June 3, 1993: Jesse's First Statement (2:44pm - 3:18pm)
June 3, 1993: Jesse's Second "Clarification" Statement
Links to Files from the West Memphis Three Document Archive:
Statement of Jessie L. Misskelley, Jr. (June 3, 1993 at 2:44 P.M.)
Note: Taping began only after extensive police questioning had already taken place. Jesse had been in police custody since shortly after 9 A.M.
RIDGE: This is Det. Bryn Ridge of the West Memphis Police Depart- ment, currently in the detective division of the West Memphis Police Department conducting an investigation of the Triple Homicide, Case File # 93-05-0666. Currently in the office with Jessie Lloyd Misskelly, Jr., DOB: 7/10/75, education: 9th grade, the place: Detective Division, todays date is 06/03/93, the time is 2:44PM. Present in the interview is Insp. Gary Gitchell and Jessie Misskelly. Jessie, in front of me I have a rights form, and it has your signature at the bottom of it, is that your signature?
JESSIE: Yes sir
RIDGE: okay, we are informing you that we are Det. Sgt. Mike Allen, and Det. Bryn Ridge, and Det. Sgt. Mike Allen is the one that read this form to you earlier, is that correct?
JESSIE: Yes sir
RIDGE: And I was here when he read it to you.
JESSIE: Yes sir
RIDGE: Alright, we are police officers of the West Memphis Police Department, we are conducting an investigation for the offense Capitol Felony Murder, which was committed on or about 05/05/93, before we ask you any questions, you must know and understand your legal rights, therefore, we warn and advise you, that you have the right to remain silent , do you understand that?
JESSIE: Yes
RIDGE: And those are your initials on the line in front of that statement?
JESSIE: Yes
RIDGE: Okay, anything you say can be used against you in court, do you understand that,
JESSIE: Yes, I do
RIDGE: And those are your initials?
JESSIE: Yes, it is
RIDGE: Alright, you have the right to talk to a lawyer for advise before we ask you any questions, and to have him with you during questioning, do you understand that?
JESSIE: Yes, I do
RIDGE: And those are your initals?
JESSIE: Yes, it is
RIDGE: If you cannot afford a lawyer, one will be appointed for you before any questions, if you wish, at no cost to you, do you understand that?
JESSIE: Yes, I do
RIDGE: And those are your initials?
JESSIE: Yes, it is
RIDGE: If you decide to answer questions now without a lawyer present you will still have the right to stop answering at any time, do you understand?
JESSIE: Yes, I do
RIDGE: Those are your initials?
JESSIE: Yes, it is
RIDGE: You're up here on your own free will, you came up here to answer some questions, and basically we've found out some information during that questioning, is that correct?
JESSIE: Yes sir, I did
RIDGE: Okay, at the bottom of the form is a Waiver of Rights, it says that I've read this statement of my rights, and I understand what my rights are, I am willing to make a statement, and answer questions, I do not want a lawyer at this time, I understand and know what I am doing. No promises or threats have been made to me, and no pressure or force has been used against me, is all of that correct?
JESSIE: Yes
RIDGE: Okay, and you signed the bottom of the form?
JESSIE: Yes, I did
RIDGE: Witnessed by Michael Wayne Allen and myself, Det. Bryn Ridge.
Okay, Jessie, let's go straight to that date, 05/05/93, Wednesday, early in the morning. You received a phone call is that correct?
JESSIE: Yes, I did
RIDGE: And who made that phone call?
JESSIE: Jason Baldwin
RIDGE: Alright, what occurred, what did he talk about?
JESSIE: He called me and asked me if I could go to West Memphis with him and I told him, no, I had to work and stuff. He told me that he had to go to West Memphis so, him and Damian with and then I went with them.
RIDGE: Alright, when?
JESSIE: Wednesday
RIDGE: Alright, when did you go with them?
JESSIE: That morning
RIDGE: 9 o'clock in the morning?
JESSIE: Yes, I did. I went with them and then
GITCHELL: Now, where you in a car? Whose car where you all in?
JESSIE: We walked
GITCHELL: You all walked?
JESSIE: Right, we walked and then uh,
RIDGE: Where did you go?
JESSIE: We went up to Robin Hood
RIDGE: You went to the Robin Hood, explain to me where those woods are.
JESSIE: By uh, Blue Beacon Truck Wash.
RIDGE: A little patch of woods
JESSIE: A little patch of woods
RIDGE: Behind Blue Beacon?
JESSIE: Behind it, right there behind it.
RIDGE: Okay, what occurred while you were there?
