| Thursday, January 5, 2006 - 12:47 pm
The witness, who the victim was supposed to interview with the evening of the murder, was interviewed by Detectives Armstrong and Murphy at the Yoknapatawpha County Sheriff's Department. The interview was recorded on a portable tape recorder with the witness' knowledge and consent.
TA = Detective T. Armstrong
SM = Detective S. Murphy
GC = Greg Cassidy
SM: Thank you for coming in again, Mr. Cassidy. Will you state your name and address for the record, please?
GC: Greg Cassidy-- 1490 Madison. I don’t understand why I’m here again. I told you everything I know about Miss Bledsoe the first time I was here.
TA: We realize that, Mr. Cassidy, and we appreciate your cooperation. There are just a few details we need to clear up that you can help us with.
GC: Well, if you think so. Glad to help anyway I can. Are you close to finding who killed that poor girl?
SM: The investigation is progressing well. Now, would you tell us a bit more about your appointment with Amy on Sunday, December 4th?
GC: I thought I told you all I know.
TA: Well, first: It seems a bit strange to have an interview on a Sunday. Why did you make it for that day and time?
GC: We agreed on the day and time when she called to answer the ad. Our schedules conflicted during the rest of the week. I am busy with photographic commissions during the week and she was working. In fact, she had worked earlier on Sunday. That’s why we made the appointment for later in the day.
SM: That was nice of you to take your Sunday to accommodate her.
GC: Actually, she was accommodating me by coming in on Sunday. I didn’t mind making it late in the day for her. In fact, I respected her for being responsible about her job at McDonald’s and not blowing it off for the possibility of working for me. That just made me more interested in hiring her.
TA: Exactly what time was your appointment?
GC: 5:30 p.m. She said she had to work until nearly 4:00.
SM: You said in your earlier interview she phoned you to say she didn’t need a ride?
GC: That’s right. She called around 5:00 and left a message on my machine that I didn’t need to pick her up after all. That she had a ride.
TA: Then she didn’t show up at the appointment time?
GC: No. I was working in my dark room when she called so I didn’t talk to her. When she didn’t show up for the appointment I thought maybe something had happened to her ride after all so around quarter to six I tried to phone to see if she wanted me to pick her up. When I couldn’t get her, and she never showed up I just chalked it up to my misjudgment of her responsibility and maturity. I figured she must have changed her mind about the job and I planned to put another ad in the paper on Monday.
SM: Did you leave a message on her voice mail?
GC: No, detective. I never did get any connection—no ring, no message no dial tone. Surely you’ve had that happen, especially here in Oxford? The signals are not always reliable in certain locations.
TA: Did you go out that evening, Mr. Cassidy?
GC: No. I continued working for a while, then had dinner at home and stayed in the rest of the evening.
TA: Did anyone see you that day and evening?
GC: No, I don’t think so. I worked alone in my studio most of the day and evening.
SM: Maybe a neighbor?
GC: I was in the studio most of the day, detective. My neighbors mostly mind their own business. Are you asking if I have an alibi?
TA: What kind of car do you drive, Mr. Cassidy?
GC: I have a Saturn. Why? What does that have to do with anything? I never went near that girl or her house. I really don’t like your insinuations.
SM: This is a murder investigation, Mr. Cassidy, and we have not been able to eliminate you as a suspect. Tell me why it could not have been you?
GC: Me? I didn’t even know the girl. For God’s sake what are you trying to do?! I never saw her, never talked to her in person. I don’t even know what she looked like. It couldn’t have been me because I had no reason to kill her and was never near her. I was home all day!
SM: We may need to talk with you again. Do you have a problem with that?
GC: I’m beginning to think you have a problem if you think I had anything to do with that young woman’s death! If you need to talk to me again you may call my attorney. I’m through here.
Interview ends: 1:03 pm
|
