Wednesday, October 7, 2009 - 2:00 PM

The witness, Pauline Jones, slapped Oscar Knight at the Marshall Family Reunion. The interview was conducted at the Yoknapatawpha Sheriff's Department and recorded on a portable tape recorder with the witness's knowledge and consent.

Detective Samantha Murphy
Detective Ted Armstrong
Pauline Jones

Detective Murphy: Good afternoon, Pauline. It's nice to see you again. Will you please state your name and address for the record?

Pauline Jones: My name is Pauline Jones and I live at 1368 Jefferson Avenue in Oxford. Good afternoon, detectives.  I wish I were here under better circumstances. It's horrible, just horrible what happened to Oscar. I know he wasn't a nice man, but who could have done such a thing?

Detective Murphy: We're doing our best to try and find the person responsible.  Pauline, since the last time we spoke to you, can you recall anything else that might help with our investigation?

Pauline Jones: Nothing I didn't tell you before. Oscar was being such a jerk. He was rude and it seemed to me like he was on a mission to cause trouble. I'm not sorry for slapping him but he deserved it for being such a jackass. For the life of me I can't figure out why he even came to the reunion. 

Detective Armstrong: During our interview with Jimmy Barton, I recall him mentioning your conversation with him about Oscar being on a mission to start trouble. Did Jimmy know Oscar Knight?

Pauline Jones: No, I don't think so. He probably saw him at the reunion but I'm sure he hadn't met him before. Lizzie, Jimmy's mother, knew Oscar when they were kids. Oscar had left town long before Jimmy was born.

Detective Armstrong: How is Mrs. Barton doing after hearing the news about Oscar?

Pauline Jones: Well she doesn't seem too torn up about it. She surprised me when she said "he was a sorry sack of s***." It’s not a nice word for a lady to repeat but it was what she said.

Detective Armstrong: I'm curious to why she hated Oscar so much. Pauline, what do you think?

Pauline Jones: I felt the same way and I asked Lizzie why she hated him and at first she said she had her reasons.  Then she told me it was a long time ago when they were just kids. She said she tried to be his friend but he was mean to her then just like he was at the reunion. She said he was an evil person so good riddance to bad rubbish. I thought her words were a bit harsh but I guess he really made her angry when he talked about her looking her age. Lizzie's always took pride in her appearance.

Detective Armstrong: Pauline, do you think Lizzie would be capable of harming Oscar?

Pauline Jones: Of course not! You're not serious. In all the time I've known her I've never heard her say unkind things about anyone. Well, I guess Oscar is the exception. I know she was angry at him for being so rude. I think it hurt her feelings more than anything.

Detective Murphy: Pauline, do you think when Lizzie and Oscar were in school she may have had a romantic interest in him, and he didn't feel the same?

Pauline Jones: I doubt that very much. I don't think Oscar was Lizzie's type. Lizzie is the type of person that wants to befriend everyone and from what I've heard Oscar didn't have a lot of friends. I'm sorry to say it but I doubt he'll be missed by anyone. He was such a jerk. I shouldn't be talking ill of the dead. I can't imagine who would have hated him so much they would kill him so brutally.

Detective Murphy: We'll do our best to find the killer. Thank you for talking to us Pauline. You're free to go.

Pauline Jones: Goodbye, detectives, and have a nice day.

Interview ends:  2:32 PM