19):
Tyler Schultz's shop in Terryville.
Chris Watson (01:06:23):
And had you gone to that shop before?
Christos Stergos (01:06:24):
Yes.
Chris Watson (01:06:26):
And did everyone that was at the Chili's and the Walmart end up at the shop?
Christos Stergos (01:06:30):
Yes.
Chris Watson (01:06:30):
Did you all take your separate cars?
Christos Stergos (01:06:33):
Yes.
Chris Watson (01:06:34):
About what time did you arrive at the Schultz Corporation?
Christos Stergos (01:06:39):
I think around 8, 8:30.
Chris Watson (01:06:39):
When you first got to the Schultz Corporation, did all of you go inside and hang out?
Christos Stergos (01:06:43):
Yes.
Chris Watson (01:06:43):
What were you doing?
Christos Stergos (01:06:45):
Hanging out, drinking.
Chris Watson (01:06:46):
Okay. Did you bring any alcohol to the shop that evening?
Christos Stergos (01:06:53):
No.
Chris Watson (01:06:54):
Did you drink alcohol at the shop that evening while you were there?
Christos Stergos (01:06:57):
Yes.
Chris Watson (01:06:58):
And were other people drinking?
Christos Stergos (01:07:00):
Yes.
Chris Watson (01:07:01):
Where'd you get the alcohol from?
Christos Stergos (01:07:03):
Yeti Cooler.
Chris Watson (01:07:04):
And who brought the Yeti cooler?
Christos Stergos (01:07:05):
Cooper.
Chris Watson (01:07:07):
And what'd you drink from that Yeti cooler?
Christos Stergos (01:07:08):
Beer.
Chris Watson (01:07:21):
And while you were at that shop that night, did Cooper Ouellette offer you anything from that Yeti cooler?
Christos Stergos (01:07:29):
Offer and/or me grabbing it, yes.
Chris Watson (01:07:31):
Okay. And did you see Cooper Ouellette drinking alcohol that evening too?
Christos Stergos (01:07:39):
Yes.
Chris Watson (01:07:40):
What'd you see him drinking?
Christos Stergos (01:07:41):
Beer.
Chris Watson (01:07:43):
About how many beers did you see him drinking?
Christos Stergos (01:07:45):
Probably five or six.
Chris Watson (01:07:49):
Now, while he was at the shop that night or Cooper Ouellette was at the shop that night, did he appear to be buzzed from the beer he was drinking?
Christos Stergos (01:07:55):
Yes.
Chris Watson (01:07:56):
Can you describe that?
Christos Stergos (01:08:00):
Intoxicated and not sober.
Chris Watson (01:08:03):
Okay. Was he slurring his words?
Christos Stergos (01:08:06):
I don't remember.
Chris Watson (01:08:07):
Okay. Did you see other people getting drinks out of that cooler as well?
Christos Stergos (01:08:11):
Yes.
Chris Watson (01:08:12):
Around 9:30 that evening while you were at the shop, did other people show up?
Christos Stergos (01:08:16):
Yes.
Chris Watson (01:08:18):
And at some point during the evening, did you go outside the shop with Cooper Ouellette?
Christos Stergos (01:08:21):
Yes.
Chris Watson (01:08:22):
And when you went outside the shop with Cooper Ouellette, what did the two of you do?
Christos Stergos (01:08:26):
Went to Brody Manuel's car.
Chris Watson (01:08:28):
And why did you go to Brody Manuel's car?
Christos Stergos (01:08:31):
To talk, hang out, listen to music.
Chris Watson (01:08:34):
Okay. And when you got to Brody Manuel's car, did you go inside of it?
Christos Stergos (01:08:37):
Yes.
Chris Watson (01:08:37):
And where did you sit?
Christos Stergos (01:08:38):
In the back passenger seat.
Chris Watson (01:08:40):
And where did Cooper Ouellette sit?
Christos Stergos (01:08:41):
The back driver's side seat.
Chris Watson (01:08:42):
And what kind of car was it?
Christos Stergos (01:08:43):
An Audi A6.
Chris Watson (01:08:45):
Is there a lot of room in that back seat?
Christos Stergos (01:08:47):
Kind of, sort of a good amount.
Chris Watson (01:08:49):
Okay. What were you guys doing while you were in the car?
Christos Stergos (01:08:53):
Drinking, talking.
Chris Watson (01:08:55):
Okay. Did you both have drinks with you?
Christos Stergos (01:08:58):
I would assume so, yes.
Chris Watson (01:08:59):
Were they alcoholic drinks?
Christos Stergos (01:09:00):
Yes.
Chris Watson (01:09:00):
And while you two were in the car, did there come a time in which Sophie came up to the car?
Christos Stergos (01:09:05):
Yes.
Chris Watson (01:09:06):
And when she came up over to the car, did she start talking to you or Cooper?
Christos Stergos (01:09:09):
Cooper.
Chris Watson (01:09:14):
And when Sophie came over to the car, was Cooper Ouellette still inside of it?
Christos Stergos (01:09:16):
Yes.
Chris Watson (01:09:18):
And was the door to the car in the backseat open?
Christos Stergos (01:09:20):
Yes.
Chris Watson (01:09:22):
While Sophie was talking to you or to Cooper, did you see her do anything to Cooper Ouellette?
Christos Stergos (01:09:27):
Try to show him affection.
Chris Watson (01:09:28):
And how'd she do that?
Christos Stergos (01:09:30):
Hug him, touch him, talk to him.
Chris Watson (01:09:32):
Okay. And when you saw her do that, what did you see? What did Cooper Ouellette say?
Christos Stergos (01:09:36):
"Why are you touching me? Stop touching me."
Chris Watson (01:09:49):
And do you remember the tone of his voice when he said, "Stop touching me"?
Christos Stergos (01:09:53):
More stern demeanor, I'd say.
Chris Watson (01:09:55):
Okay. And when he said that, what was going through your mind?
Jonathan Raad (01:10:00):
I'm going to object, Your Honor. It's...
Jonathan Raad (01:10:00):
I'm going to object, Your Honor.
The Court (01:10:04):
It's sustained. What are you offering it for? [inaudible 01:10:06]. All right. It's sustained.
Chris Watson (01:10:08):
When you heard Cooper Ouellette say that to Sophie, did Sophie say anything back to him?
Christo Stergos (01:10:13):
"I don't want to argue tonight."
Chris Watson (01:10:18):
And were Cooper Ouellette and Sophie arguing at that point?
Christo Stergos (01:10:23):
At that point, I think it kind of started, yes.
Chris Watson (01:10:27):
Now during that time, did you see Cooper Ouellette do anything to Sophie while he was in the back?
Christo Stergos (01:10:31):
Kicked her.
Chris Watson (01:10:32):
I'm sorry?
Christo Stergos (01:10:33):
He kicked her.
Chris Watson (01:10:34):
And how many times did he kick her?
Christo Stergos (01:10:35):
I'd say two to three.
Chris Watson (01:10:36):
And what did he use to kick her?
Christo Stergos (01:10:38):
His right boot.
Chris Watson (01:10:38):
And do you recall what kind of boots he was wearing that day?
Christo Stergos (01:10:42):
I believe Chippewas.
Chris Watson (01:10:46):
And where did he kick her with the boot?
Christo Stergos (01:10:49):
I'd say mid-torso down to her lower legs, above her knees.
Chris Watson (01:10:56):
Okay. How many times did he kick her?
Christo Stergos (01:10:57):
About two to three.
Chris Watson (01:11:00):
Did he have to do anything to reposition himself to kick her?
Christo Stergos (01:11:02):
Kind of turned his back so he could face out the door.
Chris Watson (01:11:08):
And when he kicked Sophie, did Sophie stay at her feet?
Christo Stergos (01:11:12):
No.
Chris Watson (01:11:13):
Did she fall to the ground?
Christo Stergos (01:11:14):
Yes.
Chris Watson (01:11:19):
And when that happened, did you hear Sophie say anything?
Christo Stergos (01:11:22):
Yes.
Chris Watson (01:11:23):
What did she say?
Christo Stergos (01:11:24):
"Ow, you just kicked me to the ground."
Chris Watson (01:11:27):
And after that, did Sophie get herself up off the ground?
Christo Stergos (01:11:29):
Yes.
Chris Watson (01:11:30):
And when she got up off the ground, did she say anything else?
Jonathan Raad (01:11:35):
I'm going to object, Your Honor. Calls for hearsay.
The Court (01:11:39):
That's a yes or a no at this point.
Christo Stergos (01:11:41):
Yes.
Chris Watson (01:11:41):
Did she then head back to the shop?
Christo Stergos (01:11:47):
Yes.
Chris Watson (01:11:48):
And after she was going back to the shop, did you see... Or while she was going back to the shop, did you see Sophie doing anything with her phone?
Christo Stergos (01:11:56):
Pulled out her phone, yes.
Chris Watson (01:11:59):
What was she doing with it?
Christo Stergos (01:12:00):
I don't know.
Chris Watson (01:12:10):
Okay. Did you see any visible injuries to Sophie as a result of being kicked?
Christo Stergos (01:12:13):
No.
Chris Watson (01:12:15):
Did you leave the car after that?
Christo Stergos (01:12:16):
Yes.
Chris Watson (01:12:17):
And did you go back to the shop?
Christo Stergos (01:12:18):
Yes.
Chris Watson (01:12:19):
Why'd you leave the car?
Christo Stergos (01:12:21):
I was pissed about what happened and wanted to go back and hang out with my friends.
Chris Watson (01:12:26):
And when you went back in the shop, did you see Sophie?
Christo Stergos (01:12:29):
I believe she was talking with Morgan Pease in the bathroom.
Chris Watson (01:12:33):
Okay. And around 11:15 that night, did you see Cooper Ouellette inside of his truck at the Schultz Corporation?
Christo Stergos (01:12:41):
Yes.
Chris Watson (01:12:42):
And when you saw him inside of his truck, was he alone?
Christo Stergos (01:12:45):
Yes.
Chris Watson (01:12:46):
Was the truck running?
Christo Stergos (01:12:47):
Yes.
Chris Watson (01:12:47):
And what was he doing?
Christo Stergos (01:12:51):
I don't know. Sitting, waiting.
Chris Watson (01:12:53):
Okay. Did you see him move the truck in any way?
Christo Stergos (01:12:57):
Yes.
Chris Watson (01:12:58):
Can you describe that?
Christo Stergos (01:13:01):
The shop's kind of here. There's a paved driveway that goes out. I would say he was driving to start leaving.
Chris Watson (01:13:07):
And was there anybody else in the truck?
Christo Stergos (01:13:08):
No.
Chris Watson (01:13:08):
And when you saw that, did you go up to him?
Christo Stergos (01:13:11):
Yes.
Chris Watson (01:13:12):
And when you went up to him, did he stop the truck?
Christo Stergos (01:13:14):
Yes.
Chris Watson (01:13:14):
And what'd you say to him when he stopped the truck?
Christo Stergos (01:13:19):
Are you bringing Sophie home?
Jonathan Raad (01:13:20):
Hearsay.
Chris Watson (01:13:21):
I'm asking him what he said to Cooper, not what Cooper said.
The Court (01:13:24):
It is hearsay, but... It could still be hearsay what this person said, but I'm going to allow that.
Chris Watson (01:13:33):
What did you say?
