Opinion ID: 1657407
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Robert Williams' Testimony and Letter

Text: The state called numerous witnesses who testified that Blanche and Bernard told them about their involvement in the Phillips shooting. Among those witnesses was Robert Williams, who identified himself as a Bogus Boyz gang member at the time of the shooting. Williams testified about the information that he had previously given the police which implicated Blanche and Bernard in Phillips' murder. On cross-examination by Bernard's counsel, Williams admitted that while in prison in September 1997, he wrote a letter to Blanche. Bernard moved for admission of the letter without objection. In the letter, Williams told Blanche that the feds had been investigating the Bogus Boyz and knew about the little boy and everything. Williams wrote that he did not want to do any time in prison and that he told [the police] what [he knew] so Montae [sic] will only go down for that [crime]. Later, Blanche's counsel also cross-examined Detective Zimmer about the letter. Zimmer admitted that Williams' letter to Blanche was written in his presence and with his help, and that the letter's content was designed to lead anyone who read it to believe that Blanche knew what Williams was talking about, despite its vague reference to the shooting.