1 00:00:05,480 --> 00:00:05,799 Speaker 1: M m. 2 00:00:15,599 --> 00:00:17,519 Speaker 2: A wall, straight line. 3 00:00:18,920 --> 00:00:29,399 Speaker 3: Shackle change, Oh someome gird, it's calling my name. There 4 00:00:29,640 --> 00:00:36,640 is no mercy and it's been a century. Juice as 5 00:00:36,759 --> 00:00:42,119 the huge stream game Wrangle three. 6 00:00:42,719 --> 00:00:55,000 Speaker 1: Come in by me to die inside these walls. 7 00:00:52,920 --> 00:00:54,719 Speaker 3: Inside the wild. 8 00:00:56,240 --> 00:00:59,679 Speaker 1: Hadn't went the girl as I. 9 00:01:30,640 --> 00:01:34,480 Speaker 4: Hey everyone, and welcome back to Bloody Angola, a podcast 10 00:01:34,680 --> 00:01:37,680 one and forty two years in the making, the complete 11 00:01:37,719 --> 00:01:42,280 story of America's bloodiest Present. I'm Jim Chapman, and today 12 00:01:42,319 --> 00:01:44,840 I'm going to tell you what is a little known 13 00:01:44,959 --> 00:01:48,120 story in the state of Louisiana outside of the area 14 00:01:48,239 --> 00:01:51,799 that I live in, and that is the story of 15 00:01:51,959 --> 00:01:56,400 the Goodyear Killer. Now, this story centers around a guy 16 00:01:56,599 --> 00:02:01,480 by the name of Charles Ray and not a lot 17 00:02:01,640 --> 00:02:05,879 is known about Charles Ray Spears prior to his incarceration 18 00:02:06,400 --> 00:02:09,560 in what is known as Jackson Barracks. So I need 19 00:02:09,599 --> 00:02:12,319 to tell you a little bit about Jackson Barracks if 20 00:02:12,360 --> 00:02:16,599 you're not familiar. Jackson Barracks is located in New Orleans. 21 00:02:16,800 --> 00:02:20,319 It was established in eighteen thirty four and it was 22 00:02:20,400 --> 00:02:26,159 originally a US military base. Now, during the nineteen sixties, 23 00:02:26,479 --> 00:02:31,439 a work release prison was established within that barracks and 24 00:02:31,479 --> 00:02:35,120 that played a big role in what we are going 25 00:02:35,199 --> 00:02:39,759 to discuss today. Now, in the nineteen nineties, that prison 26 00:02:39,960 --> 00:02:44,719 underwent renovations as part of what was known as the 27 00:02:44,919 --> 00:02:50,479 Jackson Barracks Prison Project. It included adding educational programs for 28 00:02:50,599 --> 00:02:56,479 inmates that were on work release. However, in nineteen ninety 29 00:02:56,520 --> 00:03:00,280 three it closed after a notable escape and a mar 30 00:03:00,360 --> 00:03:04,039 and I may tell you about that in a future episode. 31 00:03:04,319 --> 00:03:07,879 After that event, the former prison was converted into a 32 00:03:07,960 --> 00:03:12,520 police training facility, and then Hurricane Katrina hit. This was 33 00:03:12,560 --> 00:03:16,800 in two thousand and five, and that caused significant damage 34 00:03:17,000 --> 00:03:23,439 to Jackson Barracks, including the destruction of that police training facility. 35 00:03:23,919 --> 00:03:28,520 And today the barracks is currently the headquarters of the 36 00:03:28,639 --> 00:03:32,599 Louisiana National Guard. So that's a little history on that, 37 00:03:32,919 --> 00:03:36,319 and we're going to go back to July twenty ninth 38 00:03:36,360 --> 00:03:41,560 of nineteen seventy five when Charles Ray Spears escaped from 39 00:03:41,879 --> 00:03:45,639 Jackson Barracks. He was working in the work release program 40 00:03:45,719 --> 00:03:49,520 there and he was serving time on a petty theft charge. 41 00:03:49,680 --> 00:03:54,719 Eleven days after that escape, a robbery and murder at 42 00:03:54,919 --> 00:03:58,960 a good Year Tire store in him in Louisiana would 43 00:03:59,039 --> 00:04:04,039 change the of history in several people's lives, including that 44 00:04:04,280 --> 00:04:09,120 of Charles Ray Spears now ham In, Louisiana. A relatively 45 00:04:09,280 --> 00:04:14,319 small town in nineteen seventy five, however, Hammon was and 46 00:04:14,479 --> 00:04:19,519 still is the largest city in Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana. Hammond 47 00:04:19,639 --> 00:04:24,040 is the home of Southeastern Louisiana University, and aside from 48 00:04:24,639 --> 00:04:29,600 rambunctious nature of kids right college kids in nineteen seventy five, 49 00:04:30,199 --> 00:04:32,680 things like when I Am about to tell you about 50 00:04:32,759 --> 00:04:37,120 they just didn't occur often in Hamon, Louisiana. So on 51 00:04:37,439 --> 00:04:41,279 August eighth of nineteen seventy five, the Goodyear Tire In 52 00:04:41,399 --> 00:04:45,720 Appliance store, they were just finished wrapping up another day. 53 00:04:46,360 --> 00:04:47,439 Speaker 2: The tills were. 54 00:04:47,240 --> 00:04:51,079 Speaker 4: Being pulled, cash et cetera, being placed in a money bag, 55 00:04:51,160 --> 00:04:53,720 all the things you do when you close for the 56 00:04:53,839 --> 00:04:58,079 day as a retail establishment. It was five thirty PM 57 00:04:58,399 --> 00:05:01,040 and the staff had not even lied the front door 58 00:05:01,120 --> 00:05:05,000 yet when a man enters the store. Now at the time, 59 00:05:05,480 --> 00:05:09,120 the store manager John Reid, he was forty seven, and 60 00:05:09,199 --> 00:05:11,639 the assistant manager a guy by the name of Roy 61 00:05:11,759 --> 00:05:14,759 Walters who was twenty six. They were in the store 62 00:05:14,959 --> 00:05:17,680 alone at this time. The guy walks up to them, 63 00:05:17,920 --> 00:05:21,399 and he approaches John Reid and he asked him about 64 00:05:21,639 --> 00:05:26,040 looking at radios. Remember we're in the year nineteen seventy five. 65 00:05:26,319 --> 00:05:29,319 Reid went ahead sold him a radio. The man turns 66 00:05:29,360 --> 00:05:32,439 to leave, then he turns back around and. 67 00:05:32,360 --> 00:05:34,600 Speaker 2: He asked about some cassette tapes. 68 00:05:34,879 --> 00:05:38,879 Speaker 4: So before either of the managers could respond, the man 69 00:05:39,000 --> 00:05:43,079 pulls out a snubnose thirty eight caliber revolver and he 70 00:05:43,279 --> 00:05:46,279 orders both of those men to the floor, pulls out 71 00:05:46,319 --> 00:05:50,519 some handcuffs, and he handcuffs both of the manager's arms together. 72 00:05:50,720 --> 00:05:55,720 He starts going through the cash registers, starts approaching the safe, 73 00:05:55,839 --> 00:05:58,360 all those sorts of things. He goes back and he 74 00:05:58,480 --> 00:06:02,399 asks the men, are you going to remember me? John 75 00:06:02,480 --> 00:06:06,360 Reid says what all of us would say at this point, 76 00:06:06,399 --> 00:06:10,759 which is no. But at this time, the assailant pulls 77 00:06:10,759 --> 00:06:13,519 a gun and he shoots both of these men in 78 00:06:13,600 --> 00:06:16,879 the back of the head. He then exits the store. 