Christo Stergos (01:13:34):
Are you bringing Sophie home?
Chris Watson (01:13:36):
Did he respond?
Christo Stergos (01:13:39):
I don't remember.
Chris Watson (01:13:39):
Did he stop the truck?
Christo Stergos (01:13:41):
Yes.
Chris Watson (01:13:45):
And when he stopped the truck, did Sophie come out?
Christo Stergos (01:13:49):
Yes.
Chris Watson (01:13:50):
Did she go towards the truck?
Christo Stergos (01:13:51):
Yes.
Chris Watson (01:13:51):
Did she get inside of it?
Christo Stergos (01:13:52):
Yes.
Chris Watson (01:13:53):
And when she got inside the truck, did she do anything with the door?
Christo Stergos (01:13:59):
Slammed it.
Chris Watson (01:14:03):
And when you saw Sophie get inside the truck, did she have any visible injuries to her face?
Christo Stergos (01:14:07):
No.
Chris Watson (01:14:07):
Did Cooper Ouellette and Sophie then leave together?
Christo Stergos (01:14:11):
Yes.
Chris Watson (01:14:11):
And did everyone else leave shortly thereafter?
Christo Stergos (01:14:15):
Yes.
Chris Watson (01:14:17):
Now, while you're at that gathering with Cooper Ouellette, did he send a voicemail or leave a voicemail to your brother?
Christo Stergos (01:14:24):
Yes.
Chris Watson (01:14:25):
Were you present when he did that?
Christo Stergos (01:14:26):
Yes.
Chris Watson (01:14:27):
Was the phone on speakerphone?
Christo Stergos (01:14:29):
Yes.
Chris Watson (01:14:29):
I'm going to play State's Exhibit 84 for you and ask you if you recognize it.
(01:14:36)
[inaudible 01:14:43]. I apologize. It is... keep going down.
(01:15:07)
Is it?
Speaker 3 (01:15:07):
86.
Chris Watson (01:15:08):
86, excuse me. Got to go all the way down. We'll do this old school.
(01:15:42)
Can I have one moment?
The Court (01:15:42):
Yes.
Chris Watson (01:15:42):
Apologies, Your Honor.
The Court (01:15:42):
Take your time.
Chris Watson (01:16:54):
Let me ask this question. Okay. So the question will be... Let's remove this. [inaudible 01:17:03].
Audio: Cooper Ouellette (01:17:02):
It's me and-
Chris Watson (01:17:05):
Your Honor, may I approach the witness with the computer? This is why I don't do technology.
Audio: Cooper Ouellette (01:17:15):
Stevo-
Chris Watson (01:17:16):
And I'm going to play for you what's been marked as State's Exhibit 86.
The Court (01:17:22):
84 or 86?
Chris Watson (01:17:22):
86.
The Court (01:17:22):
86.
Audio: Cooper Ouellette (01:17:24):
Stevo. It's me and Urkel. Urkel, say hi.
Audio: Christo Stergos (01:17:31):
What's going on, bub?
Audio: Cooper Ouellette (01:17:32):
Hey, me and Urkel, very drunk. Very, very, very drunk. We need you to come pick up... Sophie [inaudible 01:17:49]. Sophie. Yeah, she talked and she mad at me and she don't want a ride home. Stevo, come pick me up. Yeah, we're better friends. I'm begging you, we go-
Chris Watson (01:18:05):
Was your voice in that recording?
Christo Stergos (01:18:07):
Yes.
Chris Watson (01:18:08):
Was Cooper Ouellette's voice in that recording?
Christo Stergos (01:18:10):
Yes.
Chris Watson (01:18:10):
What'd you say in that recording?
Christo Stergos (01:18:12):
What's going on?
Chris Watson (01:18:14):
And who was that addressed to?
Christo Stergos (01:18:15):
My brother Savvas.
Chris Watson (01:18:23):
Did you sit down eventually with a member of the Connecticut State Police?
Christo Stergos (01:18:26):
Yes.
Chris Watson (01:18:27):
And did you tell them everything you remembered happening that evening?
Christo Stergos (01:18:30):
Yes.
Chris Watson (01:18:30):
Did you provide them with a written statement?
Christo Stergos (01:18:32):
Yes.
Chris Watson (01:18:33):
And before you provided them... Or after a written statement was provided, did you review that written statement?
Christo Stergos (01:18:38):
Yes.
Chris Watson (01:18:38):
And did you make any necessary changes to it?
Christo Stergos (01:18:42):
Yes.
Chris Watson (01:18:43):
And did you then sign it?
Christo Stergos (01:18:44):
Yes.
Chris Watson (01:18:44):
Nothing else? No?
(01:18:44)
Nothing further.
Jonathan Raad (01:18:56):
Good afternoon. Which one's Stevo and which one's Urkel again?
Christo Stergos (01:18:58):
I'm Urkel, my brother is Stevo.
Jonathan Raad (01:18:59):
All right. Those obviously aren't your real names.
Christo Stergos (01:19:01):
No.
Jonathan Raad (01:19:04):
How did you get those names, nicknames?
Christo Stergos (01:19:06):
Just from working, I'd say. I don't know.
Jonathan Raad (01:19:09):
Was that like a gag between you, your brother and Cooper?
Christo Stergos (01:19:13):
I'd say between a couple individuals, yes.
Jonathan Raad (01:19:16):
All right. But it was a gag, right? A joke?
Christo Stergos (01:19:18):
Yes.
Jonathan Raad (01:19:18):
All right. And isn't it true that you and your brother and Cooper would often leave each other funny voicemails like that?
Christo Stergos (01:19:27):
Occasionally.
Jonathan Raad (01:19:28):
Okay. And safe to say that you guys would pretend to be drunk sometimes or pretend to-
Christo Stergos (01:19:34):
No.
Jonathan Raad (01:19:36):
No, your answer's no?
Christo Stergos (01:19:37):
No.
Jonathan Raad (01:19:38):
Okay. What about your brother, Urkel?
Christo Stergos (01:19:41):
I'm Urkel.
Jonathan Raad (01:19:41):
I'm sorry, Stevo?
Christo Stergos (01:19:42):
I can't speak for him. I don't know.
Jonathan Raad (01:19:44):
Have you ever heard a voicemail that Cooper left on his phone?
Christo Stergos (01:19:48):
That one, yes.
Jonathan Raad (01:19:48):
Besides that one?
Christo Stergos (01:19:49):
No.
Jonathan Raad (01:19:51):
Okay. So it's your testimony that every time a voicemail was left on your phone by Cooper, you would think that he was actually drunk?
Christo Stergos (01:20:03):
If he's saying he's drunk, yes.
Jonathan Raad (01:20:04):
All right. That one, do you think he's actually drunk?
Christo Stergos (01:20:05):
If he's saying it, yes.
Jonathan Raad (01:20:10):
All right. But he would often leave you voicemails like that, correct?
Christo Stergos (01:20:12):
No.
Jonathan Raad (01:20:12):
He wouldn't?
Christo Stergos (01:20:12):
No.
Jonathan Raad (01:20:13):
Was your testimony that he would never leave you voicemails like that?
Christo Stergos (01:20:16):
Not like that, no.
Jonathan Raad (01:20:17):
Okay. What about your brother?
Christo Stergos (01:20:18):
Can't speak for him.
Jonathan Raad (01:20:19):
Have you ever heard your brother's voicemail?
Christo Stergos (01:20:21):
I said no.
Jonathan Raad (01:20:25):
Do you recall giving a sworn statement on June 21st, 2023?
Christo Stergos (01:20:29):
I don't know the date, but yes.
Jonathan Raad (01:20:30):
All right. If I were to show you a copy of your statement, would that refresh your recollection?
Christo Stergos (01:20:33):
Yes. Yeah.
Jonathan Raad (01:20:43):
Does that refresh your recollection?
Christo Stergos (01:20:44):
Yes.
Jonathan Raad (01:20:45):
All right. Do you remember who you spoke to?
Christo Stergos (01:20:48):
A detective. I don't know his name though.
Jonathan Raad (01:20:49):
Okay. And when you spoke to the detective, do you recall saying that you didn't see Cooper actually kick Sophie? Do you recall that?
Christo Stergos (01:20:58):
No.
Jonathan Raad (01:20:58):
If I were to show you a copy of your sworn statement, would that refresh your recollection?
Christo Stergos (01:21:04):
Yes. I mean, I didn't... Sorry?
Jonathan Raad (01:21:20):
Did that refresh your recollection?
Christo Stergos (01:21:21):
Yes.
Jonathan Raad (01:21:24):
So do you recall telling the detective that you did not see Cooper actually kick Sophie?
Christo Stergos (01:21:29):
I did not see her fall to the ground.
Jonathan Raad (01:21:31):
Okay. So was your memory better then than it is now?
Christo Stergos (01:21:39):
No.
Jonathan Raad (01:21:40):
Okay. How many times did you discuss your testimony with the State?
Christo Stergos (01:21:44):
Two or three.
Jonathan Raad (01:21:45):
Two or three, when?
Christo Stergos (01:21:47):
Don't remember.
Jonathan Raad (01:21:48):
You don't remember? Did you discuss your testimony this morning?
Christo Stergos (01:21:51):
No.
Jonathan Raad (01:21:52):
What about yesterday?
Christo Stergos (01:21:53):
No.
Jonathan Raad (01:21:54):
How long ago would you say you discussed your testimony?
Christo Stergos (01:21:58):
Last week, two weeks ago.
Jonathan Raad (01:21:59):
Did they ever show you your sworn statement?
Christo Stergos (01:22:01):
Yes.
Jonathan Raad (01:22:02):
When?
Christo Stergos (01:22:03):
Don't remember.
Jonathan Raad (01:22:03):
You don't remember?
Christo Stergos (01:22:04):
No.
Jonathan Raad (01:22:05):
Did you read the whole thing?
Christo Stergos (01:22:06):
Yes.
Jonathan Raad (01:22:07):
Did you talk about that part where you said you didn't see Sophie?
Christo Stergos (01:22:10):
I said I didn't see her fall to the ground.
Jonathan Raad (01:22:13):
Okay. Do you recall giving an interview over the phone?
Christo Stergos (01:22:16):
No.
Jonathan Raad (01:22:16):
You don't?
The Court (01:22:18):
Interview over the phone with the State or-?
Jonathan Raad (01:22:21):
My apologies. With a detective?
Christo Stergos (01:22:23):
Not that I remember, no.
Jonathan Raad (01:22:24):
Not that you remember? Did you discuss that with the State when you prepared your testimony?
Christo Stergos (01:22:28):
Discuss what?
Jonathan Raad (01:22:29):
Your telephone interview.
Christo Stergos (01:22:31):
I don't remember.
Jonathan Raad (01:22:32):
You don't remember? What do you remember about-
Christo Stergos (01:22:35):
Who the fuck are you to talk to me like that?
Jonathan Raad (01:22:36):
Sorry?
Christo Stergos (01:22:36):
Sorry.
The Court (01:22:37):
All right. We're going to end that right there.
(01:22:39)
Sir, you have to answer the witness's question, okay?
Christo Stergos (01:22:43):
Okay.
The Court (01:22:43):
We can't have back and forth like that. All right?
Christo Stergos (01:22:45):
Yeah.
The Court (01:22:50):
You can rephrase the question.
Jonathan Raad (01:22:52):
Do you need a minute?
