Opinion ID: 2814398
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The First Recorded Statement

Text: On the afternoon of June 21, 2006, upon learning that Johnson had been taken into custody that morning on drug charges, two detectives from the Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Department—Detectives Everett Hargrave and Bruce Campbell—went to interview Johnson about Aparece’s stolen car and her status at the time as a missing person. After reading Johnson his Miranda warnings, which Johnson acknowledged both orally and in writing he understood, the detectives questioned him for over four hours. At trial, the State presented the first hour and twenty-eight minutes of this recorded statement. During this admitted portion of the statement, Johnson denied having robbed anybody, and denied all knowledge of the stolen vehicle or Aparece. However, Johnson did eventually admit that he might have picked up Aparece’s credit card and made purchases without permission after two unknown black men dropped the card on the ground. After the first hour and twenty-eight minutes, Johnson told Detective Hargrave that he wanted to return to his cell because “it seem[ed] like [the officers were] . . . trying to pin this stuff on [him].” Detective Hargrave disputed the contention that they were trying to charge him with credit card abuse, and Johnson continued to speak with the detectives for approximately two and a half more hours. During that time Johnson admitted that he, Fields, Randle, and the Ervins robbed Aparece of her car, but maintained that they left her and Ngo standing on the street unharmed. He also described several other extraneous robberies that were committed around that same time. After several hours, Detective Hargrave expressed his intention to end the interview, but indicated that he still did not believe Johnson had told him everything. He explained 4 Case: 14-70024 Document: 00513104009 Page: 5 Date Filed: 07/02/2015 No. 14-70024 that the police could not make any deals for Johnson, but if Johnson desired any leniency from the District Attorney’s Office, he needed to come forward with “complete disclosure.” The following exchange then occurred: Johnson: [interrupting] I’m trying, I’m trying, I’m trying to be right, I’m trying to be right here to tell you all I know. That’s all I know right now. I don’t even want to talk no more until I get me a lawyer or something. Because I, I, I keep on telling ya’ll, I done told ya’ll everything. I wouldn’t have given you all them names if I didn’t know everything I knew. I’m not, I’m not no rat, no little snitch like that. I done told y’all everything I knew though. That’s everything right there. I’m not going to, come on now. Campbell: What do you mean by that? Johnson: [interrupting] that’s a snitch though. [Campbell and Johnson both inaudible because they are talking simultaneously] Johnson: [beginning inaudible] I gave up my brother. I told ‘em what he did and I know he didn’t kill her. He was in the car with me. Louis [was] in the car with me. We drove out. Hargrave: Yeah. Johnson: I told you everything that I know, sir. Hargrave: Yes, but you also told us that you didn’t take anyone away from the situation. You did. So someone - Johnson: [inaudible because he interrupted Hargrave] So 5 Case: 14-70024 Document: 00513104009 Page: 6 Date Filed: 07/02/2015 No. 14-70024 you say I took someone away? Hargrave: Huh? Johnson: So you saying I took someone away? Hargrave: You and your crew. Johnson: I didn’t take nobody away. Following a few more questions about the inconsistencies of his statement, Detective Hargrave stopped talking to Johnson. A police officer from Humble, Texas, then entered and asked Johnson questions related to offenses committed in Humble. A few minutes later the interview ended.