79 00:06:17,360 --> 00:06:21,120 So Roy walters. He looks over and he discovers that 80 00:06:21,319 --> 00:06:24,360 John Reid is already dead. Now, Roy walters at this 81 00:06:24,480 --> 00:06:27,360 point as a thirty eight caliber bullet in the back 82 00:06:27,399 --> 00:06:31,000 of his head, but he's still alive. In what you 83 00:06:31,079 --> 00:06:35,160 can only describe as a miracle, although he loses his 84 00:06:35,240 --> 00:06:38,560 sight at this point, he can't see. He's totally blind now. 85 00:06:38,639 --> 00:06:43,839 Despite this, Walters does manage to drag John Reed, remember 86 00:06:43,920 --> 00:06:48,720 they were handcuffed together, across the floor to the telephone, 87 00:06:48,920 --> 00:06:52,879 where he manages to call police. The police show up 88 00:06:53,279 --> 00:06:58,199 and Reid is pronounced dead on the scene and Walters 89 00:06:58,240 --> 00:07:01,800 gets rushed to Auctioner Hospital in New Orleans and he 90 00:07:01,959 --> 00:07:03,439 is in critical condition. 91 00:07:03,720 --> 00:07:04,040 Speaker 2: Now. 92 00:07:04,319 --> 00:07:08,839 Speaker 4: Despite Walter's condition, when police first arrived at the scene, 93 00:07:08,879 --> 00:07:12,879 he was able to provide some details regarding a description 94 00:07:13,199 --> 00:07:15,879 of the man. He described the man as being six 95 00:07:15,920 --> 00:07:17,839 foot two, He was a black. 96 00:07:17,600 --> 00:07:19,160 Speaker 2: Male, medium bill. 97 00:07:19,120 --> 00:07:22,399 Speaker 4: And had what was known at the time as Afro 98 00:07:22,519 --> 00:07:25,959 style hair. He was wearing a brown shirt with green 99 00:07:26,120 --> 00:07:30,600 pants and black shoes, and the police determined after talking 100 00:07:30,639 --> 00:07:34,480 to other employees that between two and three thousand dollars 101 00:07:34,519 --> 00:07:37,360 had been taken in the robbery. At this point, he 102 00:07:37,399 --> 00:07:40,839 gets rushed to the hospital. The police are shutting down roads, 103 00:07:40,879 --> 00:07:45,040 they're setting up roadblocks, forming a perimeter, trying to catch 104 00:07:45,120 --> 00:07:49,720 this guy, but unfortunately no one was captured. Now, five 105 00:07:49,920 --> 00:07:54,279 days after this event, in sly Dell, Louisiana, which is 106 00:07:54,519 --> 00:07:58,319 just a half hour or so from Hammon, Louisiana. A 107 00:07:58,439 --> 00:08:02,399 police officer by the name of Earl Alfred, who was 108 00:08:02,600 --> 00:08:06,199 thirty one. He responds to the call of a silent 109 00:08:06,399 --> 00:08:11,279 alarm which was triggered at a jewelry store called Champagne Jewelers. 110 00:08:11,879 --> 00:08:16,439 This is on August thirteenth of nineteen seventy five. He 111 00:08:16,680 --> 00:08:20,560 arrives with the robbery still in progress. He sees the 112 00:08:20,680 --> 00:08:24,720 robbery suspect going out the back door. Alfred was the 113 00:08:24,839 --> 00:08:28,360 first officer to arrive on the scene. He gets into 114 00:08:28,399 --> 00:08:32,240 a struggle with the assailant and he was shot and 115 00:08:32,440 --> 00:08:37,200 killed with his own service revolver. Inside of that jewelry store, 116 00:08:37,279 --> 00:08:41,519 Betty Graves, who was a twenty year old store employee, 117 00:08:41,720 --> 00:08:46,039 she lay stabbed twenty two times. 118 00:08:45,679 --> 00:08:47,080 Speaker 2: With a pair of scissors. 119 00:08:47,159 --> 00:08:52,679 Speaker 4: So somehow she manages to crawl to Sergeant Alfred's patrol 120 00:08:52,759 --> 00:08:57,799 car to call for help, but she loses consciousness before 121 00:08:57,960 --> 00:08:59,360 being able to do so. 122 00:09:00,559 --> 00:09:02,200 Speaker 2: She did survive. Now. 123 00:09:02,320 --> 00:09:06,279 Speaker 4: Witnesses reported seeing a black and white nineteen sixty four 124 00:09:06,399 --> 00:09:10,120 Chevy truck on that scene. But again police do what 125 00:09:10,159 --> 00:09:14,840 they do, roadblocks, et cetera. Yet the killer gets away 126 00:09:15,320 --> 00:09:19,000 and at this point This is big news. People all 127 00:09:19,039 --> 00:09:25,200 over South Louisiana totally freaking out and they're thinking these 128 00:09:25,399 --> 00:09:29,200 robbery slash murders may be related. In the case of 129 00:09:29,279 --> 00:09:34,240 the Hammond, Louisiana robbery, the Chamber Commerce gets into the act. 130 00:09:34,320 --> 00:09:38,480 They offer one thousand dollars for any information leading to 131 00:09:38,519 --> 00:09:41,840 the capture of the suspects. Actually up that twenty three 132 00:09:41,919 --> 00:09:46,919 hundred dollars with collections from members for information on the 133 00:09:47,000 --> 00:09:50,279 Good Year Killer, and it wasn't too long before police 134 00:09:50,399 --> 00:09:54,440 did manage to unconnect, if you will, these two robberies 135 00:09:54,519 --> 00:09:58,519 in short order, when three days later after that Hammond robbery, 136 00:09:58,600 --> 00:10:01,039 at twenty six year old by the name of David 137 00:10:01,159 --> 00:10:05,120 Eugene Lewis turns himself in for the murder of that 138 00:10:05,200 --> 00:10:08,519 police officer. This guy turns himself in and he was 139 00:10:08,679 --> 00:10:13,000 later convicted of first degree murder, attempted first degree murder, 140 00:10:13,039 --> 00:10:16,919 and armed robbery, and he was given a life sentence. Now, 141 00:10:17,480 --> 00:10:21,960 unfortunately the Goodyear Slangs they would take much longer. But 142 00:10:22,039 --> 00:10:25,000 a big break in the case does surface when the 143 00:10:25,039 --> 00:10:29,840 following February of nineteen seventy six, police arrested a man 144 00:10:29,960 --> 00:10:33,480 by the name of Larry Donahue who was twenty four 145 00:10:33,639 --> 00:10:36,679 after he was caught perse snatching in New Orleans, so 146 00:10:36,759 --> 00:10:41,360 they start questioning people in Donahue's circle, including his cousin. 147 00:10:41,480 --> 00:10:44,720 His name was Clay Spears, and Clay tells police that 148 00:10:44,960 --> 00:10:48,679 Donahue had told him that he robbed and killed a 149 00:10:48,759 --> 00:10:52,000 New Orleans man in haim and Louisiana with the help 150 00:10:52,039 --> 00:10:55,799 of two cousins, guy by the name of Leroy Donahue 151 00:10:56,559 --> 00:11:01,000 and a guy by the name of Charles Ray Spears, 152 00:11:01,120 --> 00:11:05,039 which that got the attention of police because they're still 153 00:11:05,039 --> 00:11:08,120 looking for Charles Ray Spears who walked off of that 154 00:11:08,519 --> 00:11:12,360 work release site in Jackson Barracks, and they knew that 155 00:11:12,440 --> 00:11:17,919 he would be desperate, likely dangerous, etc. So armed with 156 00:11:18,000 --> 00:11:21,799 this information, they interrogate Clay Dona Hughe further for another 157 00:11:21,840 --> 00:11:25,840 four hours, and he eventually cracks and he tells him 158 00:11:25,879 --> 00:11:29,240 that Larry and Charles Ray Spears robbed a drug dealer 159 00:11:29,279 --> 00:11:31,919 of his money and his drugs, but that it was 160 00:11:32,000 --> 00:11:36,200 Spears that actually killed the drug dealer, so the police 161 00:11:36,360 --> 00:11:39,679 they then bring this information to Larry Donahue and he 162 00:11:39,799 --> 00:11:45,000 coroborates his cousin's story, complete with fingering Spears as the killer. 