JESSIE: When I was there, I saw Damian hit this one boy real bad, and then uh, and he started screwing them and stuff and then uh,
RIDGE: Alright, you got in front of you a picture, that was taken out of the newspaper I believe, it's got three boys and these are the three boys that were killed on that date in Robin Hood Woods, okay, which one of those three boys is it you say Damian hit? The third picture, which will be
JESSIE: Michael Moore
GITCHELL: This boy right here,
JESSIE: Yeah.
GITCHELL: Alright, that's uh the Byers boy, that's who you are pointing at?
JESSIE: Yes
RIDGE: If you read the caption, "the grizzly slain from left, 8 year old Michael Moore, Steven Branch and Christopher Byers." Okay, so you saw Damian strike Chris Byers in the head.
JESSIE: Right
RIDGE: What did he hit him with?
JESSIE: He hit him with his fist and bruised him all up real bad, and then Jason turned around and hit Steve Branch.
RIDGE: Okay
JESSIE: And started doing the same thing, then the other one took off, Michael Moore took off running, so I chased him and grabbed him and hold him, until they got there and then I left.
RIDGE: Alright, when you get the boys back together, where were you at from the creek?
JESSIE: I was up there by the Service Road
RIDGE: Up by the Service Road?
JESSIE: Yes
RIDGE: Okay, now when this, when he hit the first boy, where are they at when he hits him, are you in the woods, you're on the side of big bayou, you're out in the field, where were you at?
JESSIE: I was in the woods.
RIDGE: In the woods. Okay, you've been down there in those woods before, can you describe to me what in those woods, what's the location where you were?
JESSIE: Uh,
RIDGE: Is there a path that you go down?
JESSIE: Uh, down a little path
RIDGE: Alright, where does that path go too?
JESSIE: It leads out there close to the field, close to the interstate.
RIDGE: Okay
JESSIE: Close to the interstate
RIDGE: When he hits the first boy and then Jason hits another boy, and one takes off running, where does he run too?
JESSIE: That one, he runs out, out the park and I chased him and grabbed him and brought him back.
RIDGE: Which way does he go, I mean, does he go back towards where the houses are, he's going to Blue Beacon, is he going out towards the fields, where's he running too?
JESSIE: Towards the houses.
RIDGE: Towards the houses?
GITCHELL: Where the pipe is that goes across the yards?
JESSIE: Yes, he run out there and I caught him and brought him back, and I took off.
RIDGE: Okay, and when you came back a little bit later, now are all three boys are tied?
JESSIE: Yes
RIDGE: Is that right?
JESSIE: Yes, and I took off and run home.
RIDGE: Alright, have they got their clothes on when you saw them tied?
JESSIE: No, they had them off.
RIDGE: They had already gotten them off. When he first hit the boy, when Damian first hit the first boy, did they have their clothes on then?
JESSIE: Yes
RIDGE: Alright, when did they take their clothes off?
JESSIE: Right after they beat up all three of them, beat them up real bad
RIDGE: Beat them up real bad, and then they took their clothes off?
JESSIE: Yes
RIDGE: And then they tied them
JESSIE: Then they tied them up, tied their hands up, they started screwing them and stuff, cutting them and stuff, and I saw it and turned around and looked, and then I took off running, I went home, then they called me and asked me, how come I didn't stay, I told them, I just couldn't.
RIDGE: Just couldn't stay
JESSIE: I couldn't stand it to see what they were doing to them.
RIDGE: Okay, now when this is going on, when this is taking place, you saw somebody with a knife. Who had a knife?
JESSIE: Jason
RIDGE: Jason had a knife, what did he cut with the knife. What did you see him cut or who did you see him cut?
JESSIE: I saw him cut one of the little boys
RIDGE: Alright, where did he cut him at?
JESSIE: He was cutting him in the face.
RIDGES: Cutting him in the face. Alright, another boy was cut I understand. Where was he cut at?
JESSIE: At the bottom
RIDGE: On his bottom? Was he faced down and he was cutting on him, or
JESSIE: He was
GITCHELL: Now you're talking about bottom, do you mean right here?
JESSIE: Yes
GITCHELL: In his groin area?
JESSIE: Yes
GITCHELL: Okay
RIDGE: Do you know what his penis is?
JESSIE: Yeah, that's where he was cut at.
RIDGE: That's where he was cut.
GITCHELL: Which boy was that?
JESSIE: That one right there.
GITCHELL: You're talking about the Byers boy again?
JESSIE: Yes
GITCHELL: Okay
RIDGE: Are you sure that he was the one that was cut?
