Opinion ID: 172566
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Mr. Cluff's Testimony

Text: Mr. Cluff testified that he took part in the tax-fraud scheme for which Mr. Wardell and Mr. Pursley were prosecuted. At the time, he was serving a 48-year sentence, the result of a long history of felony convictions. Mr. Cluff agreed to cooperate with the government in exchange for immunity. After giving a statement to the IRS, he began to fear for his safety. He expressed his fears in a letter to Agent Moon. A few days prior to his testimony in the tax-fraud trial, Mr. Cluff encountered Mr. Shields in a holding cell at the courthouse. Both Mr. Cluff and Mr. Shields were in full restraints. Although they did not tell each other their names, Mr. Cluff's name was printed on his prison shirt. During a brief exchange, Mr. Shields falsely told Mr. Cluff that he was there on a gun charge. Mr. Cluff subsequently appeared as a witness against Mr. Pursley and Mr. Wardell at the tax-fraud trial. He informed the jury that he participated directly with Mr. Wardell in filing false tax returns. Mr. Cluff also testified that Mr. Wardell and Mr. Pursley corresponded during the period of time that those returns were being filed. R., Vol. XII, Tr. at 457 (Jury Trial, dated Dec. 7, 2005). As Mr. Cluff was exiting the courtroom, Mr. Pursley told him, Good luck. Id. at 459 (internal quotation marks omitted). Mr. Cluff interpreted the statement to mean that he was going to need good luck. Id. at 460. On the day of the assault, which was several days after Mr. Cluff testified against Mr. Pursley and Mr. Wardell, Mr. Cluff was brought to the courthouse. He was placed in a holding cell with Mr. Templeman and two other inmates. Mr. Shields was later placed in Mr. Cluff's cell. Mr. Wardell and Mr. Pursley were in a nearby cell. Before the assault, Mr. Shields yelled down to Mr. Wardell and Mr. Pursley; he thanked Mr. Pursley for getting him out of CSP. [4] Id. at 465-66. Mr. Templeman also thanked Mr. Pursley for getting him out of CSP. In response, Mr. Pursley told Mr. Shields that there was a reason why he was down there, to which Mr. Shields promptly retorted that it would be easier than he thought. Id. at 466. Mr. Pursley further informed Mr. Templeman and Mr. Shields that another prisoner that also was in the cell with them and Mr. Cluff was cool. Id. at 467. That prisoner testified at the tax-fraud prosecution, but his testimony did not implicate Mr. Wardell or Mr. Pursley. At some point, Mr. Cluff overheard Mr. Shields and Mr. Templeman whisper to each other in the back of the cell. Quickly thereafter, Mr. Shields turned to Mr. Cluff and told [him] that [his] worst nightmare had come true. That he was friends with Carl Pursley. Id. at 467. Mr. Cluff pleaded with Mr. Shields that he never testified against Mr. Pursley. Mr. Shields refused to believe Mr. Cluff's entreaties, calling him a lying rat. Id. at 468. Mr. Shields then said that the whole purpose of his trip was to get [Mr. Cluff] and that, if Mr. Cluff had not been shackled during their initial meeting, they would have killed him. Id. at 469. Just before the assault, Mr. Shields told Mr. Cluff that he was going to enjoy this and that such violence should be inflicted on all rats. Id. at 470-71. Mr. Shields then hit Mr. Cluff in the mouth, shattering his dental plate. Although Mr. Cluff could not recall the entirety of the assault, he did remember that, at one point, Mr. Shields warned him not to try to get help again. Id. at 471. Shortly thereafter, Mr. Shields punched Mr. Cluff and busted... open his eye. Id. at 472. The assault lasted for approximately seventy seconds. When the assault was finally over, Mr. Shields ordered Mr. Cluff to clean himself. Mr. Shields and Mr. Templeman then proceeded to wipe up the blood on the floor. Shortly thereafter, Mr. Wardell yelled down from his cell, telling Mr. Cluff, That's what you get, you fucking rat. Id. at 472 (internal quotation marks omitted). Mr. Wardell further exclaimed, If you know what's good for you, you better have your mom send me some money. Id. (internal quotation marks omitted). Mr. Cluff testified that he did not signal for help immediately after the assault, for fear that he would incur another beating. Id. at 473-74. Ultimately, he was removed from the cell thirty or forty minutes after the assault and placed in another cell in the same cellblock. At the time of his removal, he asked for medical treatment, but he did not describe to the marshals the origin of his injuries, as he was in fear [for his] life. Id. at 474. He vomited blood during the transfer. When Mr. Cluff was placed in the new cell, he was in [s]evere pain. Id. Eventually, he was taken to the hospital for treatment. Mr. Cluff testified that, during his transportation to the hospital, he made statements to the federal marshal about what had actually happened in the cell block. Id. at 475. The government did not ask Mr. Cluff to describe the content of those statements in his testimony. Mr. Cluff was released from the hospital that same day, after undergoing various tests and receiving stitches.