163 00:11:45,320 --> 00:11:50,519 Of that dealer, who incidentally was named Ernest Smith. So 164 00:11:50,679 --> 00:11:54,799 in short order, the NOPD they find and they arrest 165 00:11:54,960 --> 00:11:58,320 Charles Ray Spears, and they charge him in the murder 166 00:11:58,320 --> 00:11:58,879 of Smith. 167 00:11:59,440 --> 00:12:01,039 Speaker 2: But not so fast. 168 00:12:01,440 --> 00:12:05,480 Speaker 4: A defense lawyer for Clay Donahue, he argues in court 169 00:12:05,679 --> 00:12:09,120 what is known in the legal world as quote the 170 00:12:09,159 --> 00:12:14,279 fruit of the poisonous tree doctrine, which states that any 171 00:12:14,320 --> 00:12:20,720 evidence obtained through unconstitutional means is rendered inadmissible in court. 172 00:12:20,919 --> 00:12:24,759 The lawyer argued to the state that Clay Donahue's information 173 00:12:25,360 --> 00:12:28,600 that he provided was done so due to coercion by 174 00:12:28,600 --> 00:12:31,960 the police, and in this case, the judge agreed and 175 00:12:32,200 --> 00:12:36,600 charges against all three men were dropped because none of 176 00:12:36,639 --> 00:12:40,000 the information that this guy gave them could they use. 177 00:12:40,279 --> 00:12:43,559 But haim of police, they had been following this and 178 00:12:43,759 --> 00:12:46,879 they felt like they had a case against Spears for 179 00:12:47,000 --> 00:12:51,879 the good Year robbery slash slang, especially after a man 180 00:12:52,039 --> 00:12:55,399 inside jail with Spears when he was incarcerating for the 181 00:12:55,399 --> 00:12:59,440 Smith killing actually speaks up and says that Spears admitted 182 00:12:59,679 --> 00:13:02,919 that he was the good Year killer. So when he 183 00:13:03,039 --> 00:13:06,320 was cleared of these charges for the Smith murder, Hammond 184 00:13:06,399 --> 00:13:09,799 police they pick him up and He's charged with murder 185 00:13:09,960 --> 00:13:13,320 and attempted murder as well as two counts of armed 186 00:13:13,679 --> 00:13:17,440 robbery in those Goodyear tire slangs. This was on March 187 00:13:17,519 --> 00:13:21,960 twenty seventh of nineteen seventy six. Of course, at this 188 00:13:22,159 --> 00:13:25,240 point it goes to a grand jury, the evidence is 189 00:13:25,320 --> 00:13:29,320 presented and he is indicted. He goes to trial, and 190 00:13:29,480 --> 00:13:34,360 on August thirtieth of nineteen seventy six, the News Digest 191 00:13:34,559 --> 00:13:38,440 in Amy City, Louisiana, they came out with an article 192 00:13:38,639 --> 00:13:41,720 and I'm gonna reference that now because it really covers 193 00:13:41,919 --> 00:13:46,679 the trial in great detail and it reads Charles Ray Spears, 194 00:13:46,759 --> 00:13:50,320 defendant in the Good Year murder case, was found guilty 195 00:13:50,440 --> 00:13:53,919 of second degree murder, attempted second degree murder in two 196 00:13:54,000 --> 00:13:58,279 counts of armed robbery. Spears will be sentate September sixteenth 197 00:13:58,360 --> 00:14:02,639 by Judge Gordon Calls. A pre sentenced investigation must be 198 00:14:02,840 --> 00:14:07,759 returned honor before that date. The trial began August twenty fourth, 199 00:14:07,879 --> 00:14:11,039 near five pm, and it continued until seven point thirty 200 00:14:11,080 --> 00:14:15,200 when Causey recessed the proceedings until nine am on August 201 00:14:15,200 --> 00:14:19,679 twenty six. Spears stands convicted of murder by shooting Good 202 00:14:19,759 --> 00:14:22,720 Years store manager John Reid as he lay on the 203 00:14:22,720 --> 00:14:26,720 floor of the Hammond store handcuff to Roy Walters Junior. 204 00:14:26,960 --> 00:14:30,519 Spears is also convicted of attempted second degree murder of 205 00:14:30,559 --> 00:14:32,960 Walters by shooting him in the head as he lay 206 00:14:33,039 --> 00:14:36,159 on the floor handcuff to Reed. The two convictions for 207 00:14:36,320 --> 00:14:40,080 armed robberies stemmed from Spears taking money from the store's 208 00:14:40,120 --> 00:14:45,000 cash drawers safe and from Reed's wallet. The incidents occurred 209 00:14:45,039 --> 00:14:49,120 on August eighth of nineteen seventy five. The State, represented 210 00:14:49,159 --> 00:14:53,240 by first Assistant District Attorney Joe Simpson, told the jury 211 00:14:53,320 --> 00:14:56,039 they would hear the story of one of the most 212 00:14:56,120 --> 00:14:59,679 cold blooded and horrible murders ever committed in Tangiba Hooe. 213 00:14:59,759 --> 00:15:04,159 Pair Assistant District Attorney Billy Quinn assisted in the case. 214 00:15:04,639 --> 00:15:07,759 Timothy Higgins, a public defender, told the jury in his 215 00:15:07,840 --> 00:15:12,360 opening statement that the case was one of mistaken identity. Dumas, 216 00:15:12,440 --> 00:15:16,200 who was retained by the Spears family on Friday, August twentieth, 217 00:15:16,279 --> 00:15:20,240 assisted with the defense case. The judge ordered tight security 218 00:15:20,279 --> 00:15:22,840 and all those who entered the court room were searched. 219 00:15:23,039 --> 00:15:26,080 No one was allowed to enter or leave while court 220 00:15:26,240 --> 00:15:31,120 was in session. The security was also deemed normal by officials, 221 00:15:31,159 --> 00:15:35,480 who explained that such practices are not unusual in cases 222 00:15:35,519 --> 00:15:38,799 of such a violent nature. Taking the stand for the 223 00:15:38,799 --> 00:15:43,120 state first was Tom Kelly Ferris, medical doctor who performed 224 00:15:43,120 --> 00:15:47,240 the autopsy on Reed. Under questioning by Quinn, Ferris said 225 00:15:47,240 --> 00:15:50,000 that he was one of the three pathologists on call 226 00:15:50,120 --> 00:15:53,399 for Jefferson Parish Corner's office on August eighth. 227 00:15:53,279 --> 00:15:54,720 Speaker 2: Of nineteen seventy five. 228 00:15:54,960 --> 00:15:57,759 Speaker 4: Ferris said that the cause of Reid's death was the 229 00:15:57,799 --> 00:16:00,799 bullet which entered one side of his head and exited 230 00:16:00,840 --> 00:16:04,639 the other. The second state witness with Sheriff's public information 231 00:16:04,799 --> 00:16:08,600 officer Dick Morgan, who testified the photos of the Goodyear's 232 00:16:08,639 --> 00:16:12,320 store taken on August eighth were real and not retouched. 