Friday, June 28, 2024 – 11:00 a.m.

Participants:

• Detective T. Armstrong
• Detective S. Murphy
• David Ledford
• Pam Lipscomb, public defender

Detective Murphy: Mr. Ledford, you've had a chance to meet with your public defender here?

David Ledford: Yeah.

Detective Murphy: And you're aware of the evidence that we have against you in the murder of Monica Drum? That is witness interviews, ballistics, and trace evidence.

Pam Lipscomb: My client has no statement at this time as to whether he was involved in the murder of Monica Drum.

David Ledford: Calm down, will you? I'll say whatever I damn well want.

Pam Lipscomb: Mr. Ledford, really, I don't think you should say anything more. Mr. Ledford, as I've told you, I'm here to represent you. You should really follow my advice.

David Ledford: Look, lady. It wasn't my idea to have you here, now was it?

Detective Armstrong: Mr. Ledford, are you refusing counsel? I don't think that's advisable, given your situation.

David Ledford: Oh well, if you don't think it's a good idea, then I guess I'll just keep her, huh? The best you could get me is some sort of a chick lawyer? I'm going to get the needle for sure, ain't I?

Detective Murphy: David, do you want to say anything about the murder of Monica Drum?

David Ledford: What? Like, it was the best thing that could've ever happened to anybody in this town, and they should all–

Pam Lipscomb: Okay, Mr. Ledford, really, I don't think you should say anything more.

David Ledford: Take it easy, honey. I'll let you know when I need you.

Detective Murphy: Mr. Ledford. David. We know that you were involved in the murder of Monica Drum. We know you shot her. We just want to know why you did it.

David Ledford: I bet you do.

Detective Murphy: We think it's possible that someone hired you to murder Ms. Drum and that you didn't really plan this whole thing.

David Ledford: What, like I was crazy or something? Like I was nuts? Or you just think I'm, like, too dumb to do something like that without somebody telling me what to do?

Detective Murphy: I didn't say that. I just want to know if someone hired you to kill Monica Drum or if you did it on your own.

David Ledford: Not that there weren't plenty of people in this town that wanted her dead or nothing.

Detective Murphy: That's not really an answer, David.

David Ledford: That's not really my problem now.

Detective Armstrong: Let's try something else. Why did you dislike Ms. Drum so much?

David Ledford: Dislike her? I didn't dislike her. I hated her!

Detective Armstrong: Okay. Why did you hate her so much?

David Ledford: She ruined my life, man. She took away my future. I'm nothing now because of her.

Detective Armstrong: And how was that her fault?

David Ledford: I busted my ass working for that woman. Did overtime whenever she needed it, made sure she met her deadlines, and then— What?

Pam Lipscomb: Okay, Mr. Ledford, please don't continue.

David Ledford: Look, I can say whatever I want. I'm just telling you how it is. The woman—

Detective Murphy: David.

David Ledford: What?

Detective Murphy: Did Ms. Drum ever give you any money?

David Ledford: For what? Like my paycheck from the Eagle or something?

Detective Murphy: No. I mean outside of your paycheck from the Eagle.

David Ledford: Ha! No.

Detective Murphy: Did you two have any kind of arrangements outside the Eagle for extra employment?

David Ledford: What, like washing her car or mowing her lawn or something?

Detective Murphy: Not exactly. We have reason to believe that Ms. Drum was involved in blackmail. We want to know whether you were a part of that.

David Ledford: Is that why you were asking me all those questions the other day about blackmail?

Detective Murphy: Mm-hmm.

David Ledford: Look, I told you then, and I told you now. I don't know nothing about no blackmail.

Detective Armstrong: You don't know anything about Ms. Drum's blackmail scheme?

David Ledford: Are you deaf or just dumb? I said I don't know nothing about no blackmail scheme.

Detective Armstrong: There's no need to get abusive. If you didn't have any business relationship with Ms. Drum, then why did you visit her so many times after you got fired from the Eagle?

David Ledford: Look. She shouldn't have fired me. I got hurt working for her. Her g*****n workman's comp didn't help anything for me. She should've kept me on the payroll or given me some sort of money or something, and I was just trying to remind her of that.

Detective Armstrong: Did it work?

David Ledford: Do you see me getting any paychecks from the Eagle?

Detective Armstrong: Not that I'm aware of.

David Ledford: Well, then I guess it didn't work, did it?

Detective Armstrong: Is that why you shot her?

Pam Lipscomb: Don't answer that.

Detective Murphy: David, have you ever been to Ohio?

David Ledford: I got a thing about crossing the Mason-Dixon line.

Detective Murphy: Have you ever been to California?

