BOLASKI TRIAL DAY 4 - MAY 12, 2011

THE DAYS WERE WEARING ON US. IT HAS BEEN 4 DAYS YET SEEMS LIKE A LIFETIME. IF NOT FOR THE SUPPORT OF OUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN SO DIFFICULT. THERE WERE SO MANY STORIES GOING AROUND MOSTLY JUST WHAT KYLE AND HIS FRIENDS TOLD. THEIR STORIES WERE TOLD REPEATEDLY AND TAKEN AS THE TRUTH. WE KNEW THE TRUTH FROM THE BEGINNING. NOW THE TRUE STORY IS COMING OUT. NOW 12 PEOPLE MUST DECIDE WHAT THE TRUTH IS.

I WOKE AROUND 4:30 AM. I LET RONNIE SLEEP IN FOR A LITTLE WHILE LONGER. EACH MORNING I WOULD SAY A PRAYER TO GIVE HER THE STRENGTH TO GET THROUGH ANOTHER DAY. I WENT OVER MY FILES FOR THE DAY AND MY NOTES OF THE PREVIOUS DAYS PROCEEDINGS. I STILL COULDN'T BELIEVE WHAT HAD HAPPENED WITH BLANCHARD THE DAY BEFORE. I WAS ANTICIPATING NO LESS FROM HIM TODAY. RONNIE WOKE AND WE PREPARED FOR THE DAY. RANDY, MY BROTHER, HAD ARRIVED WITH DONUTS. HE HAS BEEN GREAT THROUGH THIS WHOLE ORDEAL. PICKING PEOPLE UP, ATTENDING EVERY DAY OF THE TRIAL. IT MEANS A LOT TO ME. THE OTHER PEOPLE ARRIVED AND WE HEADED TO VERMONT.

AS WE PULLED INTO THE COURTHOUSE PARKING LOT ROB WAS ALREADY THERE AND WAITING WITH SEVERAL OTHER MARSHALS. I COULD SEE OTHER POLICE AND MARSHALS IN THE JURORS PARKING SECTION AND IN FRONT OF THE COURTHOUSE. KELLY WAS ALSO WAITING FOR US. I PRETTY MUCH EXPECTED THIS EXTRA SECURITY. WITH THE WAY BLANCHARD ACTED I'M SURE THEY WANTED TO TAKE EVERY PRECAUTION. ROB VERIFIED MY SUSPICIONS. HE SAID THEY WERE JUST BEING CAUTIOUS. I TOLD HIM AGAIN HE DID NOT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT US. HE SAID IT WASN'T US THEY WERE CONCERNED ABOUT.

WE WALKED IN TO THE COURTHOUSE THROUGH THE USUAL SECURITY. I MET WITH JOHN AND GWEN IN THE END CONFERENCE ROOM. BLANCHARD WOULD BE BACK ON THE STAND FIRST. JOHN SAID HE DIDN'T EXPECT BLANCHARD TO CHANGE HIS TUNE. I DIDN'T EITHER. I BELIEVED THAT INSTEAD OF BELIEVING HE WAS WRONG IN HIS ACTIONS I FELT BLANCHARD BECAME EMBOLDENED. MISTAKINGLY THINKING THAT HE FOOLED THE JURORS AND THE COURT. THERE WAS NO DOUBT HE WAS TALKED TO. I DIDN'T THINK IT WOULD MATTER. IT DIDN'T. BLANCHARD STAYED TRUE TO FORM.

JOHN BEGAN BY ASKING BLANCHARD ABOUT THE EVENTS OF THE DAY OF THE SHOOTING. BLANCHARD SAID HE RECEIVED A CALL FROM BEN MILLAY EARLY THAT MORNING AT APPROX. 8-8:30AM. BEN SAID SOMEONE HAD SLASHED HIS TIRES. JOHN ASLED IF BLANCHARD WAS WITH BEN THAT MORNING. BLANCHARD SAID HE WAS NOT. THAT BEN HAD CALLED HIM. JOHN BROUGHT OUT THE PHONE RECORDS AND SHOWED BLANCHARD THAT THERE WERE NO CALLS FROM BEN'S PHONE TO BLANCHARD! BLANCHARD BECAME ANGRY AND SHOUTING THAT BEN DID CALL HIM. JOHN SHOWED HIM THE RECORDS AND ASKED IF HE SAW ANY CALLS TO HIM FROM BEN'S PHONE. BLANCHARD JUST GLANCED AT THEM AND SAID HE DON'T CARE WHAT THEY SHOW, THAT BEN CALLED HIM. "ARE YOU BEING TRUTHFUL?" JOHN ASKED. "IF HE CALLED YOU THE RECORDS WOULD SHOW IT!" BLANCHARD GLARED AT JOHN, ALL THE WHILE COCKED BACK IN HIS CHAIR.

JOHN THEN ASKED IF HE HAD CALLED VINNIE THAT MORNING. BLANCHARD SAID HE HAD. THAT HE HAD CALLED VINNIE A FEW TIMES BUT HAD NOT BEEN ABLE TO GET HIM. "WHY WOULD YOU CALL VINNIE IF YOU WERE SO SCARED OF HIM?" JOHN ASKED. BLANCHARD SAID HE WANTED HIS MONEY. JOHN ASKED WHOSE PHONE HE CALLED TO GET VINNIE. BLANCHARD SAID HE CALLED KIRBY'S PHONE. JOHN AGAIN SHOWED HIM THE PHONE RECORDS AND POINTED OUT THAT THERE WERE NO CALLS FROM HIS PHONE TO KIRBY THAT MORNING. AS A MATTER OF FACT, THE ONLY CALLS TO KIRBY THAT MORNING WAS FROM BEN MILLAY'S PHONE! THERE WERE 3 CALLS TO KIRBY AND 1 CALL TO JULIE'S PHONE! BLANCHARD WAS CAUGHT IN ANOTHER LIE.

JOHN HAD SHOWN THAT BLANCHARD WAS WITH BEN THAT MORNING AND HE HAD CALLED VINNIE FROM BEN'S PHONE. JOHN WAS SHOWING THAT THIS WAS A COORDINATED PLAN, STARTING FROM THAT MORNING, TO GET VINNIE! BLANCHARD COULD NOT EXPLAIN AWAY THE PHONE RECORDS. CONCRETE EVIDENCE OF THE TRUE FACTS. HE WAS LYING PLAIN AND SIMPLE. BECAUSE HE WAS ALLOWED TO LIE IN THE GRAND JURY BY ROBERT SAND HE THOUGHT HE WOULD BE ALLOWED TO HERE AT TRIAL. SO RATHER THAN TELL THE TRUTH AND AVOID PERJURY CHARGES, HE CONTINUED THE LIES. BUT HE WAS NOT PROTECTED BY SAND ANY LONGER. NOR WAS HE PROTECTED BY ANY IMMUNITIES SAND HAD GIVEN HIM BECAUSE AS JOHN HAD POINTED OUT, HE LIED IN THE GRAND JURY, HE LIED ON THE DEPOSITIONS AND HE IS NOW LYING AT TRIAL UNDER OATH. WHICH VIOLATED ANY IMMUNITY AGREEMENT GIVEN TO HIM BY SAND.