233 00:16:12,399 --> 00:16:15,600 Morgan was not allowed to describe items in the pictures, 234 00:16:15,600 --> 00:16:18,240 but only to comment on his position when he took 235 00:16:18,240 --> 00:16:23,679 the photos. The state's strongest witness was Roy Walters Junior. Next, 236 00:16:23,919 --> 00:16:27,399 he took the stand for questioning by Simpson. Walter said 237 00:16:27,440 --> 00:16:29,840 he had been at his desk working on a report 238 00:16:29,960 --> 00:16:32,559 all afternoon and was still at his desk when the 239 00:16:32,600 --> 00:16:36,480 employees left at five point thirty. Only he and Red remained, 240 00:16:36,639 --> 00:16:38,559 and Reid went to the back of the store to 241 00:16:38,639 --> 00:16:43,080 lock the backup. Before returning to Walter's desk, the two 242 00:16:43,120 --> 00:16:46,519 men talked of Reed's vacation to the Ozarks, which he 243 00:16:46,559 --> 00:16:50,679 had taken a week previous. Walter said Reed started toward 244 00:16:50,759 --> 00:16:54,519 the front door around five thirty five. Spears then entered 245 00:16:54,559 --> 00:16:57,080 the store from the front and went to the opposite 246 00:16:57,159 --> 00:17:00,559 counter to Reid, where Reid was helping Spears select a 247 00:17:00,720 --> 00:17:04,400 radio which was purchased with cash. Walter said he heard 248 00:17:04,480 --> 00:17:09,359 Reid ask Spears' name, and he heard only an unintelligible mumble, 249 00:17:09,400 --> 00:17:12,240 which caused him to look at Spears. Walter said he 250 00:17:12,279 --> 00:17:15,359 looked at Spears intently from a distance of no more 251 00:17:15,400 --> 00:17:17,519 than twelve feet, because he wanted to see if he 252 00:17:17,640 --> 00:17:20,440 knew him, since he was in charge of store credit 253 00:17:20,559 --> 00:17:24,359 and felt he should know the customers. Again, Reid asked 254 00:17:24,359 --> 00:17:27,920 for spears name, and the answer was again unintelligible. 255 00:17:28,240 --> 00:17:29,880 Speaker 2: According to Walter's. 256 00:17:29,440 --> 00:17:32,839 Speaker 4: Walter said Reed broke the name Randall on the receipt, 257 00:17:33,000 --> 00:17:36,599 took the cash, and turned away from Spears. Walter said 258 00:17:36,640 --> 00:17:40,359 he was then standing sorting mail at the counter. Walter 259 00:17:40,480 --> 00:17:43,640 said Spears then asked to see cassette tape recorders and 260 00:17:43,759 --> 00:17:46,680 Reid called him to come and examine a machine to 261 00:17:46,720 --> 00:17:49,319 see how it worked, gave him the machine, and at 262 00:17:49,359 --> 00:17:53,240 the instant both men were holding the machine, Spears pulled 263 00:17:53,240 --> 00:17:54,880 a gun on them and told them. 264 00:17:54,839 --> 00:17:55,599 Speaker 2: Not to move. 265 00:17:55,759 --> 00:17:58,799 Speaker 4: Walter said Spears then gave a pair of handcuffs to 266 00:17:58,880 --> 00:18:00,559 Read and told him to put put them on. 267 00:18:00,799 --> 00:18:02,000 Speaker 2: Reid put one. 268 00:18:01,799 --> 00:18:04,480 Speaker 4: Cuff on himself and the other cuff was put on 269 00:18:04,559 --> 00:18:08,200 Walters by Spears. Spears then made the two lie down 270 00:18:08,319 --> 00:18:11,319 behind the counter in which the two cash drawers were. 271 00:18:11,480 --> 00:18:12,359 Speaker 2: Both men were on. 272 00:18:12,319 --> 00:18:16,319 Speaker 4: Their stomachs, side by side. Walter said Spears went to 273 00:18:16,400 --> 00:18:19,359 the unlocked safe and found five hundred to six hundred 274 00:18:19,359 --> 00:18:22,640 dollars in the safe for the Saturday employee payment and 275 00:18:22,720 --> 00:18:25,079 walked to the back and asked what was back there. 276 00:18:25,400 --> 00:18:28,480 Walter said he told Spears that it was the warehouse. 277 00:18:28,799 --> 00:18:31,799 Spears seemed satisfied with the answer and walked to the 278 00:18:31,839 --> 00:18:34,400 front and then asked them where the rest of the 279 00:18:34,440 --> 00:18:35,079 money was. 280 00:18:35,359 --> 00:18:36,920 Speaker 2: According to Walters. 281 00:18:36,519 --> 00:18:39,440 Speaker 4: Walter said he was afraid because the man was holding 282 00:18:39,480 --> 00:18:41,319 a gun on him, and he felt like if he 283 00:18:41,440 --> 00:18:44,240 tried to resist that he would be shot, But he 284 00:18:44,279 --> 00:18:48,039 said he didn't feel that Spears was going to shoot them. Instead, 285 00:18:48,200 --> 00:18:51,079 he felt Spears would take the money and just leave. 286 00:18:51,359 --> 00:18:54,519 Walters told Spears where the cash drawers were and how 287 00:18:54,559 --> 00:18:57,119 to get them open, and Spears took the money and 288 00:18:57,240 --> 00:19:00,960 asked to see both men's wallets for identityification so he 289 00:19:01,039 --> 00:19:05,039 could get them if they tried to identify him. Walter 290 00:19:05,160 --> 00:19:08,240 said Reed then spoke for the first time since Spears 291 00:19:08,240 --> 00:19:12,240 pulled the gun. They were also Reed's last words. He 292 00:19:12,319 --> 00:19:15,559 told Spears he wouldn't have to worry about them identifying 293 00:19:15,640 --> 00:19:18,359 him because they didn't know him. Both men had their 294 00:19:18,400 --> 00:19:21,480 wallets in front of them on the floor between the forearms, 295 00:19:21,519 --> 00:19:25,039 and Spears took out the money inside Reed's wallet and 296 00:19:25,119 --> 00:19:28,319 tossed it in the waste basket. Walter said Spears didn't 297 00:19:28,359 --> 00:19:31,200 take his wallet. As he looked down, Walter said he 298 00:19:31,200 --> 00:19:35,640 could hear bam bam, and he realized he couldn't see. 299 00:19:35,960 --> 00:19:38,920 He said his ears started ringing, his head was spinning, 300 00:19:39,079 --> 00:19:42,400 and he hunted for his glasses. He said he realized 301 00:19:42,480 --> 00:19:44,960 Reed had been shot as well as himself when he 302 00:19:44,960 --> 00:19:48,000 could hear no sound from Reed. When he thought Spears 303 00:19:48,000 --> 00:19:50,759 had left the store, Walter said he knew he had 304 00:19:50,799 --> 00:19:53,559 to get to the telephone on a desk nearby, and 305 00:19:53,640 --> 00:19:56,400 he tried several times to reach it. He said he 306 00:19:56,440 --> 00:19:59,279 had to pull red with him because of the handcuffs, 307 00:19:59,319 --> 00:20:02,279 and he finally he found the phone after several tries. 308 00:20:02,720 --> 00:20:05,119 He said he missed dialed the first time and reached 309 00:20:05,160 --> 00:20:08,160 an operator on his second attempt. He then asked for 310 00:20:08,200 --> 00:20:11,200 an ambulance and the police to come to the store. 311 00:20:11,519 --> 00:20:14,720 After Walters used the phone to summon help, he said 312 00:20:14,720 --> 00:20:17,240 he heard someone enter, but he was afraid to call 313 00:20:17,279 --> 00:20:20,160 out for fear with Spears returning. Then he heard the 314 00:20:20,200 --> 00:20:22,480 door open and he heard some people running in and 315 00:20:22,559 --> 00:20:25,039 someone say get the cuffs off. He said he heard 316 00:20:25,079 --> 00:20:28,200 a voice say, Roy, this is Lieutenant White. Can you 317 00:20:28,240 --> 00:20:31,079 tell me what happened? Walter said he gave a physical 318 00:20:31,119 --> 00:20:34,119 description of a black male six y two tall, between 319 00:20:34,119 --> 00:20:36,480 one hundred and seventy and one hundred and eighty pounds, 320 00:20:36,559 --> 00:20:40,400 afro wearing green pants, a brown spotted shirt, no socks, 321 00:20:40,400 --> 00:20:43,079 and sandals with soles one to one and a half 322 00:20:43,160 --> 00:20:46,359 inches thick. And that is one heck of a description. 323 00:20:47,039 --> 00:20:50,359 Walter subb while he was still handcuffed, he had deliberately 324 00:20:50,400 --> 00:20:54,039 studied Spears while Spears was moving around the store so 325 00:20:54,160 --> 00:20:57,559 that he would be able to accurately describe him to police. 