Christo Stergos (01:22:52):
Nope.
Jonathan Raad (01:22:55):
So what do you remember about preparing your testimony with the State?
Christo Stergos (01:22:58):
Whatever I remember to the best of my knowledge.
Jonathan Raad (01:23:00):
Sorry?
Christo Stergos (01:23:01):
Whatever I remember to the best of my knowledge.
Jonathan Raad (01:23:03):
To the best of your knowledge?
Christo Stergos (01:23:04):
Yep.
Jonathan Raad (01:23:05):
And again, you don't remember when you read your sworn statement with them?
Christo Stergos (01:23:08):
Like I said, I don't remember the exact date, no.
Jonathan Raad (01:23:10):
Okay. And you were drinking that night, correct?
Christo Stergos (01:23:14):
Yep.
Jonathan Raad (01:23:14):
How many drinks would you say you had?
Christo Stergos (01:23:18):
Three or four. A couple.
Jonathan Raad (01:23:19):
Three or four? What were you drinking?
Christo Stergos (01:23:20):
Beer.
Jonathan Raad (01:23:21):
When did you start drinking?
Christo Stergos (01:23:24):
Don't remember.
Jonathan Raad (01:23:25):
You don't remember when you started drinking that night?
Christo Stergos (01:23:27):
Probably as soon as we got to the Schultz.
Jonathan Raad (01:23:30):
Okay. Did you guys stop at a package store together?
Christo Stergos (01:23:31):
Yes.
Jonathan Raad (01:23:32):
When?
Christo Stergos (01:23:34):
Don't remember.
Jonathan Raad (01:23:35):
You don't remember?
Christo Stergos (01:23:35):
Nope.
Jonathan Raad (01:23:36):
Was it shortly before getting to the Schultz?
Christo Stergos (01:23:39):
Yes.
Jonathan Raad (01:23:40):
And what did you buy?
Christo Stergos (01:23:41):
I didn't buy anything.
Jonathan Raad (01:23:41):
You didn't buy anything?
Christo Stergos (01:23:42):
Nope.
Jonathan Raad (01:23:46):
Okay. Did you see Sophie drinking that night?
Christo Stergos (01:23:48):
Yes.
Jonathan Raad (01:23:49):
What was she drinking?
Christo Stergos (01:23:49):
Arnold Palmer's.
Jonathan Raad (01:23:51):
Okay. And isn't it true that she was intoxicated?
Christo Stergos (01:23:54):
Yes.
Jonathan Raad (01:23:54):
Okay. Had you seen her intoxicated before?
Christo Stergos (01:23:57):
Yes.
Jonathan Raad (01:23:58):
How many times would you say?
Christo Stergos (01:24:00):
No idea.
Chris Watson (01:24:00):
Relevance.
The Court (01:24:04):
As to how many times before is not really relevant, that we're just talking about that evening. That's sustained.
Jonathan Raad (01:24:13):
Was there a fridge at the Schultz store?
Christo Stergos (01:24:15):
Yes.
Jonathan Raad (01:24:16):
All right. What was usually in that fridge?
Christo Stergos (01:24:18):
Leftover food from the coworkers.
Jonathan Raad (01:24:19):
There was no alcohol?
Christo Stergos (01:24:22):
Not that I remember, no.
Jonathan Raad (01:24:22):
Is it your testimony you guys wouldn't keep alcohol in that fridge?
Christo Stergos (01:24:24):
No.
Jonathan Raad (01:24:25):
You wouldn't stop at package stores and bring alcohol over there and put it in the fridge?
Christo Stergos (01:24:29):
No.
Jonathan Raad (01:24:30):
What about your brother?
Christo Stergos (01:24:32):
Can't speak for him.
Jonathan Raad (01:24:32):
You ever seen him do that?
Christo Stergos (01:24:34):
No.
Jonathan Raad (01:24:34):
I know you can't speak for him, but have you ever seen him do that?
Christo Stergos (01:24:37):
No.
Jonathan Raad (01:24:44):
Can I have a moment, Your Honor?
The Court (01:24:44):
Take your time.
Jonathan Raad (01:24:44):
You testified that you guys went to Chili's?
Christo Stergos (01:24:53):
Yes.
Jonathan Raad (01:24:54):
All right. How long would you say you were there?
Christo Stergos (01:24:55):
Probably 10, 15 minutes.
Jonathan Raad (01:24:58):
And did you see anybody drinking at Chili's?
Christo Stergos (01:25:00):
I don't recall.
Jonathan Raad (01:25:00):
Was Sophie drinking at Chili's?
Christo Stergos (01:25:03):
Don't recall.
Jonathan Raad (01:25:07):
What about when you guys went to Walmart and she stayed in the truck? Was she drinking?
Christo Stergos (01:25:11):
I was in Walmart.
Jonathan Raad (01:25:12):
Did you see inside the truck?
Christo Stergos (01:25:14):
I was in Walmart.
Jonathan Raad (01:25:15):
Did you ever see Sophie sitting in the truck at that time?
Christo Stergos (01:25:16):
Yes.
Jonathan Raad (01:25:16):
All right. Did you see her drinking?
Christo Stergos (01:25:16):
No.
Jonathan Raad (01:25:17):
Did you see inside the truck at all?
Christo Stergos (01:25:18):
No.
Jonathan Raad (01:25:22):
Do you know if she had a drink with her?
Christo Stergos (01:25:24):
No.
Jonathan Raad (01:25:25):
What about the cup holder?
Christo Stergos (01:25:26):
What cup holder?
Jonathan Raad (01:25:28):
The cup holder in the truck. Do you know if there was a drink there that she was drinking?
Christo Stergos (01:25:31):
I don't know.
Jonathan Raad (01:25:32):
Do you know if there was a thermos there that she was drinking?
Christo Stergos (01:25:33):
I don't know.
Jonathan Raad (01:25:36):
No further questions.
Chris Watson (01:25:43):
When you were there at the Schultz Corporation and Cooper Ouellette sent that voicemail to your brother, you were with Cooper Ouellette?
Christo Stergos (01:25:53):
Yes.
Chris Watson (01:25:54):
Was Cooper Ouellette drunk?
Christo Stergos (01:25:56):
Yes.
Chris Watson (01:25:56):
Was he drunk when he sent that voicemail?
Christo Stergos (01:25:58):
Yes.
Chris Watson (01:25:59):
Now, you were asked on direct or cross-examination if you recall giving a written statement to the police, remember that?
Christo Stergos (01:26:07):
Yes.
Chris Watson (01:26:09):
And you were asked if you told the police that you didn't see something, is that correct?
Christo Stergos (01:26:13):
Yes.
Chris Watson (01:26:14):
What didn't you see?
Christo Stergos (01:26:16):
I did not see Sophie fall to the ground, but I heard her say that she felt... Or that, Cooper kicked me to the ground.
Chris Watson (01:26:21):
Did you see Cooper Ouellette kick Sophie?
Christo Stergos (01:26:24):
Yes.
Chris Watson (01:26:25):
Did you see Sophie fall to the ground?
Christo Stergos (01:26:28):
No.
Chris Watson (01:26:29):
And why didn't you see Sophie fall to the ground?
Christo Stergos (01:26:31):
Cooper's back was kind of right in the way of what I could see because the car was low.
Chris Watson (01:26:37):
Okay. And you were asked if you went to the package store that night. When you left your house when everyone was there and you were driving to the Chili's, did you stop at a package store?
Christo Stergos (01:26:56):
We possibly could have, yes. If that was the time, then that would've been it.
Chris Watson (01:26:59):
Okay. Who went inside the package store?
Christo Stergos (01:27:06):
I don't remember.
Chris Watson (01:27:07):
Did you go inside the package store?
Christo Stergos (01:27:08):
I don't believe so, no.
Chris Watson (01:27:15):
You met with both myself and David Clifton, correct?
Christo Stergos (01:27:20):
Yes.
Chris Watson (01:27:20):
And Inspector Apicella was present?
Christo Stergos (01:27:22):
Yes.
Chris Watson (01:27:23):
And during those times that we spoke with you, what did we tell you the most important thing to do when you testified was?
Christo Stergos (01:27:28):
Tell the truth.
Chris Watson (01:27:31):
Thank you.
Jonathan Raad (01:27:33):
When you gave the sworn statement, were you also told to tell the truth?
Christo Stergos (01:27:35):
Yes.
Jonathan Raad (01:27:36):
Thank you.
Christo Stergos (01:27:36):
Okay.
The Court (01:27:40):
All right. I'm going to have you step down, but please don't discuss your testimony with anybody or let anybody discuss it with you, okay?
Christo Stergos (01:27:44):
Thank you.
The Court (01:27:44):
You're welcome. Just going to walk out the back there.
Chris Watson (01:27:46):
Are we done?
(01:27:50)
Does the court wish to take the recess now or...
The Court (01:28:01):
Who's your next witness?
Speaker 2 (01:28:03):
Miranda Lawlor.
The Court (01:28:04):
Pardon me?
Speaker 2 (01:28:04):
Miranda Lawlor.
The Court (01:28:08):
Yeah, we'll take our 15-minute break. All right?
(01:28:11)
Thank you, ladies and gentlemen. Leave your notebooks on the-
The Court (01:28:12):
All right. The next witness is ready?
Attorney David Clifton (01:28:12):
Yes, your honor.
The Court (01:58:11):
All right. Adjourned.
(01:58:11)
Thank you, ladies and gentlemen.
(01:58:11)
Will the parties stipulate to the presence of the jury?
Attorney David Clifton (01:58:12):
Yes, Your Honor.
Attorney Martin Minnella (01:58:13):
Yes, Your Honor.
The Court (01:58:22):
Have a seat.
Attorney David Clifton (01:58:23):
State calls Miranda Lawlor.
The Court (01:58:41):
Okay, Ms. Lawlor, just going to have you raise your right hand there.
Court Clerk (01:58:43):
Do you solemnly swear, or solemnly and sincerely affirm, as the case may be, that the evidence you shall give concerning the case now in question shall be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God, or under penalty of perjury?
Miranda Lawlor (01:58:52):
I do.
Court Clerk (01:58:52):
And please state your full name, spelling your last name.
Miranda Lawlor (01:58:54):
Miranda, L-A-W-L-O-R.
Court Clerk (01:58:57):
And please state your town of residence.
Miranda Lawlor (01:58:58):
Morris, Connecticut.
Court Clerk (01:58:59):
Thank you.
The Court (01:59:00):
Thank you, Ms. Lawlor. All right. Make yourself comfortable.
(01:59:04)
State?
Attorney David Clifton (01:59:05):
Thank you, Your Honor.
(01:59:05)
Good morning, ma'am.
Miranda Lawlor (01:59:05):
Good morning.
Attorney David Clifton (01:59:08):
Did you complete your high school degree?
Miranda Lawlor (01:59:10):
I did.
Attorney David Clifton (01:59:10):
And where did you graduate from?
Miranda Lawlor (01:59:12):
Oliver Wolcott Tech.
Attorney David Clifton (01:59:13):
What year was that?
Miranda Lawlor (01:59:14):
2022.
Attorney David Clifton (01:59:16):
And are you currently working?
Miranda Lawlor (01:59:17):
I am.
Attorney David Clifton (01:59:18):
What do you do for a living?
Miranda Lawlor (01:59:19):
I'm a hairstylist and part-time dental patient care coordinator.
