Opinion ID: 453243
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Kumpe's Diary Entry.

Text: 37 In November 1983, while cleaning out a closet, Russell Kumpe's former wife, Peggy Davidson, found a box containing some of Kumpe's belongings. Included among the belongings was a diary written by Kumpe in 1968 while he and Walker were inmates in the Arkansas Penitentiary. The diary entry for January 16, 1968, reads in pertinent part as follows: 38 Awakened at 1:30 A.M. by nite sheriff--Told only to go to Mr. O's office--Emergency. A great deal of agitating being done by James Dean Walker. I look at him and feel much remorse that I fired too high on 4-16-63. He, according to rumor has vowed that he will kill me at first opportunity. I do not underestimate his potential, but am not alarmed. 39 [Pl.Exh. 1] (emphasis added). 40 The authenticity of the diary stands unquestioned. At the hearing, Kumpe identified the handwriting as his [T. 36], and acknowledged that he kept the diary for over a year. [T. 139-40.] Although Kumpe did not deny making the entry in question [T. 39], he explained that he made a mistake when he wrote I fired too high, because he meant to write he fired too high (referring to Officer Barentine). 14 [T. 41.] Kumpe offered several reasons for his alleged mistake, 15 but ultimately denied that 41 any particular thing caused me to write I instead of he    I think it was the fact that probably that I was writing along and using the pronoun, personal pronoun I, I, I and when I got to that point--I'm guessing now because I was only--I wrote I instead of he    And I can't give you a better answer than that. 42 [T. 138.] 43 The district court characterized Kumpe's explanation that he substituted I for he as somewhat dubious. Walker v. Lockhart, 598 F.Supp. at 1428. Whether a jury would credit his explanation remains to be seen. 16 What is clear, however, is that the diary provides admissible evidence that Kumpe said he fired a shot on the night in question. See id. 44