JESSIE: That's the one that I seen them cutting on.
RIDGE: Alright, you know what a penis is?
JESSIE: Yeah
RIDGE: Alright, is that where he was cutting?
JESSIE: That's where I seen them going down at, and he was on his back. I seen them going down right there real close to his penis and stuff and I saw some blood and that's when I took off.
GITCHELL: Was uh, where you all close to the creek at that point?
JESSIE: Yes sir
GITCHELL: Where was the little boy actually at?
JESSIE: He was close
RIDGE: Alright, now you know where the bayou is?
JESSIE: Right
RIDGE: Alright, and you know where the little Creek is that goes out to the express way, and it doesn't have a lot of water in it, but it's got some water in it, and it's flowing through the, which side of that creek were you on, where you on the Memphis side of the creek or the Blue Beacon side of the creek?
JESSIE: Blue Beacon.
RIDGE: On the Blue Beacon
JESSIE: Yes
RIDGE: So, there is like a tall bank, where were you at on that bank?
JESSIE: I was up there standing up there on the top.
RIDGE: Alright, where were they at?
JESSIE: They were at the bottom.
RIDGE: On which side?
JESSIE: Memphis side
RIDGE: They were on the Memphis side.
JESSIE: I was on
RIDGE: Alright, we're going to correct that even further, that's the east side, Memphis side is the east side and you were standing at the top of the bank on the west side, were you looking down at what was going on?
JESSIE: I was looking down, and after I seen all of that, I took off.
RIDGE: Okay, and when you left, did you hear any more hollering or anything?
JESSIE: No
RIDGE: Alright, you went home and about what time was it that all of this took place?
JESSIE: About
RIDGE: I'm not saying when they called you. I'm saying what time was it that you were actually there in the park?
JESSIE: About 12
RIDGE: About noon?
JESSIE: Yes
RIDGE: Okay, was it after school had let out?
JESSIE: I didn't go to school
RIDGE: These little boys
JESSIE: They skipped school
RIDGE: They skipped school?
JESSIE: They were going to catch their bus and stuff, and they were on their bikes and so,
RIDGE: Alright, they were on their bikes, where were the bikes at?
JESSIE: They laid their bikes down when they come out to the, when they hollered for them to come out there
RIDGE: Where did they lay their bikes down at, that's what I'm asking you?
JESSIE: I don't know where they laid their bikes down at, cause I was behind Damian and them, they were way behind them.
RIDGE: Okay
JESSIE: When they hollered, when they seen them boys
RIDGE: The little boys came on over?
JESSIE: Yes
RIDGE: Had Damian seen these boys before?
JESSIE: Yes
RIDGE: Has he done things with them before? Or had he just been watching them?
JESSIE: He had been watching them.
RIDGE: Has he ever had sex with them before?
JESSIE: No, he's been watching them
RIDGE: He's been watching them. You mentioned earlier that, one of the meetings you went to with this cult thing, they had some pictures. Describe those pictures for me.
JESSIE: They had some houses, trees and stuff
RIDGE: Okay, had somebody taken pictures of these boys?
JESSIE: Yes
RIDGE: Were they in the houses or were they in the trees when they took those pictures?
JESSIE: They were in the houses
RIDGE: At the houses? Did they take like one picture of one boy?
JESSIE: They were in a group
RIDGE: All, these three
JESSIE: There was a group of pictures of all three of them.
RIDGE: All three of them would generally be together?
JESSIE: Yes
GITCHELL: How many pictures did you see, altogether?
JESSIE: I just saw one
GITCHELL: Okay, and it has these same three boys in it?
JESSIE: Yes
RIDGE: You're certain of that?
JESSIE: Yes
GITCHELL: Now, did you say that the boys skipped school that day, these little boys did?
JESSIE: Yes, they were going to catch, they were going somewhere and like I said, Damian and nem left before I did, I told them that I would meet them there and stuff, and it was early in the morning and so, they went ahead and met me, they went on up there and then I come up later on behind them.
GITCHELL: What time did you get there?
JESSIE: I got there about 9
GITCHELL: In the morning?
JESSIE: Yes
GITCHELL: Wednesday morning?
JESSIE: Yes
GITCHELL: And
RIDGE: What time is it right now?
JESSIE: Right now?
RIDGE: Yeah, you don't know what time it is?
GITCHELL: Do you not wear a watch?
JESSIE: It's at home
RIDGE: So
JESSIE: My dad woke me up this
RIDGE: So, your time period may not be exactly right in what you're saying?
