Thursday, November 8, 2007, 10:37 AM

The interview was conducted at the Yoknapatawpha Sheriff's Department and was recorded on a portable audio tape recorder with the witness's knowledge and consent.

Det. Samantha Murphy
Det. Ted Armstrong
Brad Jennings

Det. Murphy: Good day. Thank you for coming in.

Brad Jennings: You have a lot of nerve asking me to come in at a time like this.

Det. Murphy: Our job isn’t always easy, Mr. Jennings. But first, will you state your name and address for our records?

Brad Jennings: You know that already, I’m sure, but just to pacify you I’ll answer that. My name is Brad Jennings and I live at 102 Gipson drive. You people are heartless!

Det. Murphy: You do want us to find out what happened, don’t you, Mr. Jennings?

Brad Jennings: You know what happened to him. My son’s death was an accident. How can you expect me to answer your questions when I can hardly think straight?

Det. Murphy: We’re very sorry for you, but we're trying to wrap up some loose ends. To do that we have to ask questions of anyone who knew your son and anything about his last days.

Brad Jennings: All right, all right, what do you want to know?

Det. Murphy: When did you talk last with your son?

Brad Jennings: Victor called me on the 25th and we made plans for me to visit with him on the 30th. We had a lot to talk about. I had just made some changes in my will.

Det. Murphy: So, you were planning on meeting. What were those changes, if you don’t mind telling us?

Brad Jennings: It doesn’t matter now. I made the changes that would make Victor sole inheritor of my entire possessions. I had taken his mother’s name out and just added the codicil that he would take care of her, but she was to have no authority, whatsoever.

Det Armstrong: That’s pretty drastic, isn’t it? That would be devastating to your wife, wouldn’t it? And what about your other son?

Brad Jennings: Raymond was never the son that Victor was. Victor had grit and determination and Raymond is a mommy’s boy. He never cared for me. He just hung onto his mother and she loved it. Let her take care of him.

Det. Armstrong: That doesn’t explain why you cut your wife out of the will. You had been married a long time, right?

Brad Jennings: Yes, we had and I had always trusted her. Past tense. She'll figure it out.

Det. Murphy: Do you know anyone who would want to harm your son?

Brad Jennings: There were many people who made up lies about Victor and I think they were just jealous of what a successful businessman he was. He wasn’t afraid to try anything new and I know he would take control of my business, at my death, and make it even more prosperous. There were those college girls that made those false accusations against him, to try to get money, but they never succeeded.

Det. Murphy: What was Raymond’s relationship with Victor? Did they get along?

Brad Jennings: I told you Raymond was a wimp. Of course, he didn’t get along with Victor. He wanted to "be" Victor.

Det. Murphy: What about his personal assistant? Did Victor ever tell you anything about her?

Brad Jennings: Victor said she was excellent at her job. If he had any problems with her, he never confided in me about it. He did have a so-called friend. His name was Carl something or other. Victor said that Carl was good to take care of the dirty work, meaning things he didn’t have time to take care of. I never met him. I am a dying man, detectives. I need to go back to my bed before someone has to carry me there. I’m so tired.

Det. Murphy: You may go now. I hope we won’t need to talk to you again, Mr. Jennings, but if it becomes necessary we will have to contact you again.

Brad Jennings: I may not be here that long. Good bye.

Interview ends: 11:02 AM