BLANCHARD BECAME BELLIGERENT, EVASIVE. HE DANCED AROUND THE ANSWERS. HE BECAME ARGUMENTIVE WHEN JOHN QUESTIONED HIM. JOHN WAS UNRAVELING HIS SCRIPTED STORY. THE ONLY THING LEFT WAS THE TRUTH, SOMETHING THAT WAS FOREIGN TO BLANCHARD. AT ONE POINT IN THE QUESTIONING BLANCHARD SAID THAT VINNIE WAS THE BIGGEST GUY HE HAD EVER SEEN IN HIS LIFE! VINNIE WAS 5’ 11” AND JUST OVER 200 POUNDS. “DID YOU SAY VINNIE WAS THE BIGGEST GUY YOU HAVE EVER SEEN?” JOHN ASKED BLANCHARD. HE SAID HE DID. THAT HE NEVER SAW ANYONE SO BIG.

JOHN PAUSE, ASKED THE COURT TO PLEASE CALL GIBB BASTIAN IN TO THE COURTROOM. A COURT OFFICE WENT OUT THE DOOR AND RETURNED WITH GIBB BASTIAN. AS EVERYONE WATCHED, GIBB WALKED IN. I HAD NEVER SEEN GIBB BEFORE AND HIS SIZE WAS NEVER MENTIONED IN ANYTHING. I CAN TELL YOU I WAS SHOCKED AT THE SIZE OF THIS MAN AS WAS EVERYONE IN THE COURTROOM.  A HUGE, HULKING SPECTACLE OF A MAN. HIS HEAD WAS SHAVED, HE HAD ON SHORTS AND A SHIRT THAT WAS UNTUCKED. AS HE STOOD IN THE COURTROOM JOHN ASKED HIM HIS SIZE AND WEIGHT. GIBB SAID HE WAS 6’ 4’ AND WEIGHED ABOUT 380 LBS. BUT HE SAID HE WEIGHED OVER 400LBS. AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT. HE WAS A VERY INTIMIDATING FIGURE!

JOHN ASKED BLANCHARD IF HE STILL BELIEVES THAT VINNIE WAS THE BIGGEST PERSON HE HAS EVER SEEN. BLANCHARD DIDN’T HAVE AN ANSWER. THERE WAS NOTHING HE COULD SAY. HERE WAS HIS FRIEND STANDING AT 6’ 4” 380 LBS. AND VINNIE AT 5’11” AND JUST OVER 200 LBS. BLANCHARD ONCE AGAIN WAS CAUGHT IN ANOTHER LIE. HE JUST GLARED AT JOHN. JOHN THANKED GIBB AND ALLOWED HIM TO LEAVE.

JOHN MOVED ON AND ASKED BLANCHARD WHAT HAPPENED NEXT. BLANCHARD STATED THE NEXT TIME HE SAW VINNIE WAS WHEN HE WAS STANDING OUTSIDE OF HIS HOUSE AND VINNIE DROVE BY WITH JULIE AND KIRBY AND STARTED YELLING THAT VINNIE WAS GOING TO KILL HIM. HE SAID THEY CIRCLED HIS HOUSE SEVERAL TIMES ALL THE WHILE SCREAMING AT HIM THAT HE WAS GOING TO KILL HIM. HE SAID HE WAS TERRIFIED.

HE SAID HE JUMPED IN HIS CAR AND FOLLOWED VINNIE. HE CHASED HIM FOR SEVERAL BLOCKS THEN HE SAID VINNIE TURNED AROUND AND STARTED GOING AFTER HIM SO BLANCHARD TOOK OFF AND WENT HOME. HE SAID BY NOW HE WAS TERRIFIED THAT VINNIE WAS COMING TO HIS HOUSE TO KILL HIM.JOHN STOPPED HIM THERE AND SAID IF HE WAS SO TERRIFIED OF VINNIE, ESPECIALLY SINCE VINNIE SUPPOSEDLY JUST THREATENED TO KILL HIM, WHY WOULD HE CHASE AFTER VINNIE? HE STARTED DOUBLE TALKING, SKIRTING AROUND THE QUESTION. JOHN ASKED HIM TO ANSWER THE QUESTION. BUT HE DIDN'T ANSWER DIRECTLY. HE KEPT TRYING TO SAY HIS SCRIPTED STATEMENT. THAT VINNIE BROKE IN HIS HOUSE AND WAS THREATENING HIM AND HIS FAMILY. HE ARGUED WITH JOHN RIGHT THERE ON THE STAND, YELLING, BELLIGERENT. I THOUGHT THE JUDGE WOULD ADMONISH BLANCHARD FOR HIS DISRESPECT BUT SHE DIDN'T.  HE NEVER ANSWERED JOHN'S QUESTION DIRECTLY. BUT THE JUDGE TOLD HIM TO MOVE ON. SO JOHN ASKED BLANCHARD TO TELL WHAT HE DID NEXT.

BLANCHARD STATED HE WENT BACK TO HIS HOUSE. HE SAID HE WAS OUTSIDE LOOKING FOR VINNIE WHEN HE RECEIVED A CALL ON HIS CELL PHONE. IT WAS KYLE BOLASKI. JOHN ASKED BLANCHARD IF HE CALLED KYLE. HE EMPHATICALLY STATED THAT HE DID NOT CALL KYLE. KYLE CALLED HIM. THAT HE WASN'T EXPECTING A CALL FROM KYLE. KYLE JUST CALLED HIM OUT OF THE BLUE. HE TOLD KYLE THAT VINNIE WAS AT HIS HOUSE DRIVING BY AND THREATENING HIM. KYLE STATED HE WAS WITH COREY AND JERRY UCCI AND THAT THEY WOULD PICK HIM UP AND GET HIM AWAY FOR HIS SAFETY. BLANCHARD SAID HE THEN RAN UPSTAIRS AND TOLD MICHELE AND JORDAN EBELT THAT VINNIE WAS DRIVING BY THE HOUSE THREATENING HIM. TO STAY THERE AND LOCK THE DOORS. THAT KYLE WAS PICKING HIM UP AND THAT GIBB WOULD BE COMING BY TO STAY WITH HER AND JORDAN. YET IN HIS GRAND JURY STATEMENT BLANCHARD SAID MICHELE WAS OUTSIDE WHEN HE CAME BACK FROM CHASING VINNIE.

JOHN ASKED HIM IF HE WAS CRYING AND SHAKING UNCONTROLLABLY. IN THEIR INITIAL STATEMENTS TO POLICE, IN THE GRAND JURY AND IN THEIR DEPOSITIONS KYLE, COREY AND UCCI SAID THAT BLANCHARD WAS CRYING HYSTERICALLY, SHAKING UNCONTROLLABLY AND WAS SO TERRIFIED THAT HE COULDN'T TALK STRAIGHT. A BLUBBERING MESS. BLANCHARD SAID HE WASN’T. BLANCHARD’S EGO WOULD NOT ALLOW HIM TO GO ALONG WITH THEIR STORY. HE SAID HE WAS SCARED BUT NOT CRYING NOR HYSTERICAL. BUT IN HIS GRAND JURY STATEMENT HE SAID HE WAS CRYING.

