Opinion ID: 2538024
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Smith's Testimony at the 1988 Trial

Text: During the State's case-in-chief in the guilt phase of the 1988 trial, Smith testified as to what Johnson told him in February and March 1981 concerning each of the murders. First, Smith testified as follows concerning Johnson's statements with respect to the murder of William Evans, the taxicab driver: Q. During the time period of February and March of 1981, did you and Mr. Johnson have any conversations about the events that had led to him being in jail? A. Several conversations. Q. In particular, during that time period, February and March of 1981, did Mr. Johnson make any statements that you recall about the death of a cab driver? A. Yes, sir, he did. Q. What do you remember him telling you about that? A. That he had killed a cab driver and burnt the car, because his fingerprints was in it. Q. Do you remember if he said anything else about that particular incident? A. That he had talked to the lady dispatcher on the radio, butI asked him was he worried about her identifying his voice, and he said no, because your voice is different when you're drunk than when you're sober. Second, Smith testified as follows concerning Johnson's statements with respect to the murder of Ray Beasley, the driver who gave Johnson a ride from the late-night restaurant: Q. Do you remember him making any statements to you or talking to you about the killing of a man named Beasley? A. Yes, sir. Q. What, if anything, did he tell you about that? A. He said he got a ride with Mr. Beasley, told him he had to urinate, asked him would he pull over. When he pulled over, he went out and told him, after he urinated, that he had lost his billfold and would he mind helping him find it, and when he come back there, he shot him. Q. Did Mr. Johnson tell you if he got any money from Mr. Beasley after he shot him? A. I think it was around a $100. It's been a while. I can't remember real good. Q. Now, did Mr. Johnson make any statements to you describing the position Mr. Beasley was in at the time that he shot him? A. I believe it was down on his knees. And third, Smith testified as follows concerning Johnson's statements with respect to the murder of Theron Burnham, the police officer: Q. Did you ever talk with Mr. Johnson about the killing of a sheriff's deputy? A. Yes, sir, I did. Q. What do you remember him telling you about that? A. That it was a struggle. The deputy pulled up and there was a struggle between him and the deputy, and the deputy was shot twice. . . . . Q. Do you remember if he told you anything else. . . . A. Well, I remember the first deputy, I think Mr. Burnham, he said [his death] was all in the line of duty. Further, Smith testified in 1988 as follows concerning Johnson's plan to evade punishment for the killings by tricking everyone and acting as though he were crazy at the time of the crimes: Q. Mr. Smith, do you recall if Mr. Johnson, during the time you were talking to him in February of 1981, made a specific statement to you . . . about what kind of defense he might have and what might happen to him? Do you remember if he made such a statement, first of all? A. Yes, sir, I think I remember it. Q. Do you remember it verbatim? A. I believe so. Q. What do you recall him telling you in that respect? A. He said he could play like he was crazy [when he was doing all this], and they would send him to the crazy house for a few years and that would be it. (Emphasis added.) [14]