Attorney David Clifton (01:59:23):
And how long have you been doing hair?
Miranda Lawlor (01:59:26):
About five years.
Attorney David Clifton (01:59:28):
And what are your job responsibility as it relates to your dental job?
Miranda Lawlor (01:59:33):
Checking in patients, billing insurance, phone calls.
Attorney David Clifton (01:59:37):
And how long have you been doing that?
Miranda Lawlor (01:59:39):
Just about the beginning of the year.
Attorney David Clifton (01:59:43):
And do you currently live in Connecticut?
Miranda Lawlor (01:59:44):
I do.
Attorney David Clifton (01:59:46):
And if we could publish State's Exhibit 1.
(01:59:53)
Do you recognize the name being displayed on the screen?
Miranda Lawlor (01:59:55):
Yes.
Attorney David Clifton (01:59:56):
And for the rest of your testimony, I'm going to ask, if you refer to her, just refer to her as Sophie, okay?
Miranda Lawlor (02:00:01):
Okay.
Attorney David Clifton (02:00:02):
Did you know Sophie?
Miranda Lawlor (02:00:03):
I did.
Attorney David Clifton (02:00:05):
And were you friends with her?
Miranda Lawlor (02:00:08):
We were definitely more acquaintances.
Attorney David Clifton (02:00:09):
All right. And how did you meet Sophie?
Miranda Lawlor (02:00:13):
Mutual friends.
Attorney David Clifton (02:00:14):
And about how long had you known Sophie?
Miranda Lawlor (02:00:18):
A year and a half, two years.
Attorney David Clifton (02:00:20):
Did you also know the defendant, Cooper Ouellette?
Miranda Lawlor (02:00:21):
I did.
Attorney David Clifton (02:00:22):
How did you meet him?
Miranda Lawlor (02:00:24):
We were in high school together. He was a grade younger than me.
Attorney David Clifton (02:00:27):
And how long had you known Cooper Ouellette as of May 20th of 2023?
Miranda Lawlor (02:00:32):
About four years.
Attorney David Clifton (02:00:35):
And were you friends with Cooper Ouellette in May of 2023?
Miranda Lawlor (02:00:36):
Yes.
Attorney David Clifton (02:00:40):
And did there come a time where you learned that Sophie passed away?
Miranda Lawlor (02:00:43):
Yes.
Attorney David Clifton (02:00:44):
Do you see the person that you know as Cooper Ouellette in the courtroom today?
Miranda Lawlor (02:00:45):
Yes.
Attorney David Clifton (02:00:48):
Can you please describe an article of clothing he's wearing?
Miranda Lawlor (02:00:50):
A pink and blue tie.
The Court (02:00:52):
Let the record reflect the in-court identification.
Attorney David Clifton (02:00:54):
Thank you.
(02:00:55)
Do you recall around when you learned that Sophie passed away?
Miranda Lawlor (02:01:01):
I believe it was May 21st.
Attorney David Clifton (02:01:03):
And after May 21st, did you have contact with Cooper Ouellette?
Miranda Lawlor (02:01:08):
Yes.
Attorney David Clifton (02:01:08):
About how long after you had learned that Sophie passed?
Miranda Lawlor (02:01:12):
A couple weeks.
Attorney David Clifton (02:01:13):
And how did you have that contact with Mr. Ouellette?
Miranda Lawlor (02:01:17):
We were at a mutual friend's house.
Attorney David Clifton (02:01:19):
Whose house was that?
Miranda Lawlor (02:01:20):
Matt Bystrack's.
Attorney David Clifton (02:01:22):
And while you were at Matt Bystrack's house, how did that interaction occur?
Miranda Lawlor (02:01:28):
I can't recall exactly, but we were just there together, mutual friends.
Attorney David Clifton (02:01:38):
While you were there together, did you and Cooper Ouellette decide to leave that party?
Miranda Lawlor (02:01:41):
Yes.
Attorney David Clifton (02:01:42):
Can you describe to the jury how that happened?
Miranda Lawlor (02:01:46):
I can't recall exactly, but I just remember the group kind of split up and went different ways that day.
Attorney David Clifton (02:01:51):
And did you go with Cooper Ouellette?
Miranda Lawlor (02:01:53):
Yes.
Attorney David Clifton (02:01:54):
Was anyone else with you?
Miranda Lawlor (02:01:55):
No.
Attorney David Clifton (02:01:56):
And who was driving?
Miranda Lawlor (02:01:57):
Cooper.
Attorney David Clifton (02:01:58):
And do you recall what he was driving?
Miranda Lawlor (02:02:00):
I don't.
Attorney David Clifton (02:02:01):
Where were you headed?
Miranda Lawlor (02:02:03):
I don't recall exactly. It was a short ride.
Attorney David Clifton (02:02:05):
Were you going to get food?
Miranda Lawlor (02:02:07):
Possibly, yes.
Attorney David Clifton (02:02:08):
Do you recall going to the McDonald's in Torrington?
Miranda Lawlor (02:02:11):
That plaza for sure, yes.
Attorney David Clifton (02:02:14):
And while you were in the vehicle with Cooper Ouellette, did you inquire about the death of Sophie?
Miranda Lawlor (02:02:18):
I did.
Attorney David Clifton (02:02:20):
And what did Cooper Ouellette tell you?
Miranda Lawlor (02:02:21):
He told me that he and Sophie had an argument leaving Tyler Schultz's shop, and on the way home, turning onto Polly Dan, Sophie said she felt sick and needed to throw up. Cooper asked if she could wait, and she said yes. Then Cooper pulled into Sophie's driveway. He said Sophie's dad had a camera right above the garage. Sophie then asked him to pull away, and then he took her to what he called her "throw-up spot," and she fell out of the truck, and he went over and picked her up, and she said she was fine, and they went home, and he didn't sense it was deadly.
Attorney David Clifton (02:03:02):
Okay. And when he told you that he took her to her throw up spot, did he in any way describe where that was to you?
Miranda Lawlor (02:03:08):
He didn't.
Attorney David Clifton (02:03:15):
And did he tell you how Sophie fell out of the truck?
Miranda Lawlor (02:03:19):
No.
Attorney David Clifton (02:03:21):
Did he tell you where Sophie fell out of the truck?
Miranda Lawlor (02:03:23):
No.
Attorney David Clifton (02:03:26):
Did he tell you whether the car was in motion or not?
Miranda Lawlor (02:03:28):
He did not.
Attorney David Clifton (02:03:33):
And did there come a time where you were contacted by the Connecticut State Police in this case?
Miranda Lawlor (02:03:36):
Yes.
Attorney David Clifton (02:03:38):
And were you asked to go and give a formal written statement?
Miranda Lawlor (02:03:41):
I was.
Attorney David Clifton (02:03:42):
And do you recall whether you did that?
Miranda Lawlor (02:03:44):
I did.
Attorney David Clifton (02:03:47):
Do you recall around when that happened?
Miranda Lawlor (02:03:50):
I don't. I want to say August of 2023, somewhere around there.
Attorney David Clifton (02:03:56):
Okay. And when you were sitting down with them, were you being open and honest with the police?
Miranda Lawlor (02:04:01):
I was.
Attorney David Clifton (02:04:02):
Did you give them all the information that they requested?
Miranda Lawlor (02:04:03):
Yes.
Attorney David Clifton (02:04:04):
Were you in any way withholding information from them?
Miranda Lawlor (02:04:10):
No.
Attorney David Clifton (02:04:11):
Did they in fact give you an opportunity to provide further information if it came to your mind after you left?
Miranda Lawlor (02:04:16):
They did.
Attorney David Clifton (02:04:18):
And did you create a formal written statement?
Miranda Lawlor (02:04:20):
I did.
Attorney David Clifton (02:04:21):
And was the detective typing as you were talking, or how did that work?
Miranda Lawlor (02:04:24):
He was typing.
Attorney David Clifton (02:04:25):
And after that happened, did he read you back that statement?
Miranda Lawlor (02:04:29):
Yes.
Attorney David Clifton (02:04:30):
And did you make corrections?
Miranda Lawlor (02:04:32):
I don't believe so, but it was offered.
Attorney David Clifton (02:04:36):
Okay. And did you then sign and swear to the accuracy of that statement?
Miranda Lawlor (02:04:40):
I did.
Attorney David Clifton (02:04:41):
And was that the truth to the best of your knowledge at that time?
Miranda Lawlor (02:04:43):
It was.
Attorney David Clifton (02:04:43):
Nothing further, Judge.
Attorney Jonathan Raad (02:04:43):
Good afternoon.
Miranda Lawlor (02:04:43):
Good afternoon.
Attorney Jonathan Raad (02:04:54):
So, you recall giving a sworn statement, correct?
Miranda Lawlor (02:04:56):
Yes.
Attorney Jonathan Raad (02:04:56):
All right. And with regard to that sworn statement, do you recall saying that there were rumors going around about what happened?
Miranda Lawlor (02:05:04):
Possibly.
Attorney Jonathan Raad (02:05:05):
If I were to show you a copy of your statement, would that refresh your recollection?
Miranda Lawlor (02:05:10):
Sure. Okay. Yes.
Attorney Jonathan Raad (02:05:20):
Do you recall telling that detective that there were rumors about what took place?
Miranda Lawlor (02:05:24):
Yes.
Attorney Jonathan Raad (02:05:25):
Thank you.
The Court (02:05:29):
That's it?
Attorney Jonathan Raad (02:05:29):
Yeah.
The Court (02:05:30):
Anything else?
Attorney David Clifton (02:05:30):
No, Your Honor.
The Court (02:05:32):
Thank you very much, Ms. Lawlor.
Miranda Lawlor (02:05:33):
Thank you.
The Court (02:05:33):
All right.
Attorney David Clifton (02:05:55):
Judge, the State only has one additional witness today, given the defense request to present a witness out of order. That witness cannot be here till 2:30, so I would assume that the defense expert would go on next.
Attorney Jonathan Raad (02:06:04):
May we approach, Your Honor?
The Court (02:06:46):
Yep. All right, ladies and gentlemen, you're going to get an extended lunch. In the meantime, I'm going to keep the lawyers here, and we're going to attend to some business that we would otherwise attend at another point, but we'll do it now because we have some time. Enjoy your lunch. We're going to be back here at 2:00 sharp, okay?
Speaker 4 (02:20:00):
(silence)
Speaker 5 (02:55:00):
(silence)
Speaker 6 (03:30:00):
(silence)
The Court (04:10:15):
Everybody have a seat. Thank you. Are we ready for our next witness?
Attorney Watts (04:10:16):
Yes.
The Court (04:10:16):
Yes?
Attorney Watts (04:10:19):
Yes.
The Court (04:10:20):
All right. Do you want to put anything on the record or do you want... Well, a couple of things. First is to put on the record that we're going to take a witness out of order.
Judge (04:10:29):
I was going to ask if Your Honor wanted to ask defense to make a formal motion of statement.
The Court (04:10:33):
Yes. Yes. Go ahead.
Attorney Watts (04:10:37):
Yes, Your Honor. We could call Dr. Alex Williamson, as his availability is limited. He's here today. There's no prejudice to the state as their medical examiner. He testified who provided a disclosure, so we'd ask if he could give testimony this afternoon.
The Court (04:10:52):
All right. And he's from out of state?
Attorney Watts (04:10:55):
Yes.