KYLE, COREY AND JERRY UCCI THEN SHOWED UP IN COREY’S VEHICLE. HE SAID COREY WAS DRIVING, KYLE WAS SITTING SHOTGUN AND JERRY WAS IN THE BACK SEAT WITH THE DOG. BLANCHARD SAID IT WAS BETWEEN 11AM AND 2PM. BUT COREY STATED IT WAS AFTER 4PM WHEN THEY PICKED UP THE DOG. THEY ALSO SAID IT WAS AFTER 5 PM WHEN THEY PICKED BLANCHARD UP. BLANCHARD TOLD THEM ABOUT VINNIE AND THEY SAID TO GET IN THE CAR AND THEY WOULD TAKE HIM TO SAFETY. (IN JORDAN EBELT'S GRAND JURY SHE SAID HER AND MICHELE GOT UP AROUND 2:30PM AND WENT SHOPPING, THEN WENT BACK TO THE APARTMENT!)

JOHN ASKED HIM, IF HE WAS SO AFRAID THAT VINNIE WAS COMING BACK TO KILL HIM, WHY DID HE LEAVE MICHELE AND JORDAN ALONE AT THE HOUSE, UNPROTECTED? BLANCHARD STATED THAT GIBB WAS GOING TO THE HOUSE TO STAY WITH THE GIRLS. “SO,” JOHN POINTED OUT, “YOU LEFT THE GIRLS ALONE WITH THE MAN THAT WAS NOT ABLE TO PROTECT THEM THE NIGHT BEFORE, TO PROTECT THEM NOW. YOU LEFT BEFORE GIBB SHOWED UP. YOU LEFT THEM WITH ONE MAN WHEN THERE WERE 4 OF YOU IN THE TRUCK! YOU RAN AWAY AND LEFT THEM AT THE MERCY OF A PSYCHOTIC PERSON THAT THREATENED TO KILL YOU AND YOUR FAMILY?” BLANCHARD BECAME VERY MAD AND DEFENSIVE. STATING THAT KYLE AND THE OTHER GUYS  THOUGHT IT WAS BEST TO GET BLANCHARD AWAY TO SAFETY. HE TOLD THE GIRLS TO LOCK THE DOOR.

BLANCHARD SAID VINNIE HAD SUPPOSEDLY BROKEN IN ONCE ALREADY. WHAT MADE HIM THINK HE WOULDN’T DO IT AGAIN AND GET THE GIRLS? WHAT IS THE REAL REASON HE LEFT THEM THERE? YELLING AND BELLIGERENT BLANCHARD SKIPPED AROUND THE ISSUE. TRYING TO STAY WITH HIS SCRIPTED STORY OF WHY HE LEFT. IN KYLE’S, COREY’S AND UCCI’S GRAND JURY TESTIMONY THEY STATED THERE WAS NO ROOM IN THE VEHICLE FOR THE GIRLS. JOHN POINTED OUT TO BLANCHARD THAT THE REAL REASON HE GOT IN THE TRUCK WAS TO GO SEARCH FOR VINNIE, TRACK HIM, STALK HIM! BLANCHARD SQUIRMED IN HIS SEAT, HIS FACE RED. YELLING THAT HE JUST WANTED TO GET AWAY BECAUSE VINNIE WAS THREATENING HIM. THEY WENT BACK AND FORTH WITH THIS. BLANCHARD TRYING TO STICK TO THE SCRIPT AND JOHN DISMANTLING HIS STORY.

JOHN HAD BROUGHT OUT WHAT HE WANTED. THIS WAS THE FIRST PIECE OF THE PUZZLE JOHN NEEDED IF JOHN WAS GOING TO PROVE THAT THIS WAS A PLANNED VENTURE. THAT THEY PICKED BLANCHARD UP TO GO SEARCH FOR VINNIE. BUT THERE WAS A LOT MORE PIECES OF THE PUZZLE. JOHN WAS JUST BEGINNING. HE ASKED BLANCHARD TO CONTINUE. HE ASKED WHO WAS IN THE TRUCK. BLANCHARD SAID KYLE, COREY , UCCI AND KYLE'S DOG. JOHN ASKED IF HE WAS SURE THAT THE DOG WAS IN THE CAR. BLANCHARD SAID HE WAS POSITIVE. THIS WAS CRUCIAL BECAUSE KYLE, COREY AND UCCI SAID THEY DIDN'T PICK UP THE DOG UN TIL AFTER 4PM WHEN THE MOTHER CLOSED THE STORE. BLANCHARD SAID THEY DIDN'T PICK HIM UP UNTIL BETWEEN 11AM AND 2PM. HE ASKED WHAT HAPPENED AFTER HE GOT IN THE TRUCK?

BLANCHARD SAID THEY STARTED DRIVING AROUND BACK ROADS, TRIBOW ROAD, JUST DRIVING. JOHN ASKED IF HE HAD SPOKEN TO KYLE, COREY AND UCCI ABOUT THE INCIDENT WITH VINNIE. BLANCHARD SAID THEY TOLD HIM THEY HAD HEARD ABOUT IT FROM GIBB THE NIGHT BEFORE. JOHN ASKED IF HE HAD SPOKEN TO KYLE ABOUT THIS PRIOR TO THEM PICKING HIM UP. BLANCHARD SAID HE HADN'T. THAT HE HAD TOLD THEM ABOUT VINNIE WHILE IN THE TRUCK.  JOHN WALKED OVER TO HIS DESK. HE ASKED BLANCHARD AGAIN IF HE WAS SURE HE HADN'T  SPOKEN WITH KYLE PRIOR TO THEM PICKING HIM UP. BLANCHARD, THIS TIME WITH ARROGANCE AND A LOUD VOICE STATED HE DIDN'T!

JOHN PULLED OUT THE PHONE RECORDS AND SHOWED BLANCHARD A CALL FROM BLANCHARD'S PHONE TO KYLE'S PHONE ON SATURDAY NIGHT.  THE CALL HAD LASTED SEVERAL MINUTES.BLANCHARD, CAUGHT RED-FACED AND IN YET ANOTHER LIE, SAID THE RECORDS WERE WRONG BECAUSE HE DIDN'T MAKE A CALL TO KYLE. JOHN ASKED IF HE WANTED TO SEE THE RECORDS AGAIN. BLANCHARD REFUSED. JOHN THEN ASKED HIM WHAT HIS DEMEANOR WAS WHILE IN THE TRUCK. BLANCHARD SAID HE WAS NERVOUS AND UPSET BECAUSE HE FELT LIKE HE COULDN'T PROTECT HIS HOUSE OR HIS GIRLFRIEND. THAT HE FELT LESS THAN A MAN. HE SAID HE WAS SCARED ALSO. 

JOHN ASKED BLANCHARD IF HE WAS SCARED INCOHERENT WHEN IN THE TRUCK. CRYING UNCONTROLLABLY, SHAKING, A BLUBBERY MESS? BLANCHARD SAID HE WASN’T. HE WAS SCARED BUT NOT TO THAT DEGREE. KYLE, COREY AND UCCI SAID BLANCHARD WAS CRYING, SHAKING UNCONTROLLABLY, TERRIFIED BEYOND BELIEF. SO SCARED THEY WEREN’T ABLE TO CALM HIM DOWN. BLANCHARD SAID THIS WAS NOT SO. EACH TIME BLANCHARD ANSWERED JOHN'S QUESTION HE REPEATEDLY TRIED TO RAMBLE ON WITH HIS SCRIPTED STORY. GOING FAR BEYOND THE LINE OF QUESTIONING. JOHN HAD TO INTERRUPT HIM TIME AND AGAIN IN ORDER TO CONTINUE ON WITH THE QUESTIONING. THIS BROUGHT ON OBJECTIONS BY THE DEFENSE. THERE WAS A POINT THOUGH WHERE JUDGE ZIMMERMAN FINALLY HAD TO TELL BLANCHARD TO JUST ANSWER THE QUESTIONS.