David Ledford: Too many nuts out there.

Detective Murphy: You know we can check your travel records.

David Ledford: I'm sure you can. Go ahead and check all you want. You ain't going to find nothing about me going to Ohio or California. Unless, that is, of course, if you put them there.

Detective Armstrong: The Yoknapatawpha Sheriff's Department doesn't create evidence.

David Ledford: I guess I just lost my head then.

Detective Armstrong: I guess you did.

Detective Murphy: Have you ever heard of Lori Schultz?

David Ledford: No.

Detective Murphy: You ever have any kind of business arrangements with Lori Schultz?

Pam Lipscomb: Mr. Ledford has answered the question, detective.

Detective Murphy: Fine. Do you know Shawn Sharp?

David Ledford: Yeah, sports guy. Worked around the Eagle sometimes.

Detective Murphy: Okay. Did you have any sort of business arrangements with him outside of the Eagle?

David Ledford: What for? Why would I do that?

Detective Murphy: I don't know. But did you have an arrangement with him?

David Ledford: Hell, no.

Detective Murphy: Did you have any kind of business arrangement with Craig Pegues?

David Ledford: Look, you all think I'm some sort what-ya-call-it? Like some sort of entrepreneur or something? I was a Phys. Ed. major. If I'd known what was going to happen to me, maybe I would've done some business classes, but I didn't. I didn't have no business arrangements with no one: "Pee-gas," Schultz, Sharp, or that backstabbing b***h.

Detective Armstrong: I don't think this would be the kind of business deal that requires a business degree.

David Ledford: Whatever you say.

Detective Murphy: David, do you gamble?

David Ledford: Play the lottery sometimes.

Detective Armstrong: Ever been to the casinos?

David Ledford: No, Doreen don't like them.

Detective Armstrong: Well, you ever go without her? Maybe with Morgan Prescott?

David Ledford: Look, Doreen don't like casinos whether she goes or not. You know, I do enough damn things to make that woman mad. I don't need to add onto that by doing this.

Detective Armstrong: I hear you. It's best to keep the wife happy, huh?

David Ledford: You know that.

Detective Armstrong: You ever gamble while you were in Oxford?

David Ledford: Look, first of all, there ain't no casinos in Oxford. Second of all, I said I don't gamble. I just play the lottery sometimes.

Pam Lipscomb: Detective, I think we've covered the gambling issue.

Detective Armstrong: Fine. David, was that your pickup truck in the parking lot the night Monica Drum was killed?

Pam Lipscomb: Detective, I've instructed my client not to answer any specifics of the actions of that night. And on that one issue, it appears he agrees with me.

Detective Armstrong: Well, he'll have to talk about it sooner or later, Ms. Lipscomb.

Pam Lipscomb: A defendant isn't required to testify against himself, detective.

Detective Armstrong: Well, this isn't a courtroom.

Pam Lipscomb: All the more reason for him to remain silent, detective.

Detective Murphy: Okay, let's just wrap this up. David, I just want to go over some of the stuff that we just talked about this morning, and then we'll be all through.

David Ledford: Hooray.

Detective Murphy: You said you did not have a business arrangement with Monica Drum outside of the Eagle?

David Ledford: Right.

Detective Murphy: You never heard of or participated in any blackmail scheme with Monica Drum or anyone else?

David Ledford: No.

Detective Murphy: You never met Lori Schultz?

David Ledford: No.

Detective Murphy: You've never been to Ohio or California?

David Ledford: No.

Detective Murphy: And you did not ever go gambling, either in Oxford or anywhere else?

David Ledford: No.

Detective Armstrong: You said you hated Monica Drum?

David Ledford: Damn right.

Detective Armstrong: And you blame her for your back injury?

David Ledford: Damn right.

Detective Armstrong: And you say she ruined your life?

David Ledford: That's right.

Detective Armstrong: Because you couldn't pursue your chosen career?

Pam Lipscomb: I don't believe my client ever said anything about that, detective.

David Ledford: Just because you don't say something don't make it not true, honey.

Detective Murphy: But you continued to visit Ms. Drum even after you were fired at the Eagle?

David Ledford: Right.

Detective Murphy: Because you wanted her to rehire you or pay you some disability?

David Ledford: Yeah.

Detective Murphy: And she refused?

David Ledford: That's right.

Detective Armstrong: So you shot her?

David Ledford: Y—

Pam Lipscomb: Mr. Ledford, don't answer that! I think this interview is concluded, detective.

Detective Armstrong: If that's what you want. Since we know where to find your client at any time, we'll just schedule an interview in the future. Thanks.

Interview ended – 11:40 a.m.