Opinion ID: 2566681
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Testimony of Hoff

Text: {12} Hoff testified that he was in the bedroom when Defendant and Coley left the room together. Hoff began to wonder what they were doing, and he left the room to look for them. Hoff found them in the bathroom discussing something. Defendant then told Hoff to get out and that they were handling business. After Defendant shut the bathroom door, Hoff stood by the door for about twenty seconds, trying to listen in on the conversation. Hoff could not make out what the two men were saying, but it sounded like arguing, like maybe kind of anger. It sounded as though one person didn't want to do it and one person did. After about twenty seconds, Defendant and Coley came out of the bathroom and returned to the bedroom. {13} During his direct examination, Hoff testified that as the two men entered the bedroom, Defendant said to the two victims, [W]e're gonna jack ya, which Hoff interpreted to mean they were going to rob the two men. Hoff's testimony on this point, however, was called into question on cross-examination: there, Hoff conceded that he had earlier told the police that it was Coley, not Defendant, who said those words. Coley then turned to Hoff and, while pulling a tire iron out of his pants, asked Hoff whether he was in or out. Hoff responded, I don't want no part of this, turned around, left the house, and waited for them in the car. {14} At no point did Hoff see Defendant with a firearm, nor did he ever see Defendant holding a tire iron. Further, at no point did Hoff see Defendant in possession of any of the stolen property. {15} As Hoff was sitting outside in the back seat of the car, Young brought an assault rifle out from the house and placed it in the back seat next to him. Young made two more trips with stolen property out to the car over a period of several minutes. After Young's third trip to the car, Hoff heard five gunshots report from the house. Moments later, Defendant, Young, and Coley emerged from the house. Then Defendant and Young got into the car while Coley stayed behind. Defendant drove the car back to Defendant's house. During the ride, Hoff inquired whether the victims had been killed. Hoff could not recall whether he had asked Defendant if Defendant himself killed the victims or whether he had asked Defendant and Young if they had killed the victims. Nevertheless, although disputed by Defendant, Hoff testified that Defendant replied, Yeah, when the question was asked. According to Hoff, Defendant also repeatedly proclaimed that he was a G, which Hoff interpreted to mean a gangster. {16} Finally, Hoff testified that when the three menDefendant, Young, and Hoffreturned to Defendant's house, Wayne was there. Hoff wanted to leave, so he picked up the telephone to call his mother for a ride home. Defendant told Hoff to hang up the phone and to walk home. Defendant then told Wayne to watch Hoff to ensure he does not go to the cops. After Defendant left the room, Hoff again used the telephone to call his mother. Hoff's mother picked him up at the canal about a quarter of a mile away. Wayne walked with Hoff to the canal, where Hoff's mother gave Wayne a ride to his destination.