326 00:20:57,799 --> 00:21:00,640 Reed said he was then taking two seven ward and 327 00:21:00,680 --> 00:21:03,920 told he would be taken to Auchner Hospital. He said 328 00:21:03,960 --> 00:21:07,000 he was having serious pain and that he lost consciousness 329 00:21:07,000 --> 00:21:10,039 on the ride to Austioner's. Once at the hospital, Walter 330 00:21:10,119 --> 00:21:12,839 said he was x rayed, taken to a waiting area, 331 00:21:13,079 --> 00:21:15,359 x rayed again, and then told he would have to 332 00:21:15,440 --> 00:21:19,440 undergo surgery to remove the bullet which would lodge against 333 00:21:19,440 --> 00:21:22,640 his optic nerve and bruised it. He said he remembers 334 00:21:22,680 --> 00:21:26,279 talking with his wife and praying with her and their pastor. 335 00:21:26,839 --> 00:21:30,000 His next memory was of Saturday morning, and he still 336 00:21:30,039 --> 00:21:32,839 had fuzzy vision. During the week that followed, he said 337 00:21:32,839 --> 00:21:36,079 he spoke with Captain Charles Binder of the Sheriff's Office 338 00:21:36,160 --> 00:21:39,799 and worked with the Jefferson Parish Crime Lab to make 339 00:21:39,880 --> 00:21:43,079 a composite sketch. Walter said he went over the description 340 00:21:43,160 --> 00:21:45,559 of spears every day in his mind, said that he 341 00:21:45,599 --> 00:21:49,119 would not forget, and Walter said after he was home 342 00:21:49,119 --> 00:21:51,400 from the hospital that he went to New Orleans with 343 00:21:51,519 --> 00:21:55,480 Captain Binder and Lieutenant White from the Hammond Police Department 344 00:21:55,559 --> 00:22:00,119 to look at photos of black armed robbery suspects. He 345 00:22:00,160 --> 00:22:03,759 said he must have eventually viewed over one thousand photos. 346 00:22:03,960 --> 00:22:06,720 Walter testified that he later went to the ham And 347 00:22:06,839 --> 00:22:09,880 Police department and went through more photo He said that 348 00:22:10,000 --> 00:22:13,480 periodically officers would bring him stacks of photos to view. 349 00:22:13,720 --> 00:22:16,559 He said he eventually saw a picture of Spears in 350 00:22:16,599 --> 00:22:19,359 a stack brought to him. He said he was told 351 00:22:19,640 --> 00:22:21,519 the man would be brought to him in for a 352 00:22:21,599 --> 00:22:24,119 lineup and that the picture was an old one. Near 353 00:22:24,160 --> 00:22:27,079 the first of April, on a Wednesday night, Walter said 354 00:22:27,079 --> 00:22:29,839 he was called after midnight by the ham And Police 355 00:22:29,920 --> 00:22:32,599 to come see something important. He said he was picked 356 00:22:32,680 --> 00:22:35,480 up and he went into the building and told he 357 00:22:35,480 --> 00:22:37,799 would go up an elevator, turn left, and that he 358 00:22:37,799 --> 00:22:40,720 would see a lineup of men marked with numbers one 359 00:22:40,799 --> 00:22:44,440 through five. Walter said he spotted the defendant in the 360 00:22:44,440 --> 00:22:47,119 middle wearing the number three. He said the men were 361 00:22:47,160 --> 00:22:50,160 made to show their profiles and they had to say, quote, 362 00:22:50,279 --> 00:22:53,640 what is your name? Walter said Spears' hair was different 363 00:22:53,759 --> 00:22:56,119 and then he had a mustache, which he didn't have 364 00:22:56,359 --> 00:22:59,680 at the time of the murder slash robbery. Walter said 365 00:22:59,680 --> 00:23:02,400 he told the officers that he wanted to see spears 366 00:23:02,440 --> 00:23:04,640 at a distance of four or five feet, so he 367 00:23:04,720 --> 00:23:09,279 did that and spears was picked out of that lineup. Now, 368 00:23:09,480 --> 00:23:12,839 during Walter's testimony, the jury was shown where the bullet 369 00:23:13,000 --> 00:23:16,599 entered the back of Walter's head. Simpson asked Walters if 370 00:23:16,640 --> 00:23:19,880 the defendant was positively the man who had shot, robbed 371 00:23:19,960 --> 00:23:24,799 him and killed Reed, and Walter unhesitatingly said yes, it is. 372 00:23:25,039 --> 00:23:29,039 Walters identified objects in the pictures taken by Dick Morgan 373 00:23:29,119 --> 00:23:32,400 and marked the photos with axes where Reid and he 374 00:23:32,599 --> 00:23:34,880 lay on the floor. The photos of the scene were 375 00:23:34,880 --> 00:23:38,200 shown to the jury's evidence and included a picture of 376 00:23:38,319 --> 00:23:43,240 the bloodstains. Under questioning by Higgins, Walters told of his injuries, 377 00:23:43,319 --> 00:23:46,440 and he described the incident as serious in that I 378 00:23:46,519 --> 00:23:50,519 almost lost my life and it took five weeks out 379 00:23:50,559 --> 00:23:53,559 of my life. He said that he suffered permanent damage 380 00:23:53,599 --> 00:23:56,640 in a small blind spot in his field of vision 381 00:23:56,799 --> 00:23:59,279 as a result of the shooting, in that his glasses 382 00:23:59,359 --> 00:24:02,359 prescription had changed. He said that he recently got a 383 00:24:02,440 --> 00:24:05,359 new pair of glasses and was told to return a 384 00:24:05,440 --> 00:24:09,799 year later for another examination. Higgins then proceeded to delve 385 00:24:09,880 --> 00:24:12,720 into the amount of time that it took for the robbery. 386 00:24:13,160 --> 00:24:15,960 Walter said it took all of five minutes from the 387 00:24:16,039 --> 00:24:18,759 time the gum was pulled. Higgins proceeded to go through 388 00:24:18,799 --> 00:24:22,799 an elaborate enactment of each move made by the principles. 389 00:24:22,880 --> 00:24:25,799 He announced that it had taken a total of eight minutes, 390 00:24:25,880 --> 00:24:28,440 and that he felt it would have taken the defendant 391 00:24:28,519 --> 00:24:32,519 substantially less, not just three minutes less, to do all 392 00:24:32,559 --> 00:24:35,720 of the things that were done. Walter's commented that Higgins 393 00:24:35,720 --> 00:24:38,240 didn't do all of the things, he just acted as 394 00:24:38,279 --> 00:24:41,759 though he were doing them. Higgins also introduced a composite 395 00:24:41,839 --> 00:24:45,640 published in the Parish Daily, which was released shortly after 396 00:24:45,680 --> 00:24:48,720 the incident. Walter said that was the first one made, 397 00:24:48,839 --> 00:24:51,519 not the second one, which was a lot more accurate. 398 00:24:51,599 --> 00:24:55,240 So the defense attorney here, he's shown the first composite sketch, 399 00:24:55,359 --> 00:24:58,400 which apparently did not look a lot like the defendant, 400 00:24:58,519 --> 00:25:02,440 and he's also questioning the timeframe that this poor guy 401 00:25:02,640 --> 00:25:04,640 had come up with, and he's saying, how could you 402 00:25:04,680 --> 00:25:07,039 do all this in five minutes or less? And the 403 00:25:07,079 --> 00:25:09,480 guy said, well, I wasn't actually doing all of it. 404 00:25:09,519 --> 00:25:12,160 I was acting like I was doing all of Higgins 405 00:25:12,160 --> 00:25:15,079 then asked if Walter's thought that someone could make a 406 00:25:15,119 --> 00:25:18,799 mistaken identity in a case such as this one. Walter said, 407 00:25:19,039 --> 00:25:20,960 I don't think a person could go through what I 408 00:25:21,000 --> 00:25:23,799 have gone through and make a mistake. When press further, 409 00:25:24,000 --> 00:25:26,480 he deemed the possibility. 