The Court (04:10:55):
Okay. Where's he from?
Attorney Watts (04:10:57):
He's from New York.
The Court (04:10:58):
New York? Okay. And this was made known to the court and to the state last week, correct?
Attorney Watts (04:11:03):
Correct.
The Court (04:11:05):
All right. State want to be heard?
Judge (04:11:06):
Just to note that I received a disclosure from Attorney Rod at 1:36 yesterday, as to two bullet points of what the expected testimony would be. As to bullet point two, both Attorney Rod and myself have agreed that that is not going to be a relevant area of inquiry.
The Court (04:11:24):
Not a relevant area of inquiry?
Judge (04:11:26):
Correct. He was going to be commenting on another person's conclusions and that is not going to be offered, is my understanding.
The Court (04:11:32):
Okay.
Judge (04:11:33):
With that-
The Court (04:11:33):
Who is the other person?
Judge (04:11:35):
Dr. Vincent.
The Court (04:11:36):
Okay.
Judge (04:11:37):
With that, the state would not object and we did clear the rest of the afternoon with the exception of that one witness to allow this.
The Court (04:11:45):
Okay. Is that true, Attorney Watts?
Attorney Watts (04:11:47):
Correct, Your Honor.
The Court (04:11:49):
All right. Anything else?
Judge (04:11:50):
No, Your Honor.
Attorney Watts (04:11:50):
No.
The Court (04:11:52):
Okay. All right. Come on in. Let's bring the jury in.
Judge (04:12:06):
Do we know where Ed is?
Attorney Watts (04:12:08):
No.
Judge (04:12:11):
I can work that thing. It's his password. We can't get in. Nope. I tried it because after you sat down, I remembered I tried that the other day and I couldn't get in because it's his password.
The Court (04:12:53):
What's his doctor's name? Dr. Alex Williamson.
Judge (04:13:57):
He's probably with the witness. He might be waiting for the witness.
The Court (04:13:57):
All right. Do the parties stipulate to the presence of the jury?
Judge (04:13:59):
Yes, Your Honor.
Attorney Watts (04:13:59):
Yes, Your Honor.
The Court (04:14:13):
Have a seat. All right. Ladies and gentlemen, based on the availability of the next witness, it will be a defense witness. But again, based on his availability, we're going to take this witness out of order. The defense is going to call this witness right now. He's coming from out of state. It would not be available for the rest of the week. So, after this witness testifies, the state will resume calling its witnesses, okay? Thank you.
Attorney Watts (04:14:39):
Thank you, Your Honor. Defense calls Dr. Alex Williamson.
Speaker 7 (04:14:57):
Please raise your right hand. Do you solemnly swear or solemnly and sincerely affirm as the case may be that the evidence you shall give concerning the case now in question shall be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God or upon penalty of perjury?
Alex Kent Williamson (04:15:07):
I do.
Speaker 7 (04:15:08):
And please state your full name, spelling your last name.
Alex Kent Williamson (04:15:11):
Alex Kent Williamson. W-I-L-L-I-A-M-S-O-N.
Speaker 7 (04:15:18):
Please also state for the record your place of business and business address.
Alex Kent Williamson (04:15:22):
Nassau County, N-A-S-S-A-U, Office of the Medical Examiner, 2251 Hempstead, H-E-M-P-S-T-E-A-D, Turnpike, T-P-K-E, Hempstead, New York. I forget the ZIP Code.
Speaker 7 (04:15:43):
Thank you.
The Court (04:15:45):
Have a seat, doctor.
Alex Kent Williamson (04:15:51):
Thank you.
The Court (04:15:51):
All right. Defense?
Attorney Watts (04:15:52):
Thank you. Good afternoon.
Alex Kent Williamson (04:15:53):
Good afternoon.
Attorney Watts (04:15:55):
Can you please tell the ladies and gentlemen of the jury where you work?
Alex Kent Williamson (04:15:58):
Yes. So, I am presently employed as a medical examiner in Nassau County, New York. And I'm also a pediatric pathology at Northwell Health, also based in New York City.
Attorney Watts (04:16:10):
Thank you. And can you tell us about your education?
Alex Kent Williamson (04:16:13):
I received my undergraduate degree from Harvard in chemistry. I then completed my medical school at Georgetown University. I completed four years of pathology training in anatomic and clinical pathology at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, California. I then completed two fellowships. One in pediatric pathology at Boston Children's Hospital. And one in forensic pathology at the New York City Office of Chief Medical Examiner.
Attorney Watts (04:16:44):
And if any, what board certifications do you currently hold?
Alex Kent Williamson (04:16:47):
I am boarded in those areas of pathology, anatomic and clinical pathology, pediatric pathology, and forensic pathology.
Attorney Watts (04:16:58):
And what experience do you have as a medical examiner?
Alex Kent Williamson (04:17:01):
My medical examiner work has spanned 20 years intermittently. But essentially, for the last two years, I've been a deputy medical examiner in Nassau County. Before that, I was a deputy medical examiner in New York City for about a year and a half. And for the previous decade before that, I was a per diem medical examiner, meaning as needed basis for various jurisdictions around New York State.
Attorney Watts (04:17:26):
About how many forensic autopsies have you performed?
Alex Kent Williamson (04:17:29):
Approximately 1, 000.
Attorney Watts (04:17:32):
And how many involved blunt force trauma?
Alex Kent Williamson (04:17:35):
Approximately 25% of those.
Attorney Watts (04:17:39):
And as a medical examiner, do you certify cause and manner of death?
Alex Kent Williamson (04:17:42):
Yes.
Attorney Watts (04:17:44):
Can you tell us if you do any teaching?
Alex Kent Williamson (04:17:46):
I do.
Attorney Watts (04:17:47):
And where is that?
Alex Kent Williamson (04:17:49):
I am a faculty at the Hofstra School of Medicine, Zucker School of Medicine. That's at Northwell Hofstra University. I also teach residents and pathology, pathology residents, pathology fellows, EMTs, paramedics, lawyers, in the context of my work at the medical examiner's office.
Attorney Watts (04:18:10):
And have you testified before as an expert?
Alex Kent Williamson (04:18:10):
Yes.
Attorney Watts (04:18:10):
Okay. How many times?
Alex Kent Williamson (04:18:15):
So, in my capacity as a medical examiner, I've testified in approximately a dozen and a half grand juries and trials. Those were predominantly for the people or the state. And as an expert, I've testified in approximately a dozen deposition testimonies and a half dozen trials.
Attorney Watts (04:18:37):
Okay. So, you're usually the prosecutor in this?
Alex Kent Williamson (04:18:40):
In criminal cases, yes.
Attorney Watts (04:18:42):
And who contacted you with regard to this case?
Alex Kent Williamson (04:18:45):
A member of your law firm reached out to me via email in August of this year.
Attorney Watts (04:18:51):
Okay. And what were you asked to do?
Alex Kent Williamson (04:18:53):
I was asked to review primarily the autopsy file, regarding the decedent in question in this case. And also, was provided with some other information pertaining to the case, but I was primarily asked to evaluate the autopsy findings, cause of death, mechanism of injury, and manner of death.
Attorney Watts (04:19:11):
Okay. And what materials did you review?
Alex Kent Williamson (04:19:14):
I received the autopsy file from the Connecticut State Office Chief Medical Examiner, which included photographs, the report, their investigative paperwork, et cetera. I also received a few other documents, including an accident reconstruction document and some other motions, but I focused my review on the autopsy materials, as that is what I was brought on to opine about.
Attorney Watts (04:19:37):
Okay. Did you physically review any of the clothing?
Alex Kent Williamson (04:19:43):
Yes.
Attorney Watts (04:19:44):
Okay. And what was that?
Alex Kent Williamson (04:19:45):
So, I reviewed a gray hooded sweatshirt that was contained in a brown paper bag with evidence labeling on it pertaining to this case.
Attorney Watts (04:19:55):
Okay. And you're being paid for your time here today, correct?
Alex Kent Williamson (04:19:57):
I am.
Attorney Watts (04:19:58):
What are you being paid?
Alex Kent Williamson (04:19:59):
I charge 500 an hour for case review and 5,000 for today's appearance up here in Connecticut.
Attorney Watts (04:20:10):
Okay. And that's by us, right?
Alex Kent Williamson (04:20:10):
Yes.
Attorney Watts (04:20:10):
All right. Can you tell the ladies and gentlemen of the jury how a forensic pathologist reads injuries?
Alex Kent Williamson (04:20:15):
Sure. So, forensic pathology is a field of medicine that is concerned with understanding how disease and/or injury affect a person's wellbeing or brings about their death. We deal with both natural disease and injury. Regarding injuries, one of our primary areas of training and practice does involve injury diagnosis, interpretation of how injuries occur, to bring that information together to form an opinion about the cause of death or the manner of death of an individual.
Attorney Watts (04:20:53):
Okay. And what is blunt force injury?
Alex Kent Williamson (04:20:53):
So, there's various types of trauma which can affect a person. So, we're not in the realm of natural disease. We're dealing with external factors. So, sharp force trauma is a type of trauma. A cutting instrument, like a knife with stab wounds or incise wounds, that's a type of trauma. Sharp force trauma. Blunt force trauma is trauma inflicted by a non-sharp object. So, for example, a baseball bat, a person's fist, a roadway. So, non-sharp objects coming into contact with the body and the injuries they cause, that is the area of blunt force trauma and blunt force injury.
Attorney Watts (04:21:32):
Okay. And can you briefly tell us what abrasions are on the human body?
Alex Kent Williamson (04:21:37):
So, abrasions can occur on or in the human body. And they essentially are a form of blunt force trauma, friction, if you will, a rubbing or scrape. That is commonly what causes an abrasion. So, an object contacting the body and/or the body contacting an object, that interaction can lead to blunt force injuries, such as abrasions or scrapes.
Attorney Watts (04:22:00):
Can a pathologist always tell from the body alone exactly how an injury happened?
Alex Kent Williamson (04:22:05):
No, not always.
Attorney Watts (04:22:10):
And why is that?
Alex Kent Williamson (04:22:10):
There are a variety of factors that come into play when we analyze wounds. Their shape, their size, their location, their characteristics, other features of the person who has the wounds. What is their health state? Do they have a disease such as cancer that can influence wound, how wounds appear, how they heal? And so, there's many variables that come into play, so those all need to be taken into context. And of course, the circumstances of how an injury arises, if there's primary or firsthand information, that can be considered. In cases where there's no information regarding how an injury occurred, then we use our knowledge, training, and experience to essentially interpret based on the injuries we see on the body, how they might have come to be.
Attorney Watts (04:22:57):
Okay. You guys use the word mechanism quite often, correct?
Alex Kent Williamson (04:23:01):
Yes.
Attorney Watts (04:23:01):
Can you tell the ladies and gentlemen of the jury what that is?
Alex Kent Williamson (04:23:05):
A mechanism is essentially how something happens. So, for example, if you have a bruise on your front part of your thigh, that could happen from hitting a subway turnstile, it could happen from banging into a coffee table, or it could happen from you inappropriately swinging your golf club and hitting yourself. So, an injury can have various mechanisms of how it was obtained. And so, the mechanism again is how an injury came to be present on or inside of a person.
Attorney Watts (04:23:33):
Okay. And with regard to this case, Doctor, when a person leaves a moving vehicle at say 13, 15 miles per hour, what happens to the body when it hits the pavement?