JESSIE: Right
RIDGE: It was like earlier in the day, but you don't know exactly what time, okay, cause I've gotten some real confusion with the times that you're telling me, but now, this 9 o'clock in the evening call that you got, explain that to me.
JESSIE: Well after, all of this stuff happened that night, that they done it, I went home about noon, then they called me at 9 o'clock that night, they called me.
RIDGE: And what did they tell you on the telephone?
JESSIE: They asked me how come I left so early and stuff, and I told them that I couldn't stay there and watch that stuff no more, so I had to do something to get out of there.
RIDGE: Okay, who called you?
JESSIE: Jason
RIDGE: And you mentioned that you heard some voice in the background?
JESSIE: I heard some dingling
RIDGE: And what else, I think you said that he made the call from his house?
JESSIE: He made the call from his house and Damian was hollering in the background saying, "We done it, we done it, what are going to do if somebody saw us, what are we going to do?"
RIDGE: Okay, the knives, was it one knife, two knives, was your knife there?
JESSIE: Ugh, ugh,
RIDGE: Now did somebody take it and used your knife, do you have a knife?
JESSIE: I got one knife
RIDGE: Where is it at?
JESSIE: It's at home
RIDGE: Okay, the knife that you said Jason was using, where is it?
JESSIE: Uh, I don't know what he done with it, cause after I left then they, I don't know what they done with, after I left
RIDGE: He didn't tell you that he hid it somewhere?
GITCHELL: I've got a feeling here, you're not quite telling me everything, now you know that we're recording everything, so this is very, very important to tell us the entire truth. If you were there the whole time, then tell us that you were there the whole time, don't leave anything out. This is very, very important, now just tell us the truth.
JESSIE: I was there until they tied them up and then that's when I left, after they tied them up, I left.
GITCHELL: But, you saw them cutting on the boys?
JESSIE: I saw them cutting on them, and then
GITCHELL: So, what else left is there, after that?
JESSIE: They laid the knife down beside them and I saw them tying them up and then that's when I left,
RIDGE: Were the boys conscious or were they
JESSIE: They were unconscious then
RIDGE: Unconscious
JESSIE: And after I left they done more.
RIDGE: They done more
JESSIE: They started screwing them again.
RIDGE: Okay, how were they screwing them when you saw them?
JESSIE: They, Jason stuck his in one them's mouth and Damian was screwing one of them up the ass and stuff.
RIDGE: Okay, and the one that they were cutting the penis off of, did any of them are cutting the penis or whatever was being done, did they have sex with them at all?
JESSIE: No
RIDGE: Did either one of them?
JESSIE: Jason did
RIDGE: Jason did?
JESSIE: Jason was screwing him while Damian stuck his in his mouth
RIDGE: Okay, how did he have sex with that one?
JESSIE: He was holding him down like, and Jason had his legs up in the air and that little boy was kicking, saying, 'Don't, no' like that.
RIDGE: Okay, he had his legs up in the air, alright, what was to keep the little boys from running off, but just their hands are tied, what's to keep them from running off?
JESSIE: They beat them up so bad so they can't hardly move, they had their hands tied down and he sit on them
RIDGE: You said that they had their hands tied up, tied down, were they hands tied in a fashion that they couldn't have run, you tell me.
JESSIE: They could run, they just had them tied, when they knocked them down and stuff, they could move their arms and stuff, and hold them down like, wake up and raise up and the other one just put his legs up.
RIDGE: Okay, so they had them under control, you were there the whole time that was taking place?
JESSIE: I was there.
RIDGE: Okay, none [note: this is not clear - it may be 'one'] of them were cut on the face real bad, is that what you said?
JESSIE: Yes
RIDGE: And one of them was being cut on his penis?
JESSIE: Yes sir
RIDGE: Alright,
GITCHELL: Did you ever use, did anyone use a stick and hit the boys with?
JESSIE: Damian had kinda of a big old stick when he hit that first one, after he hit him with his fist and knocked him down and got him a big old stick and hit him.
GITCHELL: What did the stick look like, I mean was it like a big log like that or is it a stick?
JESSIE: I would say it was about that big around, I would say about that long.
GITCHELL: Okay
RIDGE: About the size of a baseball bat, maybe just a little bit bigger round?
JESSIE: Yeah
RIDGE: That's what you're describing with your hands, right?
JESSIE: Right
RIDGE: Okay, how long was the knife that Jason was using?
JESSIE: About that long
RIDGE: Alright, you're describing a knife that would be about 6 inches long, is that right?
JESSIE: Yes
RIDGE: And, what kind of blade did it have on it?
