Opinion ID: 170999
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Law-Enforcement and Expert Witnesses

Text: OSBI Agent Chris Dill confirmed that the shotgun used in the crime had been recovered from the home of Tim Madison. On cross-examination Perrine elicited that Dill had conducted the first interview of Nathaniel and that Nathaniel had made two statements contrary to his trial testimony: Dill said that Nathaniel had told him (1) that neither he, Bo, nor Mr. DeLozier had discussed killing the victims before going to the Morgan camp to steal property, and (2) that Mr. DeLozier made a trip to the Morgan camp by himself and, when he returned, said that he had burned the pickup but did not say that he had burned the camper. OSBI Agent Dale Birchfield described the murder scene and the surrounding area, including the distance to the Tate bus  about 300 to 400 yards. Also, to rehabilitate Nathaniel's testimony, he recounted what Nathaniel had told him during Nathaniel's second OSBI interview. In particular, Nathaniel had said that Mr. DeLozier and Bo had stepped into the camper and fired shots, that Morgan later came out of the camper, and that Mr. DeLozier had shot him first in the chest with a shotgun and then in the face with a.22. Birchfield admitted on cross-examination, however, that the OSBI investigation had shown that the Madisons, not Mr. DeLozier, had taken the two murder weapons from the Tate bus as they fled. Dr. Ronald F. Distefano, a forensic pathologist and medical examiner, testified that Morgan's body was charred but that there was nevertheless evidence that he had been shot. X rays showed objects in the chest that were characteristic of shotgun pellets, and there was a gunshot wound in the head. Similarly, although Bullard's body was also charred, an x ray revealed shotgun pellets, the plastic wad of a shotgun shell was recovered from the body, and there was evidence of a bullet wound in the head. Lester Blake, an agent with the Oklahoma State Fire Marshal, testified to his opinion that the fire at the Morgan camp had been intentionally set with a match and ignitable liquid. The fire followed the liquid from Morgan's body to the camper, where there was evidence of an accelerant pour pattern. Inside the camper were some items that had exploded as a result of the fire, including a gas lantern and some ammunition. On cross-examination Blake said that the fire would have reached its peak within three minutes, so that it could have been seen from a distance, and would have continued for an hour or more; and he suggested that in addition to explosions of the lantern and ammunition, the tires may have exploded before they burned.