Alex Kent Williamson (04:23:45):
So, in a case such as this that involves a body moving in a vehicle and then exiting the vehicle, and the body is not at ground level, assuming a truck, for example. So, a body in this case is traveling in a truck. It's moving at the speed of the truck and it's above the ground level at the level of the seat. If the body then exits the vehicle, it's going to exit with the approximately same velocity or speed it was traveling within the vehicle, and it's going to be descending towards the earth or the ground under the influence of gravity. Those two types of energy, if you will, kinetic energy, the energy of movement, and the potential energy of how high off the ground you are, potential energy, those two energies of the body moving through space will be converted into forces that act on the body at the moment the body contacts the ground or the roadway.
Attorney Watts (04:24:48):
Okay. So, do you have to have always two opposing surfaces compressing between the body to shoot these injuries?
Alex Kent Williamson (04:24:56):
So, injuries can have a variety of mechanisms and manifestations. Commonly, when we deal with pedestrians and automobile crashes, a type of injury called crush injury can arise, where essentially the body is compressed by forces on either side of it, so maybe the front and back of the body or the left and right side of the body. That's called a compressive force. That can arise when the body is between two objects, such as a box that has fallen on someone or a car and the ground they're lying on, but you don't need to have two objects to generate a compressive force. When you have a body moving through space, as I previously discussed with kinetic energy and potential energy, when that body strikes a surface such as a roadway, all of that energy essentially passes through the body and its tissues.
(04:25:52)
If you imagine as an example, a water balloon, holding a filled water balloon and dropping it onto the ground. When the balloon contacts the ground, the bottom part of the balloon strikes the ground and the balloon stops moving at that point, but the rest of the momentum of that moving body continues downward, applying a compressive force to the balloon contents. That's how you can generate a compressive force without being between two objects. So, a moving body striking a surface can have compressive forces generated due to the inertia or the energy contained in that moving body. That gets converted into force or energy that is transferred to the body's tissues.
Attorney Watts (04:26:32):
Can you tell us about Sophie's external injuries, what you viewed?
Alex Kent Williamson (04:26:37):
So, in terms of the autopsy report I reviewed and the autopsy photographs, she had extensive or numerous injuries predominantly to the left side of her body. I believe you've been introduced to these in an earlier testimony. But essentially, she had abrasions or scrapes predominantly on her left body, including her left head or face, the left neck, the left collarbone area. A few abrasions on each upper extremity or the arms, and a few small scrapes on the knees. And on her back, she had two relatively large abrasions or scrapes on the back of her right back and also I believe another one on the left side. So, overall, abrasions or scrapes, some bruising predominantly on the left side of her body. That's what the external examination revealed.
Attorney Watts (04:27:32):
Okay. What about the internal examination?
Alex Kent Williamson (04:27:35):
So, during the course of the autopsy, the internal body was examined. And that revealed internal injuries predominantly involving the left chest. So, there were rib fractures. Ribs on the left side were fractured, specifically the lateral or side part of the eighth and ninth rib, which is about in the middle of the rib cage. There's 12 ribs, so eight and nine are towards the middle or the end. And the back part of the left ribs, three through eight. So, essentially, her rib cage on the left side had fractures in multiple parts, predominantly ribs three through eight on the back and eight and nine on the side. She also had separation without fracture per the report and what I saw in the photos of the posterior aspects of her right ribs.
(04:28:26)
In the left chest, so our rib cage surrounds our chest and in the chest we have our heart in the middle and a lung on each side, usually. Her left lung had blunt force trauma as well. There were lacerations or tears, which is a result of blunt force trauma or the energy passing through those tissues, causing it to disrupt. And there were also some contusions or bruising predominantly in the left lung, some also in the right lung. The spleen, which is an organ that helps filter our blood, that resides in our left upper abdomen or your left belly, that had a small
tear in its left side. And there was a small hemorrhage in the tissues around her left kidney. Left adrenal gland, left kidney.
(04:29:11)
So, again, on the outside of her body, she had predominantly left-sided blunt force trauma, abrasions, some contusions. On the inside of her body, she had predominantly blunt force trauma to her left ribs, to her left lung, also her spleen, and around the kidney had bruising as well.
Attorney Watts (04:29:32):
Doctor, if the rear wheel of a pickup truck crossed the 17-year-old's torso, what injuries would you expect to see?
Alex Kent Williamson (04:29:38):
So, typically, when we have a rollover incident, where a vehicle rolls over a person's body and particularly the torso... And by the way, the word torso references the main part of your body. It includes the chest and the abdomen, so chest plus abdomen equals torso anatomically. So, when a car or truck rolls over with the tire or the torso, including the chest, we commonly see extensive injury to the ribs and the internal organs. So, for example, if someone is lying on the ground and is rolled over with a heavy vehicle or a vehicle, but vehicles are heavy relative to most bodies, you tend to get fractures of the front and back or anterior and posterior ribs.
(04:30:24)
You tend to get bilateral or left and right fractures, and you tend to have extensive tissue trauma on the left and the right side. Again, that is assuming that the car rolls over the entire thorax, but that's what we commonly see. If the car happens to roll over other body parts, you similarly see rather extensive injury. You can get the abrasions, the contusions, what are called avulsion injuries where that pressure basically tears the inner tissue. So, you can get extensive injuries with most vehicular rollovers.
Attorney Watts (04:30:58):
Okay. And are Sophie's fractures in that location that you just described consistent with striking the road?
Alex Kent Williamson (04:31:04):
I think overall the injuries in Sophie, the way they were acquired, in my opinion, they most likely arose from her exiting the vehicle.
Judge (04:31:15):
Objection. Asked that be stricken, Judge. He can't testify as to most likely.
The Court (04:31:23):
Do you want to rephrase that?
Judge (04:31:23):
Sure.
The Court (04:31:24):
If you want to approach. Just got to rephrase the question. That's sustained.
Alex Kent Williamson (04:31:43):
Thank you.
Attorney Watts (04:31:43):
Doctor, do you have an opinion to a reasonable degree of medical certainty as to whether Sophie's torso being rolled over by a pickup truck caused her lethal injuries?
Alex Kent Williamson (04:31:54):
No. I do not believe that caused her lethal injuries.
Attorney Watts (04:31:57):
And are her injuries most consistent with her separating from a moving vehicle striking the road?
Judge (04:32:02):
Objection.
The Court (04:32:03):
Sustained. Rephrase it.
Attorney Watts (04:32:05):
To a reasonable degree of medical certainty, are her injuries most consistent with her striking... I'm sorry, with her separating from a moving vehicle, striking the road?
Alex Kent Williamson (04:32:15):
Yes.
Attorney Watts (04:32:16):
Why?
Alex Kent Williamson (04:32:18):
Again, the aggregate findings in her body predominantly on the left side of her body, on the outside of her body, and inside, predominantly her left chest, that suggests again, the movement of a body through space impacting a surface such as a roadway. And if you, again, picture that water balloon analogy, as the left side of her body strikes the road surface, the momentum of her body moving through space as it contacts the road and comes to a stop, the right side of her body continues to move, causing a compressive force, which can explain all of the injuries she has.
Attorney Watts (04:32:56):
And how would you define homicide?
Alex Kent Williamson (04:32:59):
So, homicide is one of the medical legal classifications of death we use in forensics. The various categories, various manners of death include natural death. So, that's a death due to natural causes, like cancer or a heart attack. Accidental manner of death are the unintentional outcomes of actions, so tripping and falling, taking too much of a drug or a substance, that would be an accident. Suicide is self-inflicted harm causing death. Homicide is death caused by the actions usually of another person. There are some other factors that can come into homicide, but in general, it's someone else's actions are causing the death. And then there's undetermined manner. And that comes into play when we don't have sufficient evidence rising to a reasonable degree of medical certainty, for example, to opine that a death is one of those foregoing categories. So, to classify a manner of death as homicide or suicide, we commonly need a high degree of certainty, to a reasonable degree of medical certainty to make that determination.
Attorney Watts (04:34:07):
Okay. Isn't it true that homicide on a death certificate is not a finding that a crime is committed?
Alex Kent Williamson (04:34:15):
Correct. Homicide is a medical legal classification of death. Again, it usually refers to the fact that this person's death was caused by the actions of another person. It does not imply legal connotations. It's a classification of how the death occurred, not who, what or how or why.
Attorney Watts (04:34:36):
And do you have an opinion to a reasonable degree of medical certainty about the homicide ruling in this case?
Alex Kent Williamson (04:34:43):
So, based on the evidence available at autopsy, essentially the injuries on and in her body, I don't believe they support to a reasonable degree of medical certainty that a vehicular rollover caused those injuries. Therefore, if The homicide determination by the medical examiner is solely based on that assumption that a vehicular rollover was involved in causing her injuries. Again, I believe, and I believe the most likely explanation is that she exited the vehicle and impacted the roadway. If homicide ruling is based solely on the supposition that a vehicular rollover occurred, then I disagree with that ruling and I think an undetermined manner of death would be most appropriate.
Judge (04:35:29):
Objection, ask to be stricken. Can we approach?
The Court (04:35:31):
Quick break, all right? Please leave your notebook on the chair.
Judge (04:48:14):
Sorry about that [inaudible 04:48:13]. Good afternoon, everybody. Have a seat. All right. So we just met in chambers relative to a last question, and response by Dr. Williamson. So we agree that we're going to strike the question and the answer, and you're going to rephrase the question?
Jonathan Raad (04:48:27):
Yes, Your Honor.
Judge (04:48:29):
Okay. Is that suitable for the state also?
Attorney David Clifton (04:48:30):
As long as it's in front of the jury, Judge.
Judge (04:48:34):
I intend to. All right. Ready for the jury?
Attorney David Clifton (04:48:45):
And there will be an instruction to disregard it, correct?
Judge (04:48:52):
Sure. I mean, you want an instruction that just you're going to disregard that?
Attorney David Clifton (04:48:56):
I would ask the testimony to be stricken, and the jury instructed to disregard the answer.
Jonathan Raad (04:49:01):
I think one speaks for the other. I don't see the need to give compound instruction with the...
Attorney David Clifton (04:49:05):
He promised he wouldn't do something, he did it. It needs to be addressed.
Judge (04:49:09):
All right. What I'm going to do, I'm going to have everybody sit down. Usually when I do strike an answer or a question, I tell them to disregard it. That's in my normal course of business, Attorney Raad. All right? That's also part of my final instructions also. It's up to you. Do the parties stipulate to the presence of the jury?
Jonathan Raad (04:50:14):
Yes, Your Honor.
Attorney David Clifton (04:50:14):
Yes, Your Honor.
Judge (04:50:15):
Thank you, ladies and gentlemen. Have a seat. Ladies and gentlemen, the last question and answer is stricken from the record, and you are to disregard that question and answer, okay? Attorney Raad is going to rephrase it.
Jonathan Raad (04:50:40):
Thank you. Doctor, do you have an opinion to a reasonable degree of medical certainty how you would classify the manner of death in this case?
Alex Kent Williamson (04:50:43):
Based on the autopsy findings, I would classify this manner of death as undetermined.
Jonathan Raad (04:50:49):
And why is that?
Alex Kent Williamson (04:50:51):
There's insufficient evidence to support the mechanism of injury in this case, either vehicular rollover or exiting the vehicle under her own power.
