Opinion ID: 1855479
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: basis for original charges against branting and johnson

Text: In reporting what he observed, Branting told Wirrick only the whereabouts of the vehicle and that it possibly belonged to Carlson. He did not report that he had gone down to the pickup or that he had seen a body or blood in the pickup. Braun then took Branting home, where he encountered his nephew Trent Engel, who noticed that Branting was wearing penny loafers or some type of dress shoes and was not wearing boots. Braun was interviewed by the police prior to Branting's and Johnson's being charged. She also testified under oath at both Branting's and Johnson's preliminary hearings, at Kula's grand jury proceeding, and during a pretrial deposition taken by Kula's counsel. During her first interview with Merrick County Deputy Sheriff Rod Williamson and at all subsequent legal proceedings, Braun essentially corroborated the trial testimony of Branting and Johnsonthat she followed them on Highway 30 from Silver Creek to Branting's sister's house in Clarks and that nothing unusual happened on the way. However, prior to Braun's testifying in any legal proceeding, Williamson conducted a second interview with her at the Platte County sheriff's office. During this interview, Braun made statements that differ from those she made during her first interview and from her testimony at the subsequent legal proceedings. Williamson's written report of this second interview was not admitted into evidence at trial, and Braun's statements were not allowed to be used by the defense to impeach her after she was called as a witness by the defense. Williamson's report stated that Braun told him that as she was following Branting and Johnson in her car, as they were heading westbound toward Clarks in Johnson's pickup, she then saw Mr. Johnson[`s] vehicle swerve into the eastbound lane and another set of tail lights appeared. Mr. Johnson[`s] vehicle then went around the second vehicle then the second vehicle swerved and the lights disappeared. She was then behind Mr. Johnson's vehicle again. She then came across a vehicle in a field on the south side of the highway with [its] lights on. . . . . I then asked her if she was in love with Mr. Johnson? Miss Braun began to cry and stated yes. I then asked her if that was why she did not tell me the truth the first time I talked to her? She stated yes. I then asked if she was telling me everything now? She stated yes I'll take a lie detector test too if you want. I then asked if she would be willing to take a polygraph if I would set it up? She stated yes. I then asked her why she didn't tell me the truth the first time? She stated that she didn't want to get Mr. Johnson in trouble. During an offer of proof outside the presence of the jury, Braun admitted making these statements to Williamson. However, Braun stated that she made the statements only after they kept telling me and trying to get me to say that. She elaborated that law enforcement officers put pressure on her, threatened to take her to jail, and treated her poorly. However, Braun also admitted that she essentially repeated these statements 2 hours later to Investigator Mike Phinney of the Nebraska State Patrol in Grand Island, and that, in her opinion, Phinney did not mistreat her in any way. At trial, Braun was called as a witness only by Kula and testified that she did not see any other westbound vehicles on Highway 30 besides Johnson's pickup. However, she testified that as she was following Branting and Johnson, she saw Johnson's pickup swerve a little bit left of the centerline and that she saw a glimpse of light on the south side of the field in the area where Johnson made this swerve and where Carlson's pickup was later found. Shannon Lerch was at the Kozy Bar on the evening of April 15. Lerch testified for Kula that Branting and Johnson left the bar when she did, which was 11:30 p.m., not 11 p.m. Sheila Cermak was also in the Kozy Bar that evening and testified for the defense that she left between 11:15 and 11:30 p.m. and that Branting and Johnson left at the same time. Joan Sock lived 2 miles west of Silver Creek on the south side of Highway 30. Sock was called as a witness by the State and testified that she heard what sounded like a gunshot somewhere to the east of her house on the night of April 15, 1994. She stated that she did not know exactly what time it was, but that she lay down on her sofa at 11:10 p.m. and that sometime after that she heard the sound. After she heard the sound, she waited a minute to a couple of minutes and then looked out her window facing Highway 30. She saw two sets of taillights approximately half a mile west of her house, both heading west. The two sets of taillights were close together, and Sock thought that one vehicle was about ready to pass the other. She could not identify the vehicles. She also observed a light-colored smaller car behind the two sets of taillights that turned off on a road going northwest. Ken Dittmer, another witness called by Kula, lived in Clarks. On the evening of April 15, Dittmer, his wife, and another couple were playing cards. At about 11:25 p.m., Dittmer and his male companion went to Clarks to get more beer but were unable to find an open establishment. Dittmer and his friend then left for Silver Creek, traveling east on Highway 30, with his friend driving. Approximately halfway between Clarks and Silver Creek, Dittmer saw two westbound vehicles which he identified as being Chevy pickups. He testified that these vehicles were moving fast and traveling 5 to 10 feet apart, essentially bumper to bumper. Approximately 2 miles behind the Chevrolet pickups, and also proceeding westbound, was a blue car. The record reflects that both Carlson and Johnson were driving Chevrolet pickups and that Braun was driving a blue Oldsmobile on April 15. At trial, Branting and Johnson were called as witnesses by the State and denied any involvement in the death of Carlson. The record does not reflect that either of them asked for or received any immunity for their trial testimony.