JESSIE: Uh, like a regular knife blade
RIDGE: Was it a knife that you fold up, or was it like a hunting knife?
JESSIE: It was
RIDGE: Just one piece
JESSIE: Just a fold up knife
RIDGE: It was a folding knife?
JESSIE: Yes
RIDGE: Okay, uh does Damian have a knife?
JESSIE: No
RIDGE: He doesn't have one, he didn't have one that night?
JESSIE: He didn't have one that night
RIDGE: Did he borrow yours?
JESSIE: No, he didn't borrow mine.
GITCHELL: Did they have a briefcase with them?
JESSIE: No
GITCHELL: You didn't see a briefcase?
JESSIE: I didn't see a briefcase, not unless they left it there at that day before it happened, unless they left it there then but I didn't see one that day.
GITCHELL: Have you ever seen them with a briefcase before?
JESSIE: I've seen them once that night, I seen them with it that night.
GITCHELL: Okay, what is kept inside of that briefcase?
JESSIE: They had some cocaine, and a little gun
GITCHELL: Is that when you first saw the pictures of the boys?
JESSIE: Yes, out there in Lakeshore
GITCHELL: And you saw the pictures in the briefcase?
JESSIE: Yes, I think when we had that cult.
GITCHELL: Okay, now you have participated in this cult, right?
JESSIE: Yes
GITCHELL: How long have you been involved in it?
JESSIE: I've been in it for about three months.
GITCHELL: Okay, what is, tell me some of the things that you all do typically in the woods, as being in this cult.
JESSIE: We go out kill dogs and stuff and then carry girls out there.
GITCHELL: What do you all do with the girls when you're out there?
JESSIE: We screw them and stuff
GITCHELL: Just everybody takes a turn
JESSIE: Everybody, and we have an orgy and stuff like that.
GITCHELL: Okay
RIDGE: When you kill a dog, what do you do with that?
JESSIE: We usually skin it, then make a barn fire and eat it and stuff
RIDGE: Okay, when you're initiating somebody new come into a cult what actually is done to initiate that person into a cult?
JESSIE: We usually you know, kill an animal, you know, you have to know how to handle the meat and stuff, after we kill it to see if he knows, if he can't handle it, then he don't get in.
RIDGE: Okay, so he kills an animal, you mentioned earlier that he may have to eat part of that animal, what part of the animal would he eat?
JESSIE: Uh, the meat off of his leg.
RIDGE: The meat off of his leg.
JESSIE: If he can't eat it, then he don't get in.
RIDGE: Doesn't get into the cult?
JESSIE: No
RIDGE: Now these meetings, have they ever been violent, anybody gotten mad and got into a fight?
JESSIE: No
RIDGE: Okay, the night you were in the woods, uh had you all been in the water?
JESSIE: Yeah, we've been in the water, we were in it that night, playing around in it.
RIDGE: You were playing around in the water, alright, what were you doing in the water?
JESSIE: Just
RIDGE: Besides just playing, the little boys, had they been in the water? Did they get into the water with you all?
JESSIE: No, they didn't get into the water with us
RIDGE: Okay, what were you doing in the water?
JESSIE: We were just sitting there, throwing stuff at each other,
RIDGE: Were you all having sex?
JESSIE: No, I wasn't
RIDGE: You weren't?
JESSIE: No
RIDGE: Damian and Jason having sex?
JESSIE: They took turns going up under the water.
RIDGE: Going up under the water, what were they doing up under the water?
JESSIE: They were sitting so far away, they were in the water, I would say about five to ten seconds, then come up and then the other one would go down.
RIDGE: Okay, so they were just messing around in the water. They called for these boys to come over there?
JESSIE: Yeah, they seen them boys and then they hollered, Damien said, "Hey," the little boys come up there.
GITCHELL: Did they call them by name?
JESSIE: No, they just hollered at them, they slowed up.
GITCHELL: Where did the boys put their bikes?
JESSIE: Close to right where there before you come in and they laid them down right there, and after I left I don't know what they done with the bikes.
GITCHELL: You didn't do anything to the bikes at all?
JESSIE: No
GITCHELL: Are you sure
JESSIE: Positive
GITCHELL: You didn't touch the bikes?
JESSIE: I didn't touch them
RIDGE: You've been back to this place since that murder?
JESSIE: Yes
RIDGE: Since it (unaudible) what did you do there? Be truthful.
JESSIE: I went down there and sit there, and after what they did to the boys, I just sit there.
RIDGE: And did what?
JESSIE: Just thought, what happened to them real bad, just thought.
RIDGE: Okay
JESSIE: And I left and stuff, and walked home.