Jonathan Raad (04:51:06):
Thank you. No further questions.
Judge (04:51:07):
Okay.
Attorney David Clifton (04:51:18):
Good afternoon, doctor.
Alex Kent Williamson (04:51:19):
Good afternoon.
Attorney David Clifton (04:51:22):
I just want to be clear, what information did you review for this file?
Alex Kent Williamson (04:51:26):
So I was provided with a copy of the Connecticut State Medical Examiner autopsy file. That included their initial investigative report sheet, the autopsy report, toxicology report, and that was the majority part of that. I was also provided with two motions to dismiss or some legal documents and an accident reconstruction document.
Attorney David Clifton (04:51:53):
And you said you'd mentioned photos as well.
Alex Kent Williamson (04:51:56):
I reviewed the autopsy photographs, the photographs taken at the time of autopsy, and there were also photographs of a vehicle, tires and the truck and contents of the truck.
Attorney David Clifton (04:52:09):
And was there anything else you reviewed prior to issuing your decision?
Alex Kent Williamson (04:52:13):
Prior to my testimony today, I also reviewed a gray hooded sweatshirt that was in an evidence bag.
Attorney David Clifton (04:52:19):
Thank you. That was not my question. Prior to you issuing your opinion, had you reviewed anything else?
Alex Kent Williamson (04:52:26):
No.
Attorney David Clifton (04:52:29):
And when you say that you reviewed photographs regarding the autopsy, was that all 46 photographs taken by the medical examiner's office?
Alex Kent Williamson (04:52:37):
There was a stack of photos that have been entered into evidence. I reviewed those personally. And then there were JPEGs of autopsy photos, the external body photos taken, I presume, at the time of autopsy at the medical examiner's direction.
Attorney David Clifton (04:52:54):
How many photos did you review, doctor?
Alex Kent Williamson (04:52:57):
Approximately a dozen and a half from the autopsy in the JPEG format, and then approximately two to three dozen copies today, which have been submitted into this case as evidence.
Attorney David Clifton (04:53:08):
So you did not review all 46 photos taken during the autopsy of Sophie?
Alex Kent Williamson (04:53:12):
I did not count how many autopsy photos I reviewed, but I reviewed what's been-
Attorney David Clifton (04:53:16):
You said a dozen, right?
Alex Kent Williamson (04:53:17):
About a dozen. I don't have an exact number. I reviewed the evidence photographs.
Attorney David Clifton (04:53:22):
Did you also review the 30 photographs taken by Detective Bastos during the autopsy?
Alex Kent Williamson (04:53:28):
I don't believe so.
Attorney David Clifton (04:53:29):
Was there anything else you reviewed in this case?
Alex Kent Williamson (04:53:35):
No, primarily the autopsy file and related documents.
Attorney David Clifton (04:53:39):
And when did you receive the first information that you got?
Alex Kent Williamson (04:53:44):
I'm sorry, clarify information.
Attorney David Clifton (04:53:46):
You had said that you reviewed the autopsy file and then you later reviewed other things. I'm saying the first thing that you received from the defense, when was that?
Alex Kent Williamson (04:53:54):
Approximately August, September. And that would've included the autopsy file.
Attorney David Clifton (04:54:00):
And was it only the autopsy file you reviewed at that time?
Alex Kent Williamson (04:54:05):
That, and then again, the two legal documents, motions for summary, some two legal documents I just perused. I did not review those in detail. And an accident reconstruction document, I did not review in detail, primarily the autopsy file.
Attorney David Clifton (04:54:20):
About how much time would you say you spent reviewing that material?
Alex Kent Williamson (04:54:24):
So far on this case, I put in about five hours before testimony today. So of those five hours reviewing materials, probably one to two hours.
Attorney David Clifton (04:54:34):
So one to two hours reviewing the autopsy?
Alex Kent Williamson (04:54:36):
The autopsy file, yes.
Attorney David Clifton (04:54:42):
And did you create any notes while you were reviewing these materials?
Alex Kent Williamson (04:54:46):
No.
Attorney David Clifton (04:54:47):
Did you create any documented report of your review of this?
Alex Kent Williamson (04:54:52):
No.
Attorney David Clifton (04:54:53):
And you've been trained as a medical examiner, right?
Alex Kent Williamson (04:54:55):
Yes. I'm practicing medical examiner.
Attorney David Clifton (04:54:57):
And you're familiar with documentation?
Alex Kent Williamson (04:55:00):
Yes.
Attorney David Clifton (04:55:01):
And you did not document anything as it relates to your opinion in this event until very recently, is that correct?
Alex Kent Williamson (04:55:08):
Yes. I have not produced any official document.
Attorney David Clifton (04:55:11):
And specifically, you documented two findings that you intended to offer today. When did you first document those two findings?
Alex Kent Williamson (04:55:20):
Are you referring to the opinions of what I was going to testify to in an email?
Attorney David Clifton (04:55:36):
If I may approach?
Judge (04:55:37):
Yep.
Attorney David Clifton (04:55:39):
I'm going to just show you this, see if you recognize that.
Alex Kent Williamson (04:55:40):
Yes.
Attorney David Clifton (04:55:40):
Did you create that document?
Alex Kent Williamson (04:55:40):
I emailed the attorneys this information. I did not create this document.
Attorney David Clifton (04:55:44):
Who created the document?
Alex Kent Williamson (04:55:47):
I emailed that content to them. I just mean I did not create that printout.
Attorney David Clifton (04:55:53):
Okay. What is contained in the printout, the words, did you write those?
Alex Kent Williamson (04:55:58):
Yes.
Attorney David Clifton (04:55:58):
When did you write those?
Alex Kent Williamson (04:56:00):
Within the last couple days, I believe Sunday or Monday, so one to two days ago, I believe.
Attorney David Clifton (04:56:07):
You said you emailed it to the defense. When did that happen?
Alex Kent Williamson (04:56:10):
I think it was requested Sunday, so I would've provided it probably Monday, so yesterday.
Attorney David Clifton (04:56:17):
So yesterday is the first time that you submitted anything documenting your findings?
Alex Kent Williamson (04:56:22):
Yesterday was the first time I was asked to submit anything written.
Attorney David Clifton (04:56:26):
And what you submitted was four sentences, correct?
Alex Kent Williamson (04:56:30):
Whatever is there, yes. However many sentences it is.
Attorney David Clifton (04:56:35):
And I want to talk about your work as a medical examiner. You would agree that determining manner of death is important to understand the facts and circumstances surrounding the death, correct?
Alex Kent Williamson (04:56:45):
Correct.
Attorney David Clifton (04:56:47):
And that information is generally gathered by law enforcement, correct?
Alex Kent Williamson (04:56:51):
Correct.
Attorney David Clifton (04:56:51):
And in your work as a medical examiner, you routinely have meetings with law enforcement to discuss those facts and circumstances, correct?
Alex Kent Williamson (04:56:58):
In some cases, yes.
Attorney David Clifton (04:57:01):
And you've had situations where officers were trying to push a certain set of facts on you, correct?
Alex Kent Williamson (04:57:06):
No.
Attorney David Clifton (04:57:07):
No? No officer ever tried to influence your opinion?
Alex Kent Williamson (04:57:09):
Not in my perception, no.
Attorney David Clifton (04:57:12):
But it's your obligation as a medical examiner to not be so influenced, right?
Alex Kent Williamson (04:57:17):
Correct.
Attorney David Clifton (04:57:18):
You have to do your medical job, not look at police want.
Alex Kent Williamson (04:57:24):
So we perform our job responsibilities, primarily examining the body in the case of a death, determining cause of death, and then using that information with circumstantial information as available to arrive at a manner of death.
Attorney David Clifton (04:57:39):
And that's based on medical opinion, not a police opinion?
Alex Kent Williamson (04:57:42):
Well, manner can, depending on the case, involve circumstantial evidence. Even natural disease has clinical history that has to be incorporated. The body tells us a lot, but it often doesn't tell us everything we need to know to determine manner of death. In some cases, you need other information.
Attorney David Clifton (04:58:00):
Thank you for that, doctor. But what I'm asking is when you make that determination, it's a medical one, right?
Alex Kent Williamson (04:58:06):
Cause of death is a medical one. Manner of death is a medical, legal one.
Attorney David Clifton (04:58:12):
And you mentioned reviewing the autopsy records. Did you also review the medical records of Sophie's treatment at Bristol Hospital?
Alex Kent Williamson (04:58:19):
I did not review those records.
Attorney David Clifton (04:58:21):
Did you see notations of them mentioned in the autopsy report?
Alex Kent Williamson (04:58:25):
Yes. There's a reference of a left thoracotomy or chest tube having been placed into her left chest, and that was documented in the autopsy report as a diagnosis and in the description of her body.
Attorney David Clifton (04:58:39):
And as you're sitting here today, you've not spoken with any members of the Connecticut State Police about this investigation, correct?
Alex Kent Williamson (04:58:45):
Correct.
Attorney David Clifton (04:58:45):
And as you sit here today, you've not reviewed any police reports other than that accident reconstruction you mentioned perusing?
Alex Kent Williamson (04:58:53):
Correct.
Attorney David Clifton (04:58:54):
And as you sit here today, you've not reviewed any search warrant affidavits?
Alex Kent Williamson (04:58:58):
Correct.
Attorney David Clifton (04:58:59):
And as you sit here today, you've not reviewed any documents gathered in response to those search warrant affidavits?
Alex Kent Williamson (04:59:05):
I would assume not. I don't know if what I did review wasn't contained in one of those warrants, but probably not.
Attorney David Clifton (04:59:12):
And as you sit here today, you have not reviewed any sworn witness statements?
Alex Kent Williamson (04:59:17):
Correct.
Attorney David Clifton (04:59:18):
And as you sit here today, you have not reviewed any video interviews?
Alex Kent Williamson (04:59:22):
Correct.
Attorney David Clifton (04:59:22):
And as you sit here today, you have not reviewed any body cam footage?
Alex Kent Williamson (04:59:26):
Correct.
Attorney David Clifton (04:59:28):
As you sit here today, you have not reviewed any lab reports prepared by the state lab?
Alex Kent Williamson (04:59:32):
I reviewed a toxicology report, which I believe was NMS. I assume that's not a state lab report, so I have not reviewed any state lab reports.
Attorney David Clifton (04:59:42):
And you mentioned reviewing photographs of the defendant's truck tires, is that correct?
Alex Kent Williamson (04:59:48):
What has been submitted in the evidence, they were labeled with evidence numbers, but there were photographs of a truck, the contents of the truck, a piece of jewelry, I think, in or on the truck, tires on the truck, measurements of the truck with tape measure, photos of that nature.
Attorney David Clifton (05:00:06):
And that was today prior to your testimony here?
Alex Kent Williamson (05:00:07):
Yes.
Attorney David Clifton (05:00:07):
And that was after you'd formulated your opinion?
Alex Kent Williamson (05:00:10):
After submitting what's written in that document, yes. I reviewed those photographs today. I had reviewed autopsy photographs as part of my initial review that were contained with the initial Connecticut Office of Chief Medical Examiner file.
Attorney David Clifton (05:00:24):
But not all of them, right?
Alex Kent Williamson (05:00:25):
Yeah. I saw photos today I have not seen before today.
Attorney David Clifton (05:00:29):
And as you sit here today, you did not view the defendant's actual truck?