JOHN ASKED HIM WHAT HAPPENED NEXT. BLANCHARD SAID THEY JUST STARTED DRIVING AROUND THROUGH BACK ROADS AND ON TRIBOW ROAD. THEN JERRY UCCI ASKED TO USE HIS PHONE. HE SAID UCCI CALLED TIM ARBUCKLE AND ASKED HIM TO HELP WITH VINNIE. ARBUCKLE TOLD HIM TO GET VINNIE DOWN TO THE FIELD WHERE HE WAS PLAYING SOFTBALL. UCCI THEN CALLED KIRBY AND ASKED TO SPEAK WITH VINNIE. KIRBY SAID NO. SHE WOULDN'T PUT VINNIE ON THE PHONE. UCCI TOLD HER SEVERAL TIMES, "DON'T PLAY GAMES WITH ME. PUT HIM ON THE PHONE!" SHE REFUSED.

"SO VINNIE WAS NOT CALLED UNTIL UCCI FIRST TALKED TO TIM ARBUCKLE ABOUT HELPING HIM GET VINNIE!" JOHN STATED TO BLANCHARD. "IT WAS NOT UNTIL TIM ARBUCKLE TOLD UCCI TO GET VINNIE DOWN TO THE FIELD WAS WHEN JERRY UCCI CALLED VINNIE, IS THAT CORRECT? BLANCHARD DANCED AROUND THE ANSWER, TRYING NOT TO ANSWER THE QUESTION DIRECTLY. INSTEAD HE TRIED TO CONTINUE IN HIS SCRIPTED STORY FROM WHERE HE LEFT OFF. HE AND JOHN SPARRED ON THIS FOR A COUPLE OF MINUTES UNTIL JUDGE ZIMMERMAN, VISIBLY ANNOYED, TOLD BLANCHARD TO ANSWER THE QUESTION. BLANCHARD STATED UCCI CALLED VINNIE AFTER TALKING TO ARBUCKLE.

JOHN ASKED IF EVERYONE KNEW THAT UCCI WAS CALLING VINNIE. BLANCHARD SAID THEY DID. HE ASKED WHAT THE REASON  WAS THAT THEY WERE CALLING VINNIE. BLANCHARD SAID THEY WANTED TO KNOW WHY HE WAS DOING THE THINGS HE WAS DOING. WHO DID VINNIE THINK HE WAS COMING DOWN HERE FROM BOSTON THREATENING PEOPLE, PUNCHING PEOPLE, STEALING. THEY JUST WANTED TO TALK TO VINNIE, NOTHING ELSE. "SO IT WASN'T UNTIL MUCH PERSISTANCE FROM UCCI THAT KIRBY RELUCTANTLY PUT VINNIE ON THE PHONE. " JOHN STATED. JOHN ASKED ABOUT THE CONVERSATION BETWEEN VINNIE AND UCCI.

BLANCHARD SAID THEY WERE ARGUING. UCCI SAID THEY WANTED TO MEET WITH VINNIE SO VINNIE TOLD THEM TO GO TO HIS HOUSE AND THEY COULD TALK THERE. UCCI REFUSED TO GO TO VINNIE'S HOUSE. HE TOLD VINNIE TO MEET HIM AT THE FIELD AND THEY WOULD "TALK." VINNIE AGREED. THEY SAID TO MEET IN 20 MINUTES AT THE FIELD.

BLANCHARD SAID THEY SAW A COP DRIVING BY THEM. HE SAID COREY GOT UPSET AND SCARED THAT HE WAS GOING TO BE PULLED OVER. JOHN ASKED IF THE COP STARTED FOLLOWING THEM. BLANCHARD SAID HE DIDN'T. HE ASKED IF THEY WERE SPEEDING AND BLANCHARD SAID NO. IF THE COP JUST RODE BY THEM AND DID NOT FOLLOW THEM, WHY, HE WAS  ASKED, DID COREY THINK  THEY WERE GOING TO BE PULLED OVER. BLANCHARD SAID THERE WERE BEERS AND VODKA IN THE TRUCK AND HE HAD SEEN THEM TAKING SHOTS. JERRY UCCI ALSO HAD POT IN THE CAR. HE SAID COREY WAS SCARED HE WAS GOING TO BE PULLED OVER.

BLANCHARD SAID THEY DECIDED TO SEE IF GIBB WAS HOME AND STOP THERE FOR A WHILE OR TO SEE IF GIBB WOULD PICK THEM UP BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T WANT TO DRIVE AROUND ANYMORE. SO THEY DROVE TO GIBB'S HOUSE BUT HE WASN'T THERE. JOHN POINTED OUT THAT JUST MINUTES BEFORE, BLANCHARD SAID HE CALLED GIBB TO HAVE HIM GO OVER TO THE HOUSE TO STAY WITH MICHELE AND JORDAN. JOHN ASKED HIM WHY THEY WOULD DRIVE ALL THE WAY TO GIBB'S WHEN THEY KNEW HE WASN'T HOME! BLANCHARD'S FACE GREW RED. HE WAS CAUGHT IN ANOTHER LIE AND DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO SAY. BLANCHARD WAS SO DETERMINED TO STICK WITH HIS SCRIPTED STORY, THE STORY HE TOLD IN THE GRAND JURY, THAT HE FORGOT WHAT HE SAID EARLIER.

IN THE GRAND JURY BLANCHARD WAS ALLOWED TO LIE REPEATEDLY WITHOUT BEING CHALLENGED BY SAND. BUT HERE AT TRIAL IT WASN'T WORKING. JOHN WAS TRIPPING HIM UP AND IN DOING SO PUTTING TOGETHER MORE PIECES OF THE PUZZLE. THE REAL REASON THEY WENT TO GIBB'S WAS OBVIOUS, THEY WENT TO PLAN WITH GIBB TO GET THE GIRLS AND MEET THEM AT THE FIELD! GIBB WAS NOT AT THE HOUSE WITH MICHELE AND JORDAN! JOHN WAS SUCCESSFUL IN BRINGING THIS OUT TO THE JURY. BLANCHARD WAS FUMING!  BETWEEN HIS FIRST POLICE STATEMENTS, THE GRAND JURY AND THE DEPOSITIONS HE COULDN'T REMEMBER WHAT HE HAD SAID IN EACH ONE AND WAS CAUGHT IN MANY LIES.