GITCHELL: When did you go back there?
JESSIE: Two or three days after it happened, and I left.
RIDGE: You were there by yourself?
JESSIE: I was there by myself.
RIDGE: Didn't you go there with some more boys once?
JESSIE: Me. David
RIDGE: That particular place?
JESSIE: No, not to that place
RIDGE: Are you willing to go down there with us and us having a camcorder and show us where these things took place? Would you do that?
JESSIE: [No answer]
RIDGE: Wouldn't have any problem with that?
JESSIE: Not that I know of, I wouldn't.
RIDGE: But you would be able to point out where these things took place?
JESSIE: Yes
RIDGE: Which way the boys came from and where you all were when he hollered for the boys and stuff like that, you wouldn't have a problem with that?
JESSIE: After the murder and stuff, I would say about two or three days later after it happened, I went down there and thought about it and I haven't been down there since.
RIDGE: Okay, let me ask you something, now this is real serious and I want you to be real truthful, and I want you to think about it before you answer it, don't just say yes or no, real quick. I want you to think about it. Did you actually hit any of these boys?
JESSIE: No
GITCHELL: Now, tell us the truth
JESSIE: No
RIDGE: Did you actually rape any of these boys?
JESSIE: No
RIDGE: Did you actually kill any of these boys?
JESSIE: No
RIDGE: Did you see any of the boys actually killed?
JESSIE: Yes
RIDGE: Okay, which one did you see killed?
JESSIE: That one right there.
GITCHELL: Now, you're pointing to the Byers boy again?
JESSIE: Yes
RIDGE: How was he actually killed?
JESSIE: He choked him real bad and all.
RIDGE: Choking him? Okay, what was he choking him with?
JESSIE: His hands, like a stick, he had a bit old stick, kinda holding it over his neck.
RIDGE: Okay, so he was choking him to the point where he actually went unconscious, so at that point, you felt like he was dead?
JESSIE: Yeah
RIDGE: Okay, did any of the other two boys, were you there when they were actually killed?
JESSIE: I don't know
RIDGE: You say that you got sick, so that's what you were saying, did you throw up or anything?
JESSIE: Yes
RIDGE: Where did you throw up at?
JESSIE: I got a little bit ways out of there and got half a mile up the road, is when I threw up, and couldn't hardly run and I just threw up.
RIDGE: When you left from there, did you leave running?
JESSIE: Yes
RIDGE: Were you hiding?
JESSIE: No, I didn't hide.
GITCHELL: Did you have some blood on your clothes?
JESSIE: I didn't have no blood, I didn't get close to them.
GITCHELL: Were your clothes wet still?
JESSIE: Yes, they were damp.
GITCHELL: Muddy?
RIDGE: Alright, Inspector Gitchell touched on a point, real close, now what clothes were Jason wearing that day? That night?
JESSIE: He was wearing some blue jeans and boots, army boots like.
RIDGE: Army boots? And what kind of a shirt, you know everybody wears a special shirt with different things?
JESSIE: He was wearing a mega death shirt
RIDGE: A mega death
JESSIE: Or maybe a Metallica
RIDGE: Metallica shirt, alright, was he wearing a cap, anything like that?
JESSIE: No, he wasn't wearing anything like that
RIDGE: Alright, Damian, what was Damian wearing?
JESSIE: Damian had some black pants on, some boots and a black t-shirt.
RIDGE: Was anything on his shirt?
JESSIE: No
RIDGE: No kind of design or anything?
JESSIE: No, just black
RIDGE: These blue jeans that Jason was wearing, designer jeans, or were they old jeans, wore out, holes
JESSIE: They were wore out
RIDGE: What did they look like?
JESSIE: They had holes in them and the knees were cut
RIDGE: Holes in the knees. What color is Jason's hair?
JESSIE: Blonde
RIDGE: Light blonde, or like a sandy reddish type blonde, do you know the difference?
JESSIE: It's like
RIDGE: Sandy colored blonde?
JESSIE: Sandy colored blonde
RIDGE: Okay, wearing blue jeans, he had on a metalica shirt, now this is a shirt that's got Metallica across the front of it spelled out, and a man's name, or picture, is that right? You tell me.
JESSIE: They had picture
RIDGE: A picture of somebody?
JESSIE: Different shirts, different types of shirts have different pictures
RIDGE: Well, which one did he have?
JESSIE: He had that uh, like a, skull like
RIDGE: A skull?
JESSIE: Yeah
RIDGE: Okay, what were you wearing that day?
