Jimmy Bragg interview #2

Thursday, November 5, 2020 – 3:30 p.m.

Jimmy Bragg is a member of the YHS archery team and was a student in one of the victim's classes.

Detectives Armstrong and Murphy spoke with him at the Yoknapatawpha County Sheriff's Department.

Participants:

• Detective T. Armstrong
• Detective S. Murphy
• Jimmy Bragg

Detective Armstrong: Thanks for coming down to the station, Jimmy. Your dad's going to wait for you outside while we talk, okay?

Jimmy Bragg: Sure, but I've pretty much told you everything that I know.

Detective Armstrong: And we appreciate your cooperation so far. Let's start with Marc Huddleston. How good of friends are you?

Jimmy Bragg: I mean, he's not my best friend, but we're on the archery team together and have some of the same classes. We've hung out after school and stuff.

Detective Armstrong: And did he tell you about everything with him and Lizzie?

Jimmy Bragg: Yeah, I knew that Mr. Miller made them break up.

Detective Armstrong: Were you aware that they were still seeing each other?

Jimmy Bragg: Yeah, Marc told me. After all the grief that Mr. Miller gave him, I think he felt good that he was getting away with something.

Detective Armstrong: Was there anything else he getting away with?

Jimmy Bragg: What do you mean?

Detective Armstrong: Like cheating on tests.

Jimmy Bragg: Uh… no. Not that he ever told me.

Detective Armstrong: Do you know of any students who may have been cheating in Mr. Miller's class?

Jimmy Bragg: I wasn't cheating.

Detective Armstrong: That's not what I asked.

Jimmy Bragg: Oh, what I meant was that I don't know of anybody who was cheating … myself included.

Detective Armstrong: Okay, well, let's get back to Marc. Have you ever known him to be a violent person?

Jimmy Bragg: I mean, he gets mad, especially at Mr. Miller, but he never got into any fights or anything like that.

Detective Armstrong: Did he ever say he wanted to hurt Mr. Miller?

Jimmy Bragg: No, no, but he did make some funny drawings about him.

Detective Murphy: Jimmy, where were you the evening of October 29th?

Jimmy Bragg: Like I told him, I was doing my homework with my dad.

Detective Murphy: Jimmy, you've been helpful, and we appreciate it, but lying to the police is a very serious offense.

Jimmy Bragg: I swear, I was at home. You can ask my dad!

Detective Armstrong: Let me ask this question again. Who was cheating in Mr. Miller's class?

Jimmy Bragg: I don't know!

Detective Armstrong: That's what you say, but looking at your face, I think you know more than that.

Jimmy Bragg: Why are you asking me? There are lots of kids in that class. Ask one of them.

Detective Armstrong: I'm asking you because I think you know something that can help us.

Jimmy Bragg: No, I don't.

Detective Murphy: Look at me, Jimmy. We need you to tell us what you know. Should we ask your dad to come in?

Jimmy Bragg: No!

Detective Murphy: Okay. We don't have to, but we need you to be straight with us. I know Marc is your friend, but if he was the one cheating, if that's why he killed Mr. Miller, then he needs to take responsibility for his actions.

Jimmy Bragg: Marc wasn't cheating.

Detective Murphy: How can you be sure? Marc has already shown that he was willing to lie to Mr. Miller by continuing to date his daughter after being told not to. Couldn't he just as easily lie about cheating in Mr. Miller's class?

Jimmy Bragg: It was me.

Detective Armstrong: What was you, Jimmy?

Jimmy Bragg: The cheating. It was me.

Detective Armstrong: How were you cheating?

Jimmy Bragg: On tests.

Detective Armstrong: Like looking at the tests of other students sitting near you?

Jimmy Bragg: No, I had the answers.

Detective Armstrong: How did you get them?

Jimmy Bragg: I just did, okay? It doesn't matter how.

Detective Murphy: It probably matters to the school, but you're right. It doesn't matter to our investigation.

Detective Armstrong: You seem like a good kid, Jimmy. Why would you cheat?

Jimmy Bragg: There's a lot of pressure. I have to make good grades. I just have to! You wouldn't understand.

Detective Murphy: Did Mr. Miller know you were cheating?

Jimmy Bragg: Yeah.

Detective Murphy: How did he find out?

Jimmy Bragg: He said he put a bogus question on the test, and I was the only one who got it right.

Detective Murphy: When did he tell you that?

Jimmy Bragg: A couple weeks ago.

Detective Armstrong: What was Mr. Miller going to do about it?

Jimmy Bragg: He said I had to quit the archery team and confess to all of the cheating, or he would report me to the school.

Detective Armstrong: How did that make you feel?

Jimmy Bragg: How do you think? I was scared and ashamed and …

Detective Armstrong: And mad?

Jimmy Bragg: I guess, yeah.

Detective Murphy: Mad enough to take it out on Mr. Miller?

Jimmy Bragg: No, no, no. I was angry I got caught, yeah, but I would never kill anyone. No way.

Detective Murphy: But it made the cheating problem disappear.

Jimmy Bragg: Yeah, but— I would never hurt anybody. I'm not a killer.

Detective Murphy: Someone is.

Jimmy Bragg: Well, that person isn't me.

Detective Armstrong: Here's the problem, Jimmy. Detective Murphy isn't as trusting as I am. She needs proof that you were doing homework with your dad that night like you said. Is there anyone other than your dad who can verify that?

Jimmy Bragg: I don't think so.

Detective Armstrong: Did you talk to anyone on the phone?

Jimmy Bragg: No.

Detective Armstrong: On the computer?

Jimmy Bragg: I don't know. Maybe.

Detective Armstrong: Did anyone stop by?

Jimmy Bragg: No.

Detective Armstrong: Well, you keep thinking about it, and if you come up with something that can prove you were home that night, you let me know, okay?

Jimmy Bragg: Are you going to arrest me now?

Detective Murphy: Should we?

Jimmy Bragg: You arrested Marc, and he didn't do anything.

Detective Armstrong: I hope you don't give us any reason to arrest you, Jimmy. Is there something else you need to tell us? If you're leaving anything out, now is the time to let us know.

Jimmy Bragg: That's it, I swear.

Detective Armstrong: Okay, Jimmy. We'll let you know if we need anything else. You can go.

Interview ended – 3:54 p.m.