BLANCHARD SAID THEY WERE AFRAID THEY WERE GOING TO GET PULLED OVER AND THAT THEY WERE ALMOST OUT OF GAS SO THEY DECIDED TO GO TO KYLE'S HOUSE AND SWITCH TRUCKS FROM COREY'S TO KYLE'S BECAUSE KYLE HAD A FULL TANK AND THE COPS DIDN'T KNOW KYLE'S TRUCK. HE EVEN SAID THAT FROM GIBB'S HOUSE HE STARTED DRIVING! JOHN POINTED OUT THAT FROM THE RIDE ALL THE WAY TO GIBB'S AND THE RIDE ALL THE WAY BACK TO THE APARTMENT THERE WAS NO COP FOLLOWING THEM. WHAT MADE THEM THINK THAT THE COPS HAD AN ALL POINTS BULLETIN OUT FOR THEIR CAR! PLUS WHY DIDN'T THEY JUST STOP TO GET SOME GAS IF THEY WERE RUNNING LOW? BLANCHARD JUST KEPT REPEATING THAT COREY WAS SCARED HE WAS GOING TO GET STOPPED. BUT EVEN IF THEY GOT STOPPED BLANCHARD WAS DRIVING SO NOTHING WOULD HAVE HAPPENED TO COREY.

THE WHOLE STORY WAS RIDICULOUS. BLANCHARD EXPECTED THE JURY TO BELIEVE THAT THE COPS HAD AN APB FOR COREY'S TRUCK, FOR NO REASON AT ALL, THAT THEY COULDN'T STOP TO GET GAS AND THAT THEY EVEN SWITCHED DRIVERS BUT THEY STILL WENT AND SWITCHED TRUCKS. EVEN THE JURY AT THAT POINT WAS NOT BUYING THAT STORY. BY THIS TIME EVEN BLANCHARD COULD SEE HOW RIDICULOUS THE STORY WAS.

WE BROKE FOR LUNCH AND AS WE WERE EXITING THE COURTHOUSE ROB, THE MARSHAL THAT WAS ASSIGNED TO US, CAME UP TO US WITH ANOTHER MARSHAL AND TOLD US SOMETHING WICH SHOCKED US: HE STATED TO US THAT BLANCHARD AND THE OTHERS HAD ASKED FOR PROTECTION, THAT THEY WERE AFRAID OF US! I WAS STUNNED! I ASKED ROB IF HE WAS JOKING. HE ASSURED ME HE WASN'T. HE SAID THEY ASKED FOR PROTECTION EARLIER AND FOR POLICE ESCORTS.

ROB TOLD US NOT TO WORRY ABOUT IT. HE KNOWS NONE OF US HAVE DONE ANYTHING THREATENING. HE SAID THEY KNOW WHAT IS REALLY HAPPENING. THAT HE AND THE OTHER MARSHAL'S ACTUALLY SEE THEM DOING INTIMIDATING TACTICS. THEY SEE THEM STANDING IN OUR WAY, STARING US DOWN AND BLANCHARD WITH HIS ARMS FOLDED IN FRONT OF HIM STARING US DOWN IN THE PARKING LOT. HE SAID THE COURT IS WELL AWARE OF WHAT THEY ARE DOING AND WHO THE INTIMIDATORS ARE. BUT HE WANTED US TO BE AWARE OF THEIR REQUEST.

WE WERE TAKEN ABACK BY WHAT HE TOLD US. I CAN ONLY ASSUME THAT WHEN THESE COWARDS SAW THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE WE HAD SHOWING UP EACH DAY THAT THEY BECAME AFRAID. THEY WEREN'T AFRAID WHEN IT WAS 15 TO 1 ON VINNIE ON SATURDAY OR 10 TO 1 ON VINNIE ON SUNDAY. BUT NOW WHEN THE ODDS IN THEIR EYES, WERE AGAINST THEM THEIR TRUE COLOR SHOWED THROUGH...YELLOW!

JOHN ASKED WHAT HAPPENED WHEN THEY GOT TO THE APARTMENT. BLANCHARD SAID KYLE GOT THE .22 RIFLE OUT OF COREY'S TRUCK AND PUT IT INTO HIS TRUCK. HE SAID COREY WENT INTO THE APARTMENT AND CAME OUT WTH ANOTHER RIFLE AND PUT IT IN KYLE'S TRUCK. JOHN ASKED HIM WHY COREY GOT THE RIFLE OUT OF THE HOUSE. HE SAID HE DIDN'T KNOW. HE ASKED IF THE RIFLE WAS FOR HIM. IF HE ASKED COREY TO GET THE RIFLE FOR HIM. HE SAID HE DIDN'T ASK FOR THE RIFLE. THAT THERE WAS A CONVERSATION ABOUT THE RIFLE BEFORE COREY WENT AND GOT IT. BUT HE TOLD COREY HE DIDN'T NEED THE RIFLE. IN BLANCHARD'S INITIAL POLICE STATEMENT HE SAID THERE WAS NO CONVERSATION AT ALL ABOUT THE RIFLE!

HE SAID THEY ALL GOT IN KYLE'S TRUCK AND STARTED DRIVING AWAY. COREY WAS DRIVING. HE SAID UCCI CALLED ARBUCKLE AGAIN AND TOLD HIM THEY WERE ON THEIR WAY AND VINNIE WAS GOING TO MEET THEM THERE. AT THAT POINT KYLE GOT A CALL FROM MIKE GLEASON WHO SAID VINNIE WAS JUST THERE LOOKING FOR GIBB. HE SAID GIBB, JORDAN AND MICHELE WERE AT MIKE'S HOUSE AND VINNIE SPOTTED GIBB'S CAR AND STOPPED AND WANTED GIBB. HE SAID THEY THEN WERE GOING TO MIKE'S HOUSE. JOHN ASKED WHEN THEY GOT TO MIKE'S HOUSE IF VINNIE WAS STILL THERE. BLANCHARD SAID AS THEY GOT TO MIKE'S HOUSE MIKE WAVED THEM ON TOLD THEM EVERYTHING WAS ALRIGHT AND THAT GIBB'S CAR WAS ALSO GONE BY THEN.

HE SAID THEY THEN WENT TO THE FIELD. THEY PULLED INTO THE FIELD AND DROVE ALL THE WAY ONTO THE FIELD AND PARKED ON THE GRASS. HE SAID GIBB DROVE UP WITH JORDAN. JOHN ASKED HIM WHERE MICHELE WAS. BLANCHARD SAID HE DIDN'T KNOW WHERE SHE WAS. JOHN ASKED HIM WHY HE WASN'T NOW CONCERNED ENOUGH ABOUT MICHELE TO EVEN KNOW WHERE SHE WAS! WASN'T GIBB SUPPOSED TO BE PROTECTING HER? WHAT DID GIBB DO WITH HER? BLANCHARD WAS VERY RED FACED. HE HAD NO ANSWER. FOR SOMEONE WHO WAS DOING ALL OF THIS TO MAKE SURE MICHELE WAS SAFE HE NOW DID NOT KNOW EVEN WHERE SHE WAS OR IF SHE WAS SAFE? THAT MADE NO SENSE. JOHN POUNDED THIS POINT HOME TO THE JURY.

BLANCHARD SAID THEY ALL GOT OUT OF THE TRUCK AND WAS WATCHING THE GAME. HE SAID ARBUCKLE WAS PLAYING ON ONE OF THE TEAMS. JOHN ASKED IF HE WAS SURE A GAME WAS GOING ON. BLANCHARD SAID HE WAS. WHEN JOHN POINTED OUT THAT THE GAMES WERE DONE FOR OVER AN HOUR BEFORE THEY EVEN ARRIVED BLANCHARD HAD NO EXPLANATION. HE SAID ABOUT 10-15 MIN. LATER VINNIE PULLED IN TO THE UPPER PARKING LOT. HE SAID VINNIE GETS OUT OF THE CAR AND SETS OFF A TAZER. HE SAID TIM WAS STANDING THERE NOW AND STARTED YELLING UP TO VINNIE THAT HE WOULD SHOVE THAT UP HIS ASS. VINNIE WAS YELLING BACK AT HIM.