410 00:25:26,279 --> 00:25:27,279 Speaker 2: Was very remote. 411 00:25:27,359 --> 00:25:30,240 Speaker 4: Higgins brought out a panel of three photos and he 412 00:25:30,319 --> 00:25:34,759 started to ask Walter's questions about them. Simpson objected to 413 00:25:34,880 --> 00:25:38,559 Higgins presenting these photos of people who were supposed victims 414 00:25:38,559 --> 00:25:42,680 of mistaken identities and who were supposedly were only punished. 415 00:25:42,880 --> 00:25:46,559 The judge sustained that objection, and he instructed the jury 416 00:25:46,559 --> 00:25:50,319 to disregard that portion of the proceeding. Higgins then asked 417 00:25:50,319 --> 00:25:53,880 Walters if he would single out one characteristic for use 418 00:25:53,960 --> 00:25:58,440 in making an identification, and Walter said no. That identification 419 00:25:58,759 --> 00:26:02,640 would have to be made was several characteristics together. So 420 00:26:03,119 --> 00:26:07,880 Higgins introduces a human exhibit in the person of Lionel Robinson. 421 00:26:07,960 --> 00:26:10,440 This man was brought from jail and seated in the 422 00:26:10,480 --> 00:26:13,359 front row. The man had a shaved head and was 423 00:26:13,400 --> 00:26:16,880 in prison clothes. Higgins then asked Walters if he recognized him, 424 00:26:16,920 --> 00:26:18,279 and Walters replied no. 425 00:26:18,559 --> 00:26:21,480 Speaker 2: The man had been in the lineup apparently. 426 00:26:21,000 --> 00:26:24,200 Speaker 4: Which Walters had viewed, but he did not have a 427 00:26:24,240 --> 00:26:27,400 shaved head then, so the judge at this point recessed 428 00:26:27,400 --> 00:26:31,279 court until nine am the following day, and he of 429 00:26:31,359 --> 00:26:34,240 course tells the jury you can't talk to anyone about this. 430 00:26:34,519 --> 00:26:38,000 The next day, Detective Melvin Wells of the Human Police 431 00:26:38,000 --> 00:26:42,160 Department testified and he said that Walters identified a photo 432 00:26:42,279 --> 00:26:46,079 of the defendant after looking at some fifteen hundred photos 433 00:26:46,160 --> 00:26:49,279 over the period of eight months. He said the photo 434 00:26:49,359 --> 00:26:51,839 of Spears was shown to Walters in a group of 435 00:26:51,920 --> 00:26:52,839 ten photos. 436 00:26:52,960 --> 00:26:54,279 Speaker 2: At that point, Steve. 437 00:26:54,160 --> 00:26:57,400 Speaker 4: Racky of the ham And Police Department he supervised that 438 00:26:57,559 --> 00:27:00,880 lineup which was held and he testified and he said 439 00:27:00,880 --> 00:27:02,880 that Spears was advised. 440 00:27:02,359 --> 00:27:03,119 Speaker 2: Of his rights. 441 00:27:03,359 --> 00:27:06,200 Speaker 4: Four black men were taken from the jail and dressed 442 00:27:06,240 --> 00:27:10,240 in jail uniforms as with Spears. Spears was then allowed 443 00:27:10,279 --> 00:27:12,559 to pick his own number in the lineup and to 444 00:27:12,720 --> 00:27:14,960 decide how they were to line up. 445 00:27:15,039 --> 00:27:16,279 Speaker 2: Walters was brought in. 446 00:27:16,359 --> 00:27:19,799 Speaker 4: He viewed the lineup twice from the front and side views, 447 00:27:19,960 --> 00:27:23,079 and he then requested that the men in this lineup 448 00:27:23,160 --> 00:27:25,799 be made to say something. Each man said, what is 449 00:27:25,839 --> 00:27:29,799 your name? Walters then identified Spears, saying that the hair 450 00:27:29,880 --> 00:27:32,759 was different, but he recognized the face and the person. 451 00:27:32,839 --> 00:27:35,680 The defense attorney asked if the slayer of the slide 452 00:27:35,839 --> 00:27:38,640 L policeman had been put in the lineup or if 453 00:27:38,640 --> 00:27:41,400 any attempts had been made to match his fingerprints with 454 00:27:41,519 --> 00:27:45,359 those taken at the Goodyear's store. Sergeant Norman Davidson of 455 00:27:45,359 --> 00:27:47,880 the ham And Police Department said he showed hundreds of 456 00:27:47,920 --> 00:27:51,839 photos to Roy Walters, including the photo of the suspect 457 00:27:51,960 --> 00:27:55,319 in the slide L police slang, and that Walters passed 458 00:27:55,400 --> 00:27:58,359 over it. He also said that a fingerprint had been 459 00:27:58,480 --> 00:28:00,759 lifted and sent to the crime lad but that it 460 00:28:00,839 --> 00:28:04,759 was just an overlay print and it could not be identified. 461 00:28:05,279 --> 00:28:08,279 Dennis Taylor, a twenty one year old black man, was 462 00:28:08,359 --> 00:28:12,119 the next witness. Taylor had been convicted for armed robbery, 463 00:28:12,200 --> 00:28:14,920 but is presently out of prison because he has been 464 00:28:14,960 --> 00:28:18,759 working on cases cooperating with the Sheriff's office. Taylor was 465 00:28:18,839 --> 00:28:21,799 used as a plant at the Saint Helena Paris jail 466 00:28:21,880 --> 00:28:25,759 where Spears was being held. According to Taylor, Spears admitted 467 00:28:25,880 --> 00:28:30,000 robbing the Goodyear's store in shooting Reed and Walter, saying quote, 468 00:28:30,039 --> 00:28:34,160 I shot two jiving motherfuckers in the head. Taylor admitted 469 00:28:34,240 --> 00:28:37,519 that he would pretty much do what Detective Dykes wanted 470 00:28:37,599 --> 00:28:40,759 him to do because Dykes kept him out of jail. 471 00:28:40,920 --> 00:28:44,599 Burnham Westmoreland testified that he was an automotive manager at 472 00:28:44,599 --> 00:28:47,079 the time and that he had locked the store after 473 00:28:47,119 --> 00:28:51,160 the incident. He estimated a theft of two thousand dollars. However, 474 00:28:51,200 --> 00:28:55,240 an audit later set the stolen amount at fifteen hundred dollars. 475 00:28:55,279 --> 00:28:58,799 The state then rested its case after showing photos of 476 00:28:58,839 --> 00:29:00,440 the deceased taken at. 477 00:29:00,319 --> 00:29:01,599 Speaker 2: The morgue to the jerk. 478 00:29:01,720 --> 00:29:05,599 Speaker 4: The first witness for the defense was Willy Spears of Chicago, 479 00:29:05,720 --> 00:29:08,559 who was an uncle of the defendant. He said the 480 00:29:08,559 --> 00:29:11,279 defendant rode with him in his car from New Orleans 481 00:29:11,319 --> 00:29:14,599 to Chicago on August fifth, and he said the defendant 482 00:29:14,720 --> 00:29:17,440 rested at his home on August sixth, and that on 483 00:29:17,480 --> 00:29:20,279 the seventh he took the defendant to the Busy Beaver 484 00:29:20,440 --> 00:29:22,759 Auto Company to try to get him a job. The 485 00:29:22,759 --> 00:29:25,160 owner of the company was too busy to talk to 486 00:29:25,240 --> 00:29:27,680 them on the seventh, so Willy said he and the 487 00:29:27,720 --> 00:29:31,200 defendant returned on the eighth and the defendant was promised 488 00:29:31,240 --> 00:29:34,079 a job. He said, the defendant went to work for 489 00:29:34,160 --> 00:29:38,559 the Busy Beaver on the ninth of August. However, the 490 00:29:38,640 --> 00:29:43,119 prosecutor suggested Willie sam Spears took a cousin of the defendant, 491 00:29:43,240 --> 00:29:47,200 Curtis Spears, to Chicago on the fifth instead of the defendant, 492 00:29:47,640 --> 00:29:50,400 and it was the state's contention the defendant took a 493 00:29:50,480 --> 00:29:53,039 bus to Chicago after committing. 