Friday, August 4, 2006 - 9:35 a.m.

The witness, identified as James Washington's campus minister, was interviewed at the Yoknapatawpha County Sheriff's Department. The interview was conducted by Det. Sam Murphy and Det. Ted Armstrong, and was recorded on a portable tape recorder with the witness's knowledge and consent.

TA = Detective T. Armstrong
SM = Detective S. Murphy
AH = Aaron Haese

SM: Hi, Aaron. How are you today?

AH: I'm fine thanks. How are you two?

TA: We're doing okay I think.

SM: For the record, could you please state your name and address?

AH: I'm Aaron Haese and I live at 652 Timber Lane.

SM: Did you know Jamie Washington?

AH: Yes I did, I believe I met Jamie back in 1998 when he first came to Ole Miss.

TA: How did that come about?

AH: I organized a series of weekly discussions and started a Fellowship of Christian Athletes here at the University. Jamie came along to our meetings sometimes.

TA: Where and when were these meetings held?

AH: On Friday evenings at the Oxford Church of Christ on North Lamar.

SM: Could you tell us anything about that time in relation to Mr. Washington?

AH: How do you mean?

SM: What were your impressions of him, what was he like as a person?

AH: Ah okay, well I liked him. He loved his sports and he talked about having a good relationship with the minister at his hometown church in Moss Point. A lot of the students who come to the Fellowship meetings do so after I meet them and impress on them the value of our group, I think I recall Jamie actually sought us out.

TA: Did you ever see him play football?

AH: Yes I did. I like to take a real interest in the fellowship family and I think I watched Jamie play maybe three times or so in his first year.

SM: Was he any good?

AH: He had talent for sure. Very brave too.

SM: How well would you say you knew Mr. Washington?

AH: That's difficult to quantify. Jamie was easy to talk to. His sports knowledge was huge and we'd often argue, good naturedly I should add, about sports. What makes this a difficult question to answer is that he never felt quite as comfortable talking about more personal matters. He didn't talk much about his family or anything, at least not to me.

TA: Was there someone he did open up to then?

AH: I think he had quite a good relationship with Andrew Wylie, he was another student in the fellowship and he and Jamie seemed to hit it off. There was a period after his injury in 2000 when Jamie didn't attend many fellowship meetings at all but Andrew convinced him to come back and he did start to attend again. He came to most of our meetings until late 2001 I would say, then I don't think we saw Jamie again until sometime in 2002, March or April possibly? I don't recall exactly but I do remember how when he did turn up to one meeting I thought wow, it's the first time we've seen you this year.

SM: Did Andrew or you ever find out why he didn't attend many fellowship meetings during those times?

AH: I think one of the times was over some girl, and I think his football coach didn't really approve of the fellowship or something according to what Andrew told me.

SM: You don't sound too impressed with either reason.

AH: Well, I suppose I wasn't. I really believe the fellowship plays an important role in these kids' developments. It's too easy at college to get distracted by members of the opposite sex or too caught up in the win-at-all-costs mentality of someone like Coach Tunney. I guess I also was disappointed in Jamie. I thought his relationship with God was stronger than messing around with a girl. I'm sure she was very nice, but...

SM: It's more important that they develop spiritually?

AH: Exactly! It's so important, it really is. So many of their experiences and relationships at college are temporary, but a good spiritual development, well that's a big plus they can take through the rest of their lives.

TA: Okay Aaron, let's get back to Mr. Washington, did you ever have any idea he was in trouble or scared?

AH: No, never. Even with the benefit of hindsight now I find it difficult to believe he was mixed up in anything involving getting himself killed. Surely this was just the work of some sort of madman?

SM: We don't know yet, but we'll get to the bottom of it. There was never any hint there was something wrong then?

AH: Well he was a young man, it's sometimes difficult to tell. His attendance record wasn't great, but when I saw him I would say he was generally happy, maybe a little reserved at times, but he seemed at ease with himself. Of course with him not being there so regularly it may be that I wasn't seeing him at the times when I could have been a help to him.

TA: No one else ever mentioned anything, like Andrew Wylie?

AH: Andrew mentioned something about Coach Tunney riding Jamie really hard after the injury. I was pretty mad at Tunney -- I know he feels my group detracts from the belief he has that sports guys only need their team, the team is everything.

SM: Did you ever confront Tunney about this, or about Mr. Washington?

AH: No, I've had a few confrontations with Tunney over the years, so I know it doesn't get me anywhere to take it up with him, it doesn't stop me feeling, well, annoyed I suppose, but Tunney isn't going to change.

TA: When and how did you realize Mr. Washington was missing?

AH: I don't recall exactly. I do remember it was around March or April when he appeared at a fellowship meeting again, and I think I commented to Andrew that it was nice to see Jamie back with us. Andrew said Jamie made some joke about how he would be attending "religiously" from now on. I think after that I saw him again, and then possibly it was around the time of the Red-Blue game and then the festival weekend and he didn't turn up, but I thought he probably was just busy. I don't remember ever seeing him again. I'm not sure I ever thought he was missing though, just that he'd gone away.

TA: So, that happens sometimes right, students leave and no one thinks anything more of it?

AH: Well I suppose so, but I probably wouldn't have put it like that myself. Some kids do decide college isn't for them and not all of them tell us if they are leaving.

TA: But he was in his final year wasn't he?

AH: Yes I think he was. I think I asked Andrew if he knew what happened to Jamie and he told me that he'd gone home to sort out some personal problems. It seems so long ago now but I think someone had heard from Jamie after he left, some letter or something that said he was going to come back. Yes, that certainly seems familiar, you'll have to ask Andrew Wylie of course, but now that I mention it I'm sure Jamie sent something to one of his professors or friends to say he would be back.

SM: But you never saw him again yourself?

AH: No, never.

SM: I don't suppose you can tell us when you heard about him writing a letter?

AH: You should talk to Andrew, I couldn't say, well let's see -- maybe it was May? If I'm right that I saw Jamie back in April yes it probably would have been towards the end of May.

TA: Did you ever know his girlfriend?

AH: No. Sorry, I couldn't even tell you her name.

SM: What about any other friends, outside the fellowship?

AH: Again, no, obviously I'm trying to think of anything I can tell you about Jamie, but as for his friends' names, no -- I don't think I can help you.

TA: What exactly do you talk about at these fellowship meetings?

AH: We discuss our feelings about God, Detective Armstrong. We pray. There's sometimes a song, some of the students talk about the difficulties involved in being a good Christian and competitive within their sport, and I try to provide some guidance on those subjects, as well as helping them out in any way I can.

TA: Did Mr. Washington ever tell you anything personal, about what he wanted to do with his life? About his future?

AH: Not really. That sounds like I failed, doesn't it?

SM: Well, I don't know, Aaron, I don't think you should be blaming yourself or anything. Thanks for coming in this morning.

AH: I wish I could tell you more about Jamie. I mean I wish I'd got to know more about him.

TA: You and me both.

SM: You can go now Aaron, but get in touch if you can think of anything else okay?

AH: Sure.

End interview 10:07 a.m.