JESSIE: I was just wearing regular blue jeans, my shoes
RIDGE: What kind of shoes were you wearing?
JESSIE: My uh, Adidas
RIDGE: Adidas tenns shoes?
JESSIE: Yes
RIDGE: What kind of shirt were you wearing?
JESSIE: I was just wearing a regular old greasy up t-shirt.
RIDGE: Okay, was it a designed shirt, like this bull type shirt, or was it just a plain white, old
JESSIE: Plain white
RIDGE: Old t-shirt, where are these shoes at now?
JESSIE: A friend of mine, he borrowed them
RIDGE: Who is that?
JESSIE: Buddy Lucas
RIDGE: Buddy Lucas?
JESSIE: He borrowed them from me.
RIDGE: The boots that Damian had on, are they army type boots too, or what kind of boots were they?
JESSIE: Close like army type, not quite
RIDGE: Okay, they are black, is that right, they lace up?
JESSIE: Yes
RIDGE: Okay, and Jason's black and lace up?
JESSIE: Jason's were black up to, about knee
RIDGE: Oh, they come way up on him?
JESSIE: Yes
RIDGE: Okay, Damian's didn't come up that far?
JESSIE: No
RIDGE: Okay, they killed the boys, you decided to go, you went home, how long after you got home before you received the phone call? 30 minutes or an hour?
JESSIE: Uh, silent an hour
RIDGE: An hour after you got home, so they were there for a lot longer
JESSIE: Yes
RIDGE: When he called you on the phone, did he say that he had just got in?
JESSIE: When he first called me, he said, how come you left, and said, I couldn't stand it, I had to do something else
RIDGE: Okay, you couldn't stand it.
JESSIE: And then Damian, I heard Damian in the background saying we done it, we done it, what we gone do if somebody saw us
RIDGE: Did anybody see you leaving?
JESSIE: No
RIDGE: That you know of
JESSIE: That I know of
RIDGE: Did anybody see Damian and Jason?
JESSIE: I don't know, I left before them
RIDGE: But have you heard anybody say that they saw Damian and Jason?
JESSIE: No
RIDGE: You haven't heard anybody?
JESSIE: No
RIDGE: Okay, these initiations, you say that they eat part of the leg meat?
JESSIE: Yeah
RIDGE: Does that involve eating part of the penis of the animal?
JESSIE: No
RIDGE: Just the meat?
JESSIE: Just the meat
RIDGE: Okay, has Jason and Damian talked to you since this happened?
JESSIE: No
RIDGE: They haven't talked to you about this?
JESSIE: They hadn't said nothing around me, when I was over to my friend's house, they didn't say nothing.
RIDGE: When you've been by yourself, and I'm sure in the last three weeks you've been by yourself with them sometime
JESSIE: You know Damian keeps asking me how come I left and stuff and hadn't anybody said anything to me about it.
RIDGE: Okay, what did he say to you about it when you came to the police department, after seehng that boy in the woods? Up there behind the Goodyear place? What did he say about that?
JESSIE: He didn't know anything about that.
RIDGE: He doesn't know that
JESSIE: No
RIDGE: Okay, what about when you get with Jason by himself?
JESSIE: He keeps on asking me what are we going to do next, I told him, I can't do nothing now cause I go to work with my daddy everyday
RIDGE: So, they are scared, is that right?
JESSIE: They are scared cause after what they did, I told him that I was going to work with my daddy, I got to do something
RIDGE: So, what do you think ought to be done to them for killing these boys?
JESSIE: They need to be put away for awhile,
RIDGE: Put away for a while. Do you think they are sick or just mean?
JESSIE: I think they are sick
RIDGE: They are sick okay. Is there anything else that you want to add to this statement?
JESSIE: No
RIDGE: Why did you not come forward with this information?
JESSIE: Cause I was scared
RIDGE: Scared of Damian? or scared of the police?
JESSIE: Scared of the police
RIDGE: Are you scared of Damian now?
JESSIE: No
RIDGE: Are you scared of the police now?
JESSIE: No
RIDGE: You are not, so we've treated you well?
JESSIE: Yes
RIDGE: Alright, I am going to conclude this interview, the time is 3:18 PM.
Statement of Jesse Misskelley, Jr. (June 3, 1993, second statement "clarifying" previous statement)
Note: This statement, which differs dramatically from the first in key respects, took place sometime between 3:40 and 5:00 P.M.
Gitchell: Jessie, uh, when when you got with the boys and with Jason Baldwin when you three were in the woods and then little boys come up, about what time was it? When the boys come up to the woods?
Jessie: I would say it was about 5 or so 5 or 6.