HE SAID TIM STARTED WALKING UP TOWARDS VINNIE. KYLE AND UCCI STARTED WALKING RIGHT BEHIND THEM. THEN HE, COREY, GIBB AND JORDAN WAS WALKING UP RIGHT BEHIND THEM. HE SAID TIM WAS IN THE LEAD AND TOLD VINNIE AGAIN HE WAS GOING TO SHOVE THAT UP HIS ASS! AS TIM GOT RIGHT UP TO HIM VINNIE THEN REACHED IN TO THE CAR AND PULLED OUT A SPLITTING MALL. JOHN INTERRUPTED, " SO, VINNIE DIDN'T PULL OUT THE MAUL UNTIL TIM AND THE GROUP WAS RIGHT UP CLOSE TO HIM?" BLANCHARD SAID THAT WAS CORRECT. THAT TIM WAS THE CLOSEST, THEN KYLE WAS RIGHT BEHIND HIM. JOHN ASKED HIM HOW MANY PEOPLE ACTUALLY WENT WALKING UP TO VINNIE. HE SAID ABOUT 6-8 PEOPLE.

BLANCHARD SAID VINNIE STARTED CHASING THEM WITH THE MAUL. TIM ARBUCKLE SAW HIM FIRST AND RAN BY EVERYONE TRYING TO GET AWAY. KYLE WAS THE NEXT CLOSEST SO HE STARTED CHASING KYLE. HE SAID HE RAN AND HID BEHIND SOME BUSHES. HE LOOKED THROUGH THE BUSHES AND SAW KYLE GETTING OFF THE GROUND. HE SAID HE SAW VINNIE HIT THE TRUCK SEVERAL TIMES. HE SAID VINNIE SUNK THE AXE SO FAR INTO THE TRUCK THAT VINNIE HAD TO PUT HIS FOOT ON THE TRUCK AS LEVERAGE TO PULL THE AXE OUT. JOHN MADE HIM REPEAT THAT HE SAW THE MAUL BURIED DEEP INTO THE TRUCK AND ASKED HIM IF HE WAS SURE THE MAUL HAD CUT INTO THE TRUCK AND BURIED DEEP. HE SAID HE WAS SURE AND REPEATED THAT VINNIE HAD TO PUT HIS FOOT ON THE TRUCK TO PULL THE MAUL OUT. THIS IS HIS TESTIMONY IN THE GRAND JURY:

 He was, put that axe through that truck and pulled it

 06  back out.  You wouldn't believe the hole.  It wasn't

 07  like, like an axe, you put it in something, pull it out. 

 08  No, he was pulling the whole thing in, pulling it back

 09  out.

JOHN TOOK OUT A PICTURE OF THE TRUCK AND SHOWED IT TO BLANCHARD AND THE JURY. THE PICTURE SHOWED DENTS IN THE DOOR BUT THERE WERE NO CUTS OR GOUGES OR ANY HOLES IN THE TRUCK! JOHN ASKED BLANCHARD TO SHOW HIM WHERE THE HOLES WERE THAT VINNIE PUT IN. HE COULDN'T! BLANCHARD HAD NO EXPLANATION FOR THE DISCREPANCY. BY THIS TIME THERE WERE SO MANY LIES IN BLANCHARD'S STORY NOTHING HE SAID COULD BE BELIEVED.

BLANCHARD SAID THAT HE THEN TOOK OFF RUNNING AND HE HEARD SHOTS AS HE WAS RUNNING AWAY OUT TOWARD THE SIDE OF THE BALLFIELD OUT TOWARDS THE ROAD. HE HEARD REAL LOUD SHOTS, WHICH HE SAID WAS THE 30-06 THEN SMALLER SHOTS LIKE THE .22.  "SO,YOU WERE ABLE TO RUN OUT OF THE FIELD TO SAFETY." JOHN SAID. "DID YOU KEEP GOING OR DID YOU GO BACK?" BLANCHARD SAID HE RAN BACK AND SAW VINNIE LAYING ON THE GROUND. HE SAID HE DIDN'T SEE VINNIE GET SHOT OR WHO SHOT HIM.  JOHN HAD FINISHED WITH THE QUESTIONING FOR NOW.

THE DEFENSE

DURING THE ENTIRE QUESTIONING BY JOHN BLANCHARD WAS ARROGANT, ARGUMENTIVE, RUDE AND DISRESPECTFUL TO THE COURT AND JURY. BUT DURING THE QUESTIONING BY GRIFFIN HE WAS EXTREMELY POLITE, "YES SIR. NO SIR". HE DIDN'T FOOL ANYONE

DEFENSE ATTORNEY GRIFFIN ASKED BLANCHARD IF HE WAS STILL DEALING DRUGS. HE SAID THAT HE WAS NOT DEALING DRUGS ANYMORE. GRIFFIN ASKED IF HE WOULD TELL THE JURY WHAT HE HAS DONE FOR THE PAST 3 YEARS. BLANCHARD SAID HE IS NOW WORKING FOR HIS FATHER AND HAS TURNED HIS LIFE AROUND. HE GOES TO THE GYM NOW AND DOES NOT DO ANY DRUGS.

GRIFFIN QUESTIONED HIM ABOUT HIS SHIRT HE WORE ON THE FIRST DAY TO COURT. HE ASKED BLANCHARD IF HE HAD ANOTHER SHIRT WITH HIM. HE SAID HE DID. GRIFFIN ASKED HIM WHY HE DIDN'T PUT IT ON. BLANCHARD SAID JOHN CAME OUT AND TOLD HIM HE WAS NEEDED IN THE COURTROOM IMMEDIATELY. SO HE WENT RIGHT IN. "SO MR. LAVOIE DIDN'T ALLOW YOU TO PUT YOUR SHIRT ON?" GRIFFIN WAS BLAMING JOHN FOR BLANCHARD HAVING A MUSCLE SHIRT ON.  THIS WAS A DIVERSIONARY TACTIC BY GRIFFIN WHICH HAD NO RELEVANCE ON THE CASE. HE WAS TRYING TO DIVERT THE JURY AWAY FROM BLANCHARD'S TESTIMONY. AS JOHN POINTED OUT, HE JUST TOLD BLANCHARD THEY WERE READY FOR HIM. HE DIDN'T MAKE BLANCHARD WEAR THE MUSCLE SHIRT, WEAR SHORTS OR ACT DISRESPECTFUL OR LIE. THEY WERE OF HIS OWN CHOOSING.