494 00:29:52,559 --> 00:29:55,000 Speaker 2: The robbery and murder on August eighth. 495 00:29:55,279 --> 00:29:58,759 Speaker 4: Jamie Beaver, owner of the Busy Beaver Auto Company in Chicago, 496 00:29:58,920 --> 00:30:01,799 was the next witness. He said Willie Sam Spears had 497 00:30:01,839 --> 00:30:04,519 brought the defendant around to get him a job, and 498 00:30:04,559 --> 00:30:06,839 that he hired him, but he could not remember the 499 00:30:06,920 --> 00:30:09,880 date that he met Spears. He said that it only 500 00:30:09,880 --> 00:30:12,680 seemed to him that Spears went to work on a Saturday. 501 00:30:13,240 --> 00:30:17,200 Mister Beaver's wife, Doris Beaver, who works as a secretary 502 00:30:17,240 --> 00:30:20,559 for the auto company, she testified she was certain she 503 00:30:20,680 --> 00:30:23,640 saw the defendant twice on August eighth. She said she 504 00:30:23,759 --> 00:30:27,680 remembered the date, particularly because she had surgery on her 505 00:30:27,720 --> 00:30:30,720 foot that same day and when she returned to the office, 506 00:30:30,839 --> 00:30:34,160 the defendant was in the paint shop. However, no evidence 507 00:30:34,279 --> 00:30:37,319 was produced to show the defendant had drawn a paycheck 508 00:30:37,519 --> 00:30:41,039 for working on the dates of August eighth or August ninth, 509 00:30:41,119 --> 00:30:44,440 and no evidence was produced to prove Miss Beaver had 510 00:30:44,559 --> 00:30:48,240 foot surgery. The defendant, Charles Ray Spears, then took the 511 00:30:48,319 --> 00:30:51,079 stand in his own behalf, and Spears said that he 512 00:30:51,119 --> 00:30:54,680 had been convicted of burglary at Greensburg and was given 513 00:30:54,759 --> 00:30:58,480 three years probation. He violated the probation, was sent to 514 00:30:58,559 --> 00:31:02,920 Angola by Angola and then on to Jackson Barracks in 515 00:31:03,039 --> 00:31:06,839 New Orleans. He escaped from Jackson Barracks last July twenty 516 00:31:06,920 --> 00:31:10,279 ninth along with his first cousin, Curtis Spears. He said 517 00:31:10,319 --> 00:31:12,240 he stated at the home of an aunt in New 518 00:31:12,400 --> 00:31:16,160 Orleans until he left for Chicago with Willie Sam Spears. 519 00:31:16,240 --> 00:31:19,279 This was on August fifth, according to him. He said 520 00:31:19,279 --> 00:31:21,920 that he got a job with the Busy Beaver on 521 00:31:21,960 --> 00:31:24,599 August eighth and went to work on August ninth, and 522 00:31:24,640 --> 00:31:27,200 he said he returned to New Orleans about two weeks 523 00:31:27,240 --> 00:31:30,839 before Marty Garol. On cross examination, it was brought out 524 00:31:30,880 --> 00:31:34,039 that when Spears returned to New Orleans, he was arrested 525 00:31:34,160 --> 00:31:37,960 along with Larry Donahue and Clay Spears on February twenty 526 00:31:38,000 --> 00:31:40,480 second for the murder of Ernest Smith in New Orleans, 527 00:31:40,519 --> 00:31:43,000 and of course I told you all about that. Clay 528 00:31:43,000 --> 00:31:47,079 Spears confessed to the murder and implicated the defendant in Donahue. 529 00:31:47,160 --> 00:31:50,440 But Clay spears confession was thrown out as was the 530 00:31:50,519 --> 00:31:54,039 defendants and Donehue by the court because Clay had been 531 00:31:54,079 --> 00:31:57,319 interrogated by police too long and the confession had been 532 00:31:57,319 --> 00:32:01,400 made under duress. That murder charge had since been dropped 533 00:32:01,440 --> 00:32:05,519 against all three. Spears claimed his confession to the Ernest 534 00:32:05,519 --> 00:32:08,440 Smith murder was beaten out of him by New Orleans 535 00:32:08,440 --> 00:32:12,720 officers John Dillman and Fred Dentaggon. Spears said he said 536 00:32:12,799 --> 00:32:15,359 whatever they wanted him to say because he got tired 537 00:32:15,400 --> 00:32:18,880 of being beaten on. Since Charles Ray Spears testified to 538 00:32:18,960 --> 00:32:22,640 the existence of the Smith case arrest, the state was 539 00:32:22,720 --> 00:32:25,759 free to question him on the statement he gave to 540 00:32:25,920 --> 00:32:30,480 Dilman and Daggonon. In order to attack Spears' credibility as 541 00:32:30,519 --> 00:32:34,960 a truthful witness, Billy Quinn began to challenge spears truthfulness 542 00:32:35,079 --> 00:32:38,680 item by item. At first, Spears insisted the statement was 543 00:32:38,759 --> 00:32:42,359 totally untrue and the result of the beatings. Then Spears 544 00:32:42,440 --> 00:32:45,559 admitted that a portion of his confession referring to where he. 545 00:32:45,559 --> 00:32:46,960 Speaker 2: Parked his car was true. 546 00:32:47,400 --> 00:32:50,200 Speaker 4: He then admitted this statement was correct where he had 547 00:32:50,240 --> 00:32:53,079 said he had gone to Smith's to rob him of dope. 548 00:32:53,119 --> 00:32:56,279 He agreed further that what he told the two officers 549 00:32:56,279 --> 00:32:59,440 about Smith dealing in marijuana was true. When asked if 550 00:32:59,440 --> 00:33:01,799 he said he's shot Smith through a pillow to keep 551 00:33:01,880 --> 00:33:05,480 him quiet about the robbery of money, Spears admitted that 552 00:33:05,559 --> 00:33:09,279 he had said something like that. The two officers, Dilman 553 00:33:09,400 --> 00:33:13,680 and Daggan, then testified that Spears was properly advised of 554 00:33:13,720 --> 00:33:17,079 his rights twice, once on Saint Ann Street and once 555 00:33:17,119 --> 00:33:21,079 in police headquarters. They both denied any beatings or coercions 556 00:33:21,079 --> 00:33:25,200 had been used, and that spears treatment was made freely involuntarily. 557 00:33:25,319 --> 00:33:30,839 Both said Spears went to California after escaping from Jackson Barracks. 558 00:33:30,960 --> 00:33:34,720 Following a dinner break, Roy Walters Junior took the stand 559 00:33:34,799 --> 00:33:38,079 briefly and Simpson asked him if the defendant was the 560 00:33:38,119 --> 00:33:41,559 man who had shot him. Walters again answered emphatically that 561 00:33:41,640 --> 00:33:45,559 it was Higgins. Cross examination was a reaffirmation of the 562 00:33:45,559 --> 00:33:50,440 physical description Walters had given Spears. The state's closing statement 563 00:33:50,559 --> 00:33:53,839 by Simpson cited the key witness testimony about the eight 564 00:33:53,920 --> 00:33:58,440 months of photo viewing the lineup these several identifications in 565 00:33:58,519 --> 00:33:59,200 open court. 566 00:33:59,559 --> 00:34:00,559 Speaker 2: Simpson told the. 567 00:34:00,599 --> 00:34:04,640 Speaker 4: Jury that the key thing was, quote, do you believe 568 00:34:04,920 --> 00:34:10,760 are witnesses or theirs? Simpson explained Taylor's criminal history, particularly 569 00:34:11,000 --> 00:34:14,840 on the arm robbery charge, was reduced to aggravated burglary 570 00:34:15,199 --> 00:34:17,519 quote to give a break to a seventeen. 