Janet Weber interview #4

Sunday, October 31, 2021 – 12:30 p.m.

Janet Weber is a Yoknapatawpha Players actress.

Detectives Beckwith and Magee talked to her again at the Yoknapatawpha County Sheriff's Department.

Participants

• Detective P. Beckwith
• Detective J. Magee
• Janet Weber

Janet Weber: Will this take much longer, detectives?

Detective Magee: That depends.

Janet Weber: On what?

Detective Magee: On how honest people are with us.

Janet Weber: Well, I don't know why I should be held here because other people aren't being honest with you.

Detective Beckwith: Is it possible that other people feel that way about you?

Janet Weber: I've been totally honest with you, detective. I have no reason to lie.

Detective Magee: Well, then, you have nothing to worry about.

Janet Weber: So, can I go now?

Detective Beckwith: Not yet.

Janet Weber: Look. I had nothing to do with Scott's death. Heath is to blame. He freaked out and knocked the set down on top of Scott. End of story.

Detective Beckwith: You put Heath in that quarantine room, correct?

Janet Weber: Yes, as I've said several times, I put Heath in the quarantine room. That's what the script instructed me to do.

Detective Magee: How long was Heath supposed to stay in the quarantine room?

Janet Weber: He was supposed to go with us when we left the area.

Detective Beckwith: According to the script?

Janet Weber: Yes! According to the script.

Detective Magee: But that's not what happened, correct?

Janet Weber: I have told you this before. You know that's not what happened because I told you. I'm not hiding anything, detectives!

Detective Beckwith: But Heath thrashed and pounded and knocked the wall down on top of Scott Bryant.

Janet Weber: Yes! Heath killed Scott. It was an accident, but it was preventable because Heath chose to get stoned to the point of endangering himself and the rest of the cast. Obviously, I was right because Heath's actions caused Scott's death.

Detective Magee: And since your actions caused Heath to knock down that wall to escape, we can charge you as well.

Janet Weber: Wait, what? What actions?

Detective Beckwith: You locked Heath in that room, and you left him locked in that room. That wasn't in the script, was it? Locking him in there? That was all you. Leaving him in there? All you. Now, be honest, Ms. Weber. Was it just an oversight, or was it intentional?

Janet Weber: Okay. Okay. It was intentional, but only because Heath was acting so insane. I mean, he was all over the place chasing his delusions and creating a very dangerous work environment for the rest of us. And also for himself!

Detective Beckwith: So out of concern that he might hurt himself, you locked him in a dark room to protect him?

Janet Weber: That's right. To protect him, and to protect everyone else. I never thought he'd crash through the set and kill someone, but that just shows how completely blitzed on drugs he was!

Detective Magee: Anna was on your team, though, right? Wouldn't it have been very easy for you to inform her?

Janet Weber: Anna wasn't doing anything about it. She wasn't concerned about anything except the success of the show. It didn't matter to her as long as the overall show was a success.

Detective Magee: Did you bring it to her attention?

Janet Weber: It was obvious, detective. Heath was not in his right mind. He was screaming and running around with a prop body part, and he needed to be contained! Anna should've stepped in, and when she didn't, I did. It was her responsibility. Her negligence caused the whole thing.

Detective Beckwith: Are you just grasping at straws, Ms. Weber?

Janet Weber: No, detective. Why would you say that? Ultimately, the responsibility falls on her shoulders, especially since she failed to act.

Detective Beckwith: Well, we're hearing all kinds of theories now. For instance, Neal says Martin was backstage long enough to have killed Scott.

Janet Weber: Martin?

Detective Beckwith: Yes.

Janet Weber: Well, Martin was still backstage when Anna and I became zombies, so…

Detective Magee: So, was that unusual?

Janet Weber: It was, detective. In fact, I don't remember seeing him back there at all during the previous rehearsals. It's not like Martin to linger backstage. He wants to be center stage. Always.

Detective Beckwith: Where was he supposed to be at that time?

Janet Weber: On stage, as far as I know. I mean, his character was dead by that point, but still, I think he was supposed to lay there until the end.

Detective Beckwith: He didn't go offstage to reappear as a zombie?

Janet Weber: Not according to the script. He shouldn't have been back there.

Detective Magee: Okay, but Ervin and Neal changed teams, and you yourself went rogue, correct?

Janet Weber: Yes, detective.

Detective Magee: So things got a little loose, script-wise. Could you see what Martin was doing backstage?

Janet Weber: No, not really. It was dark, and the fog machine was still running. It was hard to see, and I was rushing to get back onstage.

Detective Beckwith: But you're sure it was Martin?

Janet Weber: Yes.

Detective Beckwith: All right. Sit tight, Janet. We'll be back.

Interview ended – 12:49 p.m.