GRIFFIN HAD HIM TALK ABOUT THE INCIDENT AT THE HOUSE, THE FIELD AND TALKED ABOUT THE PHONE RECORDS AGAIN. BASICALLY SAYING WHAT WAS ALREADY SAID EARLIER EXCEPT THIS TIME AROUND RATHER THAN ASK BLANCHARD QUESTIONS GRIFFIN MADE A STATEMENT AND ASKED BLANCHARD TO CONFIRM IT AND THEN WENT INTO HIS SCRIPTED VERSION OF EVENTS. REALLY DID NOTHING TO PROVE BLANCHARD’S STORY.  WHEN GRIFFIN ASKED HIM WHETHER THE GUN WAS FOR HIM, THIS TIME BLANCHARD SAID COREY BROUGHT THE GUN OUT FOR HIM BUT THAT HE TOLD COREY HE DIDN'T NEED IT. EVEN THOUGH IN EARLIER TESTIMONY HE SAID IT WASN’T FOR HIM.

RE-DIRECT

 JOHN GOT UP AND POINTED OUT SEVERAL TIMES THAT BLANCHARD HAD JUST CHANGED HIS STORY FROM EARLIER. BLANCHARD NOW GOT HEATED AND ARGUMENTIVE. YELLING AT JOHN. “YOU ARE LYING AGAIN!” JOHN STATED. “YOU LIED IN THE GRAND JURY, YOU LIED IN THE DEPOSITIONS AND NOW YOU ARE LYING HERE, UNDER OATH!” “SHOW ME WHERE”, BLANCHARD YELLED AT HIM. SO JOHN AGAIN SHOWED HIM HIS STATEMENTS. BLANCHARD YELLED THAT THEY WERE ALL WRONG, MISTAKES! AT THIS POINT JUDGE ZIMMERMAN STOPPED JOHN’S REDIRECT. BLANCHARD WAS SCREAMING AT JOHN AND SHE HAD ENOUGH. SHE CALLED THE DEFENSE AND JOHN TO THE BENCH. JOHN HAD PROVEN HIS POINT AND THERE WAS NO NEED TO GO ON. SHE RELEASED BLANCHARD. JUDGE ZIMMERMAN DIDN’T LET JOHN FINISH HIS REDIRECT. THERE WAS NO POINT IN BEATING A DEAD HORSE. BLANCHARD HAD BEEN PROVEN TO BE A LIAR MANY TIMES OVER. NOTHING HE SAID COULD BE BELIEVED.

COREY STODDARD

JOHN CALLED COREY STODDARD TO THE STAND. JOHN ASKED HIM TO RECALL THE EVENTS OF THAT DAY. COREY SAID THEY WERE DONE PLAYING SOFTBALL AND WERE STANDING AROUND TALKING. HE SAID TIM ARBUCKLE WAS STANDING NEXT TO THEM AT THE TIME.  HE SAW A FORD TRUCK AND ANOTHER CAR DRIVE DOWN ONTO THE FIELD. A TALL SKINNY GUY AND ANTHER GUY GOT OUT OF THE TRUCK. THEY WENT UP TO TIM ARBUCKLE AND TOLD HIM THERE WAS A GUY COMING TO THE FIELD THAT WANTED TO FIGHT HIM. TIM SAID HE'D FIGHT HIM.

ABOUT 15 MINUTES LATER COREY SAID HE SAW A CAR PULL UP IN THE PARKING LOT. THE 2 MEN TOLD TIM THAT WAS THE GUY THAT WANTED TO FIGHT HIM. TIM STARTED WALKING UP THERE AND SAID THAT THE GUY HAD A TAZER. JOHN ASKED HIM IF ARBUCKLE STILL WANTED TO FIGHT AFTER SEEING THE TAZER. COREY SAID TIM STILL WANTED TO FIGHT. TIM AND SEVERAL OTHER PEOPLE, INCLUDING THE 2 MEN, STARTED WALKING UP TOWARDS THE CAR. HE SAID HE THEN SAW THEM COME RUNNING BACK DOWN WITH A MAN CHASING THEM. HE SAID THE MAN LOOKED LIKE HE HAD AN AXE IN HIS HANDS.

JOHN ASKED HIM WHAT HAPPENED NEXT. COREY SAID THE MAN, NOW IDENTIFIED AS VINNIE, WENT DIRECTLY TO THE TRUCK AND STARTED SMASHING IT WITH THE AXE. JOHN ASKED HIM IF VINNIE WENT AFTER ANYONE OR TRIED TO HIT ANYONE. COREY SAID HE DEFINITELY DID NOT. HE WENT RIGHT TO THE TRUCK. HE SAID HE AND ANOTHER MAN WHO HE CAME TO THE FIELD WITH GOT IN THEIR TRUCK AND STARTED LEAVING. HE SAID HE SAW THE TALL SKINNY GUY WITH A RIFLE. HE SAID HE SAW HIM SHOOT VINNIE IN THE LEG. HE SAID IT WAS THE SAME GUY THEY HAD IN CUSTODY, POINTING OUT KYLE. JOHN ASKED HIM IF HE SAW VINNIE GOING TOWARDS KYLE OR AWAY FROM HIM. COREY SAID VINNIE WENT AROUND THE BACK OF THE TRUCK TRYING TO GET AWAY FROM HIM. HE SAID HE AND HIS FRIEND THEN STARTED DRIVING AWAY.

COREY SAID HE HEARD 2 MORE SHOTS WHICH HE BELIEVED WERE A SMALLER CALIBER LIKE A .22. AS HE LOOKED BACK IT LOOKED LIKE VINNIE HAD FALLEN AND THEY WERE ON HIM. JOHN ASKED HIM WHAT HE MEANT BY ON HIM. COREY SAID THAT VINNIE HAD FALLEN AND IT LOOKED LIKE THEY JUMPED HIM AFTER HE WAS DOWN. JOHN ASKED IF HE HAD SEEN THE 2ND SHOT. HE SAID HE DIDN'T. JOHN ASKED HIM IF HE COULD IDENTIFY WHO WAS ON VINNIE. HE SAID HE COULDN'T BE SURE BECAUSE HE JUST SAW A GROUP OF THEM ON HIM AND THEN COREY AND HIS FRIEND DROVE OUT OF THERE. JOHN THANKED HIM FOR COMING. HE HAD NO MORE QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME.

DEFENSE

MISS KRUSKA SET UP THE LAMINATED BOARD ONCE AGAIN. SHE ASKED MR. STODDARD SEVERAL QUESTIONS REGARDING HIS POSITION AT THE FIELD, WHERE DIFFERENT PEOPLE WERE STANDING, ETC. SHE HAD HIM MARK ON THE BOARD THE DIFFERENT PLACES AND POSITIONS HE AND EACH PERSON WAS AT THE FIELD. AFTER DOING WHAT SHE ASKED HE WAS DISMISSED.

CASEY BRICKEY

JOHN ASKED MR, BRICKEY TO TELL THE COURT WHY HE WAS AT THE FIELD. HE SAID THEY HAD FINISHED PLAYING SOFTBALL AND WAS HANGING AROUND TALKING WHEN HE SAW A GREY FORD TRUCK PULL DOWN ONTO THE FIELD. HE SAID KYLE AND COREY BOLASKI GOT OUT OF THE TRUCK AND WALKED OVER TO WHERE THEY WERE STANDING. CASEY SAID HE KNEW KYLE AND COREY PREVIOUSLY. HE WENT OVER TO COREY AND ASKED HIM WHAT WAS GOING ON BECAUSE HE HEARD SOMETHING ABOUT A FIGHT GOING TO HAPPEN. COREY WAS EVASIVE AND DIDN'T ANSWER HIM. JOHN ASKED HIM WHAT HAPPENED NEXT.