571 00:34:17,119 --> 00:34:18,920 Speaker 2: Year old boy. He said. 572 00:34:19,000 --> 00:34:22,639 Speaker 4: The thing with these license plates, he had simply forgotten 573 00:34:22,800 --> 00:34:26,880 about them, and he cited Taylor's young age. Simpson told 574 00:34:26,880 --> 00:34:30,800 the jury that Taylor's most significant testimony was his pinpointing 575 00:34:30,880 --> 00:34:33,960 the use of a Chicago alibi and of his telling 576 00:34:34,039 --> 00:34:37,760 of Spears confessing to the shooting of Smith by saying, quote, 577 00:34:38,119 --> 00:34:41,440 I upped my pistol, which were the exact words also 578 00:34:41,599 --> 00:34:44,840 used in the confession given to New Orleans police. 579 00:34:45,079 --> 00:34:46,679 Speaker 2: And that's big evidence right there. 580 00:34:46,760 --> 00:34:50,440 Speaker 4: Simpson stated, there is no documentary evidence that puts this 581 00:34:50,559 --> 00:34:53,920 man the defendant in Chicago August fifth through eighth, or 582 00:34:54,000 --> 00:34:58,039 any date. He also cited Smith's confession again and cited 583 00:34:58,079 --> 00:35:01,280 where Spears said he had lost about forty pounds within 584 00:35:01,360 --> 00:35:04,559 a two week period. He cited the description of spears 585 00:35:04,559 --> 00:35:08,039 wearing thick soled sandals during the good Year incident, at 586 00:35:08,079 --> 00:35:11,519 which Walters was forced to view Spears from his position 587 00:35:11,639 --> 00:35:14,880 on the floor. The defense statements appealed to the jury 588 00:35:14,920 --> 00:35:18,559 to believe their witnesses and accept that the matter was 589 00:35:18,639 --> 00:35:22,039 a case of mistaken identity. A jury of six women 590 00:35:22,119 --> 00:35:25,519 and six men returned the guilty verdict after being absent 591 00:35:25,599 --> 00:35:29,159 from the courtroom for nearly forty five minute. Only one juror, 592 00:35:29,519 --> 00:35:35,119 Dion Hagen, voted for spears acquittal on all four counts, 593 00:35:35,280 --> 00:35:38,719 So there you have it. Spears gets sentenced to life 594 00:35:39,000 --> 00:35:42,360 for the murderer reed and twenty years for the attempted 595 00:35:42,480 --> 00:35:45,679 murder of Walters, as well as two ninety nine year 596 00:35:45,800 --> 00:35:49,719 sentences for the robbery of each victim, with those sentences 597 00:35:49,800 --> 00:35:54,320 running concurrent. So it's off to Tanjibahoe Parish prison for 598 00:35:54,360 --> 00:35:58,159 this guy. But once an asshole, always an asshole, right, 599 00:35:58,239 --> 00:36:02,480 And he sues the tangible pairs Sheriff's office for mistreatment 600 00:36:02,599 --> 00:36:07,159 and actually wins the suit, but he screws himself in 601 00:36:07,239 --> 00:36:10,960 the process because the judge also ruled that he be 602 00:36:11,079 --> 00:36:15,519 transferred out of that prison and into you guessed it, 603 00:36:16,440 --> 00:36:21,480 bloody in Goola. Now, in nineteen ninety six, after appealing 604 00:36:21,599 --> 00:36:24,719 all kinds of shit, Spears is granted a new trial 605 00:36:24,920 --> 00:36:28,599 due to some questions regarding testimony in his original trial. 606 00:36:28,800 --> 00:36:32,280 And as scary as it sounds, the judge only gave 607 00:36:32,400 --> 00:36:36,079 the district attorney three months to retry the case or 608 00:36:36,239 --> 00:36:41,519 Spears would be set free. Well, this district attorney, he 609 00:36:41,599 --> 00:36:46,679 made it happen. Spears was retried and eventually justice did prevail. 610 00:36:46,880 --> 00:36:49,679 He was again sentenced to life in prison. And it's 611 00:36:49,719 --> 00:36:53,599 also interesting to point out that on December six of 612 00:36:53,760 --> 00:36:57,719 nineteen seventy six, the news Digest in a Neat City 613 00:36:58,039 --> 00:37:02,760 ran another short article and it said headline State sued 614 00:37:02,800 --> 00:37:06,039 for one million, three hundred and seventy five thousand dollars for 615 00:37:06,239 --> 00:37:10,679 actions of prison escapee. The Louisiana Department of Corrections is 616 00:37:10,719 --> 00:37:13,360 being sued for one million, three hundred and seventy five 617 00:37:13,360 --> 00:37:16,599 thousand dollars for damage incurred as a result of the 618 00:37:16,639 --> 00:37:20,920 Goodyear murder in Hammond on August eighth of nineteen seventy five. 619 00:37:21,199 --> 00:37:24,199 And then it goes into what occurred during that murder, 620 00:37:24,440 --> 00:37:27,440 which I've already told you. It says Walters is suing 621 00:37:27,480 --> 00:37:30,960 the state for five hundred and twenty thousand dollars, and 622 00:37:31,000 --> 00:37:35,199 they're talking Roy Walters twenty thousand dollars for medical expenses, 623 00:37:35,239 --> 00:37:39,960 one hundred thousand for lost earnings, an impairment of earning capacity, 624 00:37:40,360 --> 00:37:44,360 one hundred thousand for mental anguish. He's suing for pain 625 00:37:44,480 --> 00:37:50,000 and suffering and for personal injuries. Reed's widow also sued 626 00:37:50,079 --> 00:37:52,760 for just a ton of money. I'm not going to 627 00:37:52,840 --> 00:37:56,239 read the entire article, but interesting in that I can 628 00:37:56,320 --> 00:38:00,559 never find a final verdict on that lossuit, and a 629 00:38:00,559 --> 00:38:03,840 lot of times that will be sealed. That becomes a 630 00:38:03,880 --> 00:38:08,239 civil matter, not a criminal matter. And unless you do 631 00:38:08,280 --> 00:38:11,880 a jury trial, usually you can't find a whole lot 632 00:38:11,920 --> 00:38:15,360 of information on civil cases. If it's a judge deciding 633 00:38:15,400 --> 00:38:17,760 the whole thing, they're usually sealed. 634 00:38:17,960 --> 00:38:20,840 Speaker 2: But there you have it. In the end, justice. 635 00:38:20,840 --> 00:38:25,280 Speaker 4: Did prevail in this case, very non well known case, 636 00:38:25,320 --> 00:38:29,159 if you will, out of the state of Louisiana. Thank 637 00:38:29,199 --> 00:38:33,119 you so much for listening. Check out the patreon patreon 638 00:38:33,199 --> 00:38:37,199 dot com slash Bloody Andngola podcast. I'm about to really 639 00:38:37,559 --> 00:38:41,039 ramp things up on Bloody and Gola, so get ready 640 00:38:41,079 --> 00:38:44,760 for that. So until next time, I'm Jim Chapman with 641 00:38:44,840 --> 00:38:48,239 Bloody Angola, a podcast one hundred and forty two years 642 00:38:48,239 --> 00:38:52,320 in the making, lead story of America's bloodiest prison, Peace. 643 00:39:07,639 --> 00:39:18,159 Speaker 3: A Wall Street line, shackle change, Oh, psome gird, it's 644 00:39:18,239 --> 00:39:24,679 calling my name. There is no mercy and this being 645 00:39:24,800 --> 00:39:34,119 a tentery juice as the hill Stream game Wrangle three. 646 00:39:34,800 --> 00:39:39,920 Speaker 1: I'm here, bef, I me to die. 647 00:39:41,559 --> 00:39:46,360 Speaker 3: Inside these walls, inside the wild. 648 00:39:48,320 --> 00:39:59,679 Speaker 2: And when the girl, as I know, it's old bloody angle. 649 00:40:03,079 --> 00:40:06,760 Speaker 1: Ohbody, I tol