Alex Kent Williamson (05:00:33):
I did not view the actual truck.
Attorney David Clifton (05:00:34):
And as you sit here today, you have not reviewed any cell phone extractions?
Alex Kent Williamson (05:00:38):
Correct.
Attorney David Clifton (05:00:39):
And as you sit here today, you have not reviewed any reports from NESPIN?
Alex Kent Williamson (05:00:42):
From what? I'm sorry.
Attorney David Clifton (05:00:44):
NESPIN, the New England State Police Information Network.
Alex Kent Williamson (05:00:46):
I don't believe so, no.
Attorney David Clifton (05:00:47):
As you sit here today, you have not reviewed on any of the animations prepared by NESPIN relative to this case, have you?
Alex Kent Williamson (05:00:55):
Correct.
Attorney David Clifton (05:00:55):
You also mentioned reviewing the clothing today.
Alex Kent Williamson (05:00:58):
Yes.
Attorney David Clifton (05:00:59):
When you reviewed that clothing, what were you looking for?
Alex Kent Williamson (05:01:02):
So whenever we have a traffic fatality, the body is an important part of understanding what happened, but the clothing is the first thing to interact. If a person's wearing clothing, that clothing is on the outside of the body, so that can contain sometimes important information regarding what the body may have come into contact with, how it came into contact with that, et cetera.
Attorney David Clifton (05:01:27):
And how did you examine it?
Alex Kent Williamson (05:01:29):
I was asked to put on gloves. I removed it from a brown paper bag, and I visually examined it. My examination of that article of clothing took approximately five minutes. I then returned the article of clothing back to the bag, and that was my examination today.
Attorney David Clifton (05:01:45):
And during that examination of the sweatshirt, did you notice any patterns on that sweatshirt?
Alex Kent Williamson (05:01:49):
I did not notice any patterns. There were some areas of non-specific staining. There were a couple variably sized defects, but I did not notice anything I would classify as a pattern on that sweatshirt.
Attorney David Clifton (05:02:02):
Did you turn it inside out, doctor?
Alex Kent Williamson (05:02:03):
I did.
Attorney David Clifton (05:02:07):
[inaudible 05:02:06], if we could bring up State's Exhibit 53, please.
Speaker 8 (05:02:07):
You said 53?
Attorney David Clifton (05:02:07):
Yes.
Alex Kent Williamson (05:02:33):
Welcome to our world.
Attorney David Clifton (05:02:37):
All right. I'm going to take out... This State's Exhibit-
Judge (05:02:41):
Do you have gloves?
Alex Kent Williamson (05:02:41):
I do not.
Judge (05:02:42):
[inaudible 05:02:43].
Alex Kent Williamson (05:02:42):
Do I need them? Will I be?
Attorney David Clifton (05:03:13):
[inaudible 05:02:54], it's in side out here. This is the back of that sweater, correct?
Alex Kent Williamson (05:03:16):
The inside back of the sweater, yes.
Attorney David Clifton (05:03:18):
Do you see any patterns that are consistent with what you see up on that photograph?
Alex Kent Williamson (05:03:23):
Not now in this lighting.
Attorney David Clifton (05:03:25):
May I approach?
Judge (05:03:25):
You may.
Attorney David Clifton (05:03:54):
Got it. Doctor, you had mentioned that you'd been paid for your time here?
Alex Kent Williamson (05:04:02):
Yes.
Attorney David Clifton (05:04:03):
So you had about five hours review time?
Alex Kent Williamson (05:04:06):
Yes.
Attorney David Clifton (05:04:07):
And what were you charging, $500 an hour?
Alex Kent Williamson (05:04:09):
Yes.
Attorney David Clifton (05:04:12):
And you said there was a $5,000 fee for today's testimony?
Alex Kent Williamson (05:04:15):
Yes.
Attorney David Clifton (05:04:16):
Did you also have your travel paid for?
Alex Kent Williamson (05:04:18):
I will, yes.
Attorney David Clifton (05:04:20):
And about how much was that?
Alex Kent Williamson (05:04:22):
27 bucks for a Metro North ticket.
Attorney David Clifton (05:04:25):
So you took the train?
Alex Kent Williamson (05:04:25):
Times two. Yep.
Attorney David Clifton (05:04:27):
Did you have to stay over anywhere?
Alex Kent Williamson (05:04:28):
No.
Attorney David Clifton (05:04:28):
Any additional travel expenses?
Alex Kent Williamson (05:04:30):
Nope.
Attorney David Clifton (05:04:30):
Did they pay for food for you?
Alex Kent Williamson (05:04:33):
No, I brought my own.
Attorney David Clifton (05:04:34):
I have nothing further, Judge.
Jonathan Raad (05:04:41):
Doc, you just saw the sweatshirt. Do you recall that?
Alex Kent Williamson (05:04:45):
Just now?
Jonathan Raad (05:04:46):
Yeah.
Alex Kent Williamson (05:04:46):
Yes. I just saw the sweatshirt.
Jonathan Raad (05:04:47):
Are you aware of any pattern recognition testing that was done on that sweatshirt?
Alex Kent Williamson (05:04:52):
I am not.
Jonathan Raad (05:04:53):
And once again, you physically viewed that sweatshirt today, correct?
Alex Kent Williamson (05:04:57):
Yes.
Jonathan Raad (05:04:59):
All right. And when you did, did you find anything that would indicate to you that a truck tire ran over that sweatshirt?
Alex Kent Williamson (05:05:08):
No.
Jonathan Raad (05:05:09):
Thank you.
Judge (05:05:09):
Anything else?
Alex Kent Williamson (05:05:12):
No, Your Honor.
Judge (05:05:12):
Doctor, thank you very much.
Alex Kent Williamson (05:05:14):
Thank you. Thank you. Anything needed or...
Judge (05:05:17):
Nope, you're good. Just be careful on the way out.
Alex Kent Williamson (05:05:19):
Thank you very much.
Judge (05:05:20):
You're welcome.
Alex Kent Williamson (05:05:22):
Thank you for the water.
Attorney David Clifton (05:05:49):
Okay. State's next witness will be Grant Peabody.
Judge (05:05:52):
Okay. Like I said, we're just going to resume the state's case now.
Attorney David Clifton (05:05:54):
What exhibit [inaudible 05:06:11]?
(05:05:54)
[inaudible 05:07:36] evidence.
Grant Peabody (05:05:54):
Thank you.
The Clerk (05:05:54):
Please raise your right hand.
Grant Peabody (05:05:54):
Yep.
The Clerk (05:07:51):
Do you solemnly swear or solemnly and sincerely affirm as the case may be that the evidence you shall give concerning the case now in question shall be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God under penalty of perjury?
Grant Peabody (05:07:58):
I do.
The Clerk (05:07:59):
And please state your full name, spelling your last name.
Grant Peabody (05:08:01):
Grant Peabody, P-E-A-B-O-D-Y.
The Clerk (05:08:04):
And please state your town and residence.
Grant Peabody (05:08:06):
Currently is West Hartford, Connecticut.
The Clerk (05:08:09):
Thank you.
Judge (05:08:09):
Thank you, Mr. Peabody. Have a seat. All right.
Attorney David Clifton (05:08:20):
Thank you, Your Honor. Good afternoon, sir.
Grant Peabody (05:08:20):
Hi.
Attorney David Clifton (05:08:23):
Do you own any businesses?
Grant Peabody (05:08:25):
Several.
Attorney David Clifton (05:08:26):
And do you own a business on Route 4?
Grant Peabody (05:08:27):
Yes.
Attorney David Clifton (05:08:27):
What business do you own on Route 4?
Grant Peabody (05:08:30):
Country Storage.
Attorney David Clifton (05:08:32):
What is Country Storage?
Grant Peabody (05:08:34):
Self-storage facility.
Attorney David Clifton (05:08:36):
And how long have you owned Country Storage?
Grant Peabody (05:08:38):
Since 2019.
Attorney David Clifton (05:08:40):
And specifically in May of 2023, did Country Storage have a surveillance system?
Grant Peabody (05:08:45):
Yes.
Attorney David Clifton (05:08:46):
And on the day of May 20th, into the early morning hours of May 21st, were those surveillance videos in good working order?
Grant Peabody (05:08:53):
Yes.
Attorney David Clifton (05:08:54):
Where do they face?
Grant Peabody (05:08:57):
All directions. There's some facing south, some facing north. Depends what side of the road you're on.
Attorney David Clifton (05:09:05):
Direct your attention to what you classified as entrance gate through your surveillance footage. Where does that face?
Grant Peabody (05:09:12):
So there's two entrance gates, one on the north side of the street, one on the south. 494 Burlington Road is going to face south, and 497 is going to face north.
Attorney David Clifton (05:09:26):
Is Route 4 faced by that entrance gate as well?
Grant Peabody (05:09:29):
Yes.
Attorney David Clifton (05:09:29):
As shown by that?
Grant Peabody (05:09:31):
Yep.
Attorney David Clifton (05:09:33):
And did there come a time shortly after May 20th of 2023 where the Connecticut State Police asked for your surveillance footage?
Grant Peabody (05:09:39):
Yes.
Attorney David Clifton (05:09:40):
And were you able to provide that to them?
Grant Peabody (05:09:42):
Yes.
Attorney David Clifton (05:09:43):
Have you reviewed a flash drive in my office today?
Grant Peabody (05:09:46):
Yes.
Attorney David Clifton (05:09:47):
I'm going to show you State's Exhibit 8. Do you recognize this?
Grant Peabody (05:09:59):
Yes.
Attorney David Clifton (05:09:59):
What do you recognize it to be?
Grant Peabody (05:10:00):
Say again?
Attorney David Clifton (05:10:02):
What do you recognize it to be?
Grant Peabody (05:10:04):
A flash drive with my initials and today's date.
Attorney David Clifton (05:10:07):
And did you in any way affix a signature to that to identify it?
Grant Peabody (05:10:14):
Yes, that's my signature.
Attorney David Clifton (05:10:15):
And when you were signing that, what were you attesting to was on that drive?
Grant Peabody (05:10:20):
That the footage on the drive came from our video surveillance.
Attorney David Clifton (05:10:24):
And were there any files on that drive that was not from your video surveillance?
Grant Peabody (05:10:26):
No, not that I saw.
Attorney David Clifton (05:10:26):
Can I offer to full?
Jonathan Raad (05:10:26):
No objection.
Attorney David Clifton (05:10:26):
I have no further questions.
Judge (05:10:26):
Okay.
Jonathan Raad (05:10:27):
No questions.
Grant Peabody (05:10:34):
Thank you.
Judge (05:10:36):
All right. Mr. Peabody, thank you very much.
Grant Peabody (05:10:36):
Yep, thank you.
Judge (05:10:37):
Next step down. Straight [inaudible 05:10:39]. Keep going to the [inaudible 05:10:40]
Grant Peabody (05:10:39):
Oh, front door.
Judge (05:11:18):
Can counsel approach?
(05:11:18)
Ladies and gentlemen, we're done for today. Again, we are ahead of schedule. I anticipate that the state will rest its case tomorrow, and after that we'll go from there. So at this point, enjoy your afternoon. Please leave your notebooks on the chair. Do not discuss this with your friends, family members, and please do not look up anything on the computer, internet, social media, et cetera. All right. Enjoy your night.
