Witness Statement: Michael Brown

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Analytical Sciences Digital Library

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Statement of Michael Brown, taken at the police station 10:00 pm, Tuesday, October 17.

Did you know Samuel Herrick?

"Yeah."

How did you know him?

"We played cards once in a while; I'd buy stuff from him sometimes."

What kind of stuff did you buy from him?

-----

Did you buy drugs from him?

"No! What you found on me wasn't drugs. Go ahead and test it."

But you bought it from him expecting it to be a drug, didn't you?

-----

Why were you outside Mr. Herrick's apartment?

"I needed to see him, to talk to him. He'd tried to cheat me and I wasn't going to let him."

Was that knife you were carrying meant to help you convince him?

"I always carry that knife. It's for protection."

When was the last time you saw Mr. Herrick?

"This evening, when I went to talk to him about what he'd sold me."

What time was that?

"I don't know. Maybe around 8:30."

Did you see anyone besides Samuel Herrick at that time?

"No. "

What happened in the apartment when you were with Mr. Herrick?

"I knocked on his door and he answered. He'd been drinking, but he wasn't real drunk or anything. I showed him that stuff he'd sold me, and told him it wasn't the real thing. He pretended not to know anything about it at first, but I wasn't going to leave without what I had paid for. He said he didn't have any, that his suppliers were leaning on him for money and he didn't have it so his supply was cut off, but then he found a little and sent me away with it. He said he'd tell me just as soon as he got more and we'd be settled. He started getting all weepy; it was weird. I figured he really was having problems; some of those guys are mean, you know? I was thinking I didn't want to be known to be too close to someone who was in that kind of trouble, so I shut up and cut on out of there. Later I knew he hadn't been telling me the truth and was just trying to put me off, so I came back. I saw all the fire trucks and people, but I didn't know it was Sam's apartment, and I certainly didn't know he was dead! I mean, I was just talking to him. I thought I could get upstairs and settle thiings with him. Then you guys grabbed me when I wasn't even doing anything and hauled me in here."

What time did you leave Samuel Herrick's apartment?

"I don't know exactly. I wasn't there for long -- maybe 8:40."

Did you see anyone, or did anyone see you, as you were leaving?

"Not in the building. There were cars on the street and stuff, but I don't know why they'd notice me. There was one woman I saw getting out of a light-colored car one street over, but it was dark."

What did you do next?

"I walked home."

Did you take the drug that Mr. Herrick had given you?

----

You know we're going to find it on your blood test, Mr. Brown.

"OK, I did. But there wasn't a whole lot there, you know, and I had to have more, so I went back to Sam's. But like I said, there were cops and fire trucks everywhere, and I couldn't get right up. Then I found out that it was Sam who was dead and there wasn't any point to hanging around, but you guys grabbed me. And that's everything."