Suspect interview

Thursday, April 27, 2023 – 1:29 p.m.

Hank Peterson owns The Rebel Yell, a restaurant/bar located on Highway 6.

Detectives Armstrong and Murphy interviewed him at Yoknapatawpha County Detention Center.

Participants:

• Detective T. Armstrong
• Detective S. Murphy
• Hank Peterson

Detective Murphy: Give us your name and address.

Hank Peterson: Hank Peterson. 410 County Road 11.

Detective Murphy: Would you like to have your attorney here with you while we talk?

Hank Peterson: I don't need no attorney. I didn't do nothing,

Detective Murphy: Okay. It's your right to decide to go ahead without one, but you do know you don't have to talk to us, attorney or no attorney, right?

Hank Peterson: I don't mind talking to you all. I'm always happy to help out my friends in law enforcement. Besides, I just want to clear up this misunderstanding as quick as possible.

Detective Murphy: All right, then. We brought you in today to tell you that we're not going to pursue any conspiracy charges against you.

Hank Peterson: Well, that's just great. I sure do appreciate that. I knowed you folks would get to the bottom of things and that I wouldn't have nothing to fear. I was a little worried what the folks at church might think, but I knowed the truth would come out in the end.

Detective Armstrong: And it certainly has.

Detective Murphy: No, Mr. Peterson, we're not charging you with conspiracy. Instead, you are under arrest for the murder of Charles Tatum.

Detective Armstrong: Which will get you a one-way ticket to death row. Through the express lane.

Hank Peterson: What? That's bullsh*t! I didn't murder anyone. It was that little slut, Jolene. She'll do anything to save her hide. She's lying about me!

Detective Murphy: Sorry, Hank. We've got your conversation with Jolene on tape. I believe you even bragged about taking out a cop and said you wouldn't hesitate to kill her, either.

Hank Peterson: How the hell would you know anything about that?

Detective Armstrong: Did you really think you could come in here—in our house, under our noses—and talk like that and get away with it?

Hank Peterson: I was confused! I didn't mean any of that. I was just playing.

Detective Murphy: Sure. You can tell that to the jury. They might even believe you. But how are you going to explain your fingerprints on the gun that killed Detective Tatum? And in his apartment?

Hank Peterson: That's not true. You're making that up. You're framing me, you b*tch!

Detective Murphy: Yeah. Go with that, Peterson. That defense will land you right on the gurney with a needle in your arm.

Hank Peterson: You won't get away with this.

Detective Murphy: Are you threatening me? Because that would not be a wise choice for you right now.

Hank Peterson: I can't go on death row! You can't do that to me!

Detective Armstrong: You're man enough to pull the trigger in cold blood, so you should be man enough to go on the row.

Hank Peterson: No! I'll tell you everything. I'll cooperate! You people have been trying to get something on my place for a long time. I can tell you all about what goes on there. I can give you names, dates, places. Anything you need! That should get some leniency, right?

Detective Murphy: We don't need your cooperation.

Detective Armstrong: Thanks for the offer, though.

Detective Murphy: We've got more than enough evidence to send you down.

Detective Armstrong: You aren't scared of needles, are you, Hank?

Hank Peterson: No. Please. Please don't do this!

Detective Murphy: I think I speak for every member of this department when I say that I wish I could be the one who sticks the needle into your arm.

Detective Armstrong: It's just too bad we're not gassing cop-killing scumbags like you anymore.

Detective Murphy: You're going to answer for murdering one of our own.

Interview ended – 1:45 p.m.