Sunday, October 31, 2021 – 6:00 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
Detective Beckwith: What were you and Scott discussing in your whispered conversations?
Janet Weber: I'm not sure what you're referring to. Scott and I talked about lots of things, mostly related to the show. Sometimes he would vent to me and vice versa.
Detective Magee: What were the non-show-related conversations about?
Janet Weber: Personal things.
Detective Beckwith: You and Scott weren't exactly friends, right? So what did the two of you have in common that led to these conversations?
Janet Weber: Anna and Neal. Scott wanted to date Anna, and I wanted to date Neal. We talked about that, is all.
Detective Magee: And that's it? He just pined away for Anna, and you just pined away for Neal?
Janet Weber: Basically, yes. It may sound stupid to you, detective, but it was comforting to have someone who understood my "silly crush" and didn't mock me for it. He would give me a man's perspective on things. Sometimes he'd give me ideas on how to draw Neal's attention.
Detective Beckwith: Did this involve Neal's participation in the sabotage scenario?
Janet Weber: Neal? Uh, no, Neal wasn't part of it.
Detective Magee: Really? You're sure about that?
Janet Weber: Yes. It was Cherie and me. I don't think he'd participate anyway since he'd never do anything to screw Anna over. The plan was to tank the play so Cherie could start the termination process to get rid of Anna. I wanted Neal on my team so that maybe, just maybe, he'd see me—actually see me. Notice me.
Detective Beckwith: And how did Scott's murder fit into that scenario?
Janet Weber: Scott's … murder? That set wall crashing down on him was a terrible accident, detective. It was not part of any scenario that Cherie and I discussed. I swear it was an accident!
Detective Beckwith: But it wasn't, though, Janet.
Janet Weber: I would never hurt Scott. I had no reason to! He was going to help me by dating Anna—which, by the way, really pissed Denis off. I overheard him telling Anna to stay away from Scott, that Scott only made women unhappy and suicidal. That it should've been Scott who died, not Ginny. So go talk to Denis about that!
Detective Magee: Thank you, Janet, we will.
Janet Weber: I think you should. He hated Scott. Hated him for the way he treated Ginny.
Detective Magee: Okay, sure. We will. But before we go, we have a couple more questions for you. Which weapons did you handle during the performance?
Janet Weber: A pipe and a handgun. I told you.
Detective Beckwith: And that's all? You didn't touch a baseball bat or a club?
Janet Weber: No, I didn't touch anything but a pipe and a handgun.
Detective Magee: Someone else remembers differently. Did you move any props while you were backstage? Say, pick up a baseball bat or a club, and set it down somewhere else?
Janet Weber: No! I wouldn't touch another actor's prop, ever. Who told you this lie?
Detective Beckwith: Neal did. Your Romeo threw you under the bus, Janet. Your misplaced loyalty to him with the hope that someday he'll sweep you off your feet is not only naïve but dangerous. He has incriminated you in Scott's murder.
Janet Weber: I— I don't know what to say. I only touched the two props: a pipe and a handgun.
Detective Magee: Was Neal involved in the sabotage you and Cherie orchestrated?
Janet Weber: No. Not to my knowledge.
Detective Beckwith: Was using a baseball bat or a club part of that sabotage scenario?
Janet Weber: No. Not to my knowledge.
Detective Magee: Did you see Denis go backstage or notice that he was backstage at any point during the show?
Janet Weber: No.
Detective Magee: Did you see Neal go backstage or notice that he was backstage at any point during the show?
Janet Weber: Yes. I did. I saw him go backstage.
Detective Magee: Because before you told us you didn't see anyone go backstage. So, which is it? Are you lying now, or were you lying then?
Janet Weber: The truth is, I saw Neal go backstage.
Detective Beckwith: When?
Janet Weber: Like I told you before, I had saved him that safe spot next to me. At the start of the battle scene, I hid and tried to get him to be there with me, but he ran past me. He went backstage at that point.
Detective Magee: Why would that be a problem?
Janet Weber: Because Neal wasn't scripted to go back there. I assumed he was looking for Anna, even though I knew she wasn't backstage. She always went to the same spot to hide, and I could see her there. So, I don't know why he went.
Detective Magee: Why the change of heart, Janet? Because it sounds like sour grapes to me.
Janet Weber: Fair enough, detective. But if Neal is saying incriminating things about me, lying about me. "Throwing me under the bus," as you said, then I have to protect myself. I'm sorry I wasn't truthful before.
Detective Beckwith: Thank you. We're trying to wrap this up so people can be released.
Janet Weber: Wait, detective? You should know that Neal hated Scott.
Detective Magee: Did Neal tell you that?
Janet Weber: No, Scott did. We were talking once—whispering, I guess—and he said I was lucky because at least Anna didn't hate me for crushing on Neal. Scott said, "I'm not so lucky, Janet. That dude hates me. Like he's always giving me that 'watch your step' side glance. What do you see in him, anyway?"
Detective Beckwith: When was that?
Janet Weber: It was around three weeks ago, I think? Maybe a month? We were in the warehouse space, going through the basic blocking, and Anna went to give someone some blocking adjustment. Scott was standing there, watching her walk away, and he said it.
Detective Magee: Anything else you want to add?
Janet Weber: Neal has a real mean streak, especially when he doesn't get his way. He and Cherie are alike in that way. Bullies. Narcissistic bullies. Neither one of them cares who they crap on as long as they get what they want. I let myself get caught up in the manipulation. I'm sorry.
Detective Beckwith: Janet. You have to tell us now, for your own sake. Do you know what happened to Scott?
Janet Weber: No. I really don't. I had nothing to do with his murder.
Detective Beckwith: Okay. Thank you, Janet. You can go home now.
Janet Weber: Funny, I always thought Anna was standing between Neal and me. But there was nothing between Neal and me. Literally and figuratively. You're wrong about me, Detective Beckwith. I'm not naïve. I'm willfully ignorant. I just … didn't want to believe I'm so unlovable.
Interview ended – 6:23 p.m.