HE SAID HE SAW A CAR PULL UP INTO THE PARKING LOT. A FEW MINUTES LATER HE SAW A GROUP OF PEOPLE WALKING UP TOWARDS THE CAR. JOHN ASKED HOW MANY PEOPLE WERE IN THE GROUP. HE SAID BETWEEN 10-15. JOHN ASKED IF HE RECOGNIZED ANY OF THE PEOPLE IN THE GROUP. CASEY SAID HE RECOGNIZED ARBUCKLE, KYLE AND COREY. HE DIDN'T KNOW THE OTHER PEOPLE. JOHN ASKED IF HE HEARD ANY YELLING. HE SAID HE COULDN'T RECALL. JOHN ASKED WHAT HAPPENED NEXT. CASEY SAID HE SAW THE GROUP OF PEOPLE COME RUNNING BACK DOWN TOWARDS THE FIELD. A PERSON WAS CHASING THEM WITH WHAT LOOKED LIKE AN AXE. JOHN ASKED IF VINNIE WAS CHASING ANYONE IN PARTICULAR. HE SAID THE GROUP DISPERSED AND THAT VINNIE WAS RUNNING TOWARDS THE GROUP. JOHN ASKED WHAT HE SAW NEXT.

CASEY SAID HE SAW KYLE RUN DIRECTLY TO HIS TRUCK AND REACH FOR THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR. HE SAID HE SAW KYLE SLIP AND FALL AS HE REACHED FOR THE DOOR. JOHN ASKED IF VINNIE WAS NEAR KYLE WHEN HE SLIPPED. HE SAID VINNIE WASN'T NEAR HIM WHEN HE FELL. JOHN ASKED IF HE HAD A CLEAR VIEW. CASEY SAID HE HAD A DIRECT CLEAR VIEW OF THE DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE TRUCK.  JOHN ASKED WHAT HE SAW NEXT. HE SAID KYLE GOT UP OFF THE GROUND. LOOKED OVER HIS SHOULDER AND RAN AROUND THE FRONT OF THE TRUCK TO THE PASSENGER'S SIDE. HE SAID VINNIE RAN STRAIGHT TO THE TRUCK AND STARTED HITTING IT WITH THE MAUL. HE HIT IT 4-5 TIMES DENTING THE DRIVER'S DOOR PANEL AND BREAKING THE WINDOW.  HE SAID KYLE RAN AROUND THE BACK OF THE TRUCK AND VINNIE RAN AROUND THE FRONT. KYLE PULLED THE RIFLE OUT OF THE TRUCK AND WENT TOWARDS VINNIE. HE SAID VINNIE FROZE WHEN HE SAW KYLE WITH THE RIFLE. KYLE THEN RAISED THE RIFLE TO HIS SHOULDER AND WALKED TOWARDS VINNIE AND SHOT VINNIE IN THE LEG.

JOHN ASKED HOW HE KNEW VINNIE GOT SHOT IN THE LEG. HE SAID HE SAW VINNIE'S LEG AND IT LOOKED LIKE HE GOT SHOT. HE SAID VINNIE FELL AGAINST THE VEHICLE. THEY GO TO THE PASSENER'S SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. CASEY SAID HE THEN SAW COREY GET INTO THE DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE TRUCK AND PULL OUT ANOTHER RIFLE. HE PUTS THE RIFLE TO HIS SHOULDER AND GOES AROUND TO THE PASSENGER'S SIDE WHERE KYLE AND VINNIE ARE. HE HEARS 2 SHOTS AND SEES THE DIRT FLY UP AROUND VINNIE. JOHN ASKED HIM WHAT DID VINNIE DO. HE SAID VINNIE STARTED MOVING SLOWLY AROUND THE VEHICLES WITH THE AXE DOEN BY HIS SIDE. HE SAID KYLE HAD THE RIFLE TO HIS SHOULDER AND WAS FOLLOWING VINNIE AROUND THE VEHICLES. HE SAID KYLE  MOVES FROM IN FRONT OF THE SEDAN AND HE HEARD ANOTHER SHOT.

HE SAID AT THIS POINT HE WAS PULLED TO THE GROUND BY A FRIEND. AS HE WAS DOWN HE SAW PEOPLE RUN BEHIND KYLE AND UP TO WHERE VINNIE WAS LAYING. HE GOT UP OFF THE GROUND AND WENT OVER TO WHERE VINNIE WAS AND CHECKED TO SEE HIS CONDITION. I SAW HE WAS PRETTY MESSED UP AND AT THIS POINT I TURNED TO MAKE SURE SOMEONE HAD CALLED THE AUTHORITIES. HE SAID HE THEN WENT TO HIS VEHICLE AND SAT DOWN TO TRY TO CLLECT HIS THOUGHTS. HE SAID KYLE CAME UP TO HIM AND STRATED PLEADING HIS CASE SAYING IT WAS SELF DEFENSE. HE TOLD KYLE TO GET AWAY FROM HIM. JOHN ASKED HIM IF AT ANY POINT COULD KYLE HAVE RUN AWAY TO GET HIMSELF OUT OF HARM'S WAY RATHER THAN CONFRONTING VINNIE. CASEY SAID THAT AT THE TIME VINNIE WAS HITTING THE TRUCK ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE KYLE WAS ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE AND HE COULD HAVE RUN AWAY. HE HAD TIME TO RUN AWAY BUT WHEN HE GOT THE GUN HIS DEMEANOR CHANGED. ONCE HE GOT THE GUN HE WENT AFTER VINNIE. JOHN THANKED HIM AND WAS FINISHED QUESTIONING HIM.

DEFENSE

MISS KRUSKA BROUGHT OUT THE LAMINATED BOARD AGAIN AND ASKED CASEY TO MARK THE BOARD WHERE HE WAS AND THE POSITIONS OF EVERYONE DURING THE DIFFERENT TIMES. SHE DIDN'T QUESTION HIM ABOUT HIS PREVIOUS TESTIMONY. THERE WAS REALLY NOT MUCH TO TRY TO QUESTION HIM ON, AS WITH THE OTHER WITNESSES, AS THEY WERE ALL IMPARTIAL WITNESSES WHO WERE TELLING WHAT THEY SAW. TO GO OVER THE TESTIMONY WOULD JUST BE REFRESHING THE TRUTH TO THE JURY. SO THEY CONTINUED THE QUESTIONING WITH THE LAMINATED BOARD.

DETECTIVE JENKINS

JOHN CALLED DETECTIVE JENKINS TO THE STAND. HE HAD PHOTOS OF THE FIELD AND WANTED HIM TO EXPLAIN THE PHOTO'S AND WHAT THEY SHOWED IN REFERENCE TO THE FIELD. HE ASKED JENKINS TO EXPLAIN WHAT HE HAD DONE TO SECURE THE SCENE. JENKINS SAID THEY PUT UP TAPE AROUND THE CRIME SCENE AND STATIONED AN OFFICER AT THE SCENE TO GUARD IT. JOHN THANKED HIM AND THE DEFENSE HAD NO QUESTIONS FOR HIM. THIS ENDED TESTIMONY FOR THE DAY.

 

NEXT: DAY 5 TESTIMONY OF JERRY UCCI.