Opinion ID: 2638434
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Garrison's Testimony

Text: Garrison testified for the People. He said he came to California from Texas as part of the United States Army Reserve in 1982 or 1983. At the time, he drove a 1970 or 1971 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme, brown with a white top. (Police confirmed Garrison had a 1971 tan Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme with a white roof.) He got into a car accident and took his car to a body shop. There he met a man with a tattoo on his arm that said Apache. Garrison called the young man Apache and did not know his real name. Garrison told Apache he was short of money and was thinking of committing a robbery to obtain enough money to return to Texas. The two agreed jointly to commit a robbery. Garrison explained to Apache that he had never been in trouble before so he thought it best to kill the victim to facilitate their escape, although if it was left to him, he would not kill the victim. According to Garrison, Apache replied, Okay, it won't be no problem, I'll do it. Apache indicated he had killed before and was ready to kill again. Lacking funds to buy a firearm, they decided to buy a knife. They eventually purchased a fish knife from a local Sears store in Oakland. Garrison testified that a few days before the murder, he had been driving around Daly City looking for a job when he stopped at a service station to use the men's room. He saw an employee putting money in a safe and got the idea to rob the station. The day of the murder, Garrison and Apache drove to Daly City and parked across the street from the service station. The plan was for Apache to hold the attendant while Garrison opened the safe. They waited for about two hours, but eventually abandoned the plan because the station was too busy. Now improvising, the pair drove up the hill and saw another service station that looked promising because it had only one attendant. They stopped and may have had the attendant wash their windows. After leaving, Garrison and Apache agreed that Garrison should return alone and pretend something was wrong with his car. In accordance with the plan, Garrison dropped Apache off and returned, pulling his car into one of the service bays. He had the attendant check his oil and engaged him in conversation. At some point, Garrison and the victim were standing around the car with the hood up when Apache entered the service bay. Garrison testified he nodded to Apache, who then grabbed the attendant by the neck. Apache had the knife because, according to Garrison, I wasn't going to do a murder. I wasn't going to kill anyone. While Apache was holding the attendant, Garrison asked where the money was. The attendant replied there was a safe and a cash register in the front office. (Garrison later contradicted himself, saying the attendant said there was no safe.) Garrison went and retrieved the money from the register. Returning to Apache, Garrison told him: Come on, it's time to go, and Go ahead and do it. Apache told Garrison to hold the attendant's feet. Garrison put his feet on the victim's ankles but then backed off, wanting no part in the murder. Garrison heard a gurgling sound and got in the car. Apache joined him, and Garrison noticed he had blood on his shirt. The attendant ran out the door, and Garrison noticed the attendant had what looked like a circle around his neck. He admitted, though, that he did not see Apache actually cut the victim. Garrison drove out of the service station, on to the freeway, and back to Oakland. On the way, he threw the knife out the window. Once back in Oakland, the pair split the money. Apache left, and Garrison never saw him again. Garrison then washed his car because there was blood on the outside. The next day he called his father in Texas, who sent Garrison some money, and Garrison drove back to Texas. He returned sometime thereafter to find out if the victim had died. Learning that the victim had died led Garrison eventually to contact the Daly City police and turn himself in. Asked if he saw the man he knew as Apache in court that day, Garrison replied: I don't think so. As I remember.