Gitchell: Now, did you have your watch on at the time?
Jessie: Huh uh (no)
Gitchell: You didn't have your watch on?
Jessie: Huh uh (no)
Gitchell: Uh, alright you told me earlier around 7 or 8, which time is it?
Jessie: It was 7 or 8.
Gitchell: Are you
Jessie: It was starting to get dark.
Gitchell: Ok, it
Jessie: I remember it was starting to get dark.
Gitchell: Ok, well that clears it up. I didn't know, that's what I was wondering, was it getting dark or what.
Jessie: We got up there at 6:00 and the boys come up and it was starting to get dark.
Gitchell: Ok, so you and Jason and Baldwin uh, Damien you all got there right at 6.
Jessie: About 6 yeah
Gitchell: Is that a normal time that you all meet at 6?
Jessie: Yeah.
Gitchell: Ok, when you do your cult stuff does 6 mean something, I mean is that a time you normally do meet?
Jessie: Yeah.
Gitchell: Ok, so you all met out there at 6 and then the boys come up about what time?
Jessie: About 7.
Gitchell: About 7:00, Ok. So you all were out there with the boys and all this stuff going on and until you noticed it starting getting dark. Is that correct?
Jessie: Yeah.
Gitchell: Ok, now are you sure about that?
Jessie: Yes.
Gitchell: Ok, uh, Ok, hold on just a minute. (Pause) Ok Jessie uh, I asked you about your clothing and you said that uh, what what were you wearing?
Jessie: I was wearing uh, blue jeans, and a white shirt with some kind of basketball deal on it. Some tennis shoes Adidas.
Gitchell: Alright, your shirt was it a, uh, what kind of shirt was it?
Jessie: It was a white shirt with a basketball on around it.
Gitchell: Is it a shirt like you got on now?
Jessie: Uh huh (yes).
Gitchell: What kind of shirt is it like you have on now? That is what, a t-shirt?
Jessie: Uh huh (yes).
Gitchell: Ok, so you had a white t-shirt with a basketball design on it.
Gitchell: Ok, uh, what about shoes, what kind of shoes did you have on?
Jessie: White and blue Adidas.
Gitchell: White and blue?
Jessie: uh huh (yes).
Gitchell: And who has those shoes now?
Jessie: Buddy Lucas.
Gitchell: And how old is Buddy?
Jessie: He is about 18 or 19.
Gitchell: Why does he have your shoes?
Jessie: We went we was coming home one day and it was raining and he didn't have nothing else to wear so he put on one of my shoes.
Gitchell: Ok, and where does he live at?
Jessie: In Lakeshore.
Gitchell: Is there
Jessie: By, uh the church.
Gitchell: Is there a street or anything?
Jessie: It is a street but it ain't got no names on it though.
Gitchell: What street is the church on?
Jessie: On uh, as soon as you get off of Cherry Street. Uh, Cherry Street right in front of it.
Gitchell: Off of Cherry Street?
Jessie: Uh hu (yes)
Gitchell: Ok, are there any vehicles around close by that I could recognize that trailer?
Jessie: It should be a green truck and a brown van and there is a basketball goal right there where the green truck is at by the basketball goal.
Gitchell: Alright, who tied the boys up?
Jessie: Uh, Damien.
Gitchell: Did Damien just tie them all up or did anyone help Damien or
Jessie: Jason helped him.
Gitchell: Ok, and what did they use to tie them up?
Jessie: A rope.
Gitchell: Ok, what color was the rope?
Jessie: Brown.
Gitchell: Did you ever see the boys in the water?
Jessie: Uh, yeah, down by the water.
Gitchell: Alright, how did the boys get into the water?
Jessie: They pulled them there into the water.
Gitchell: Alright, when you say they who is it that pulled them into the water?
Jessie: Jason and uh, Damien.
Gitchell: Do you wear a belt?
Jessie: Nope.
Gitchell: Does Jason where a belt?
Jessie: Unt uh (no).
Gitchell: Does Damien wear a belt?
Jessie: Yeap.
Gitchell: What kind of belt does he wear?
Jessie: A black leather belt with uh, beads uh, like little beads around it.
Gitchell: With beads around it?
Jessie: Like little beads you know stubbies with
Gitchell: Ok, about how thick is the belt?
Jessie: It's about 4 inches.
Gitchell: Now, do you know what 4 inches looks like?
Jessie: About like that, the belt was about like that. (Using hands to show width)
Gitchell: Ok, I don't think that's quite 4 inches, but uh, probably about 3 something like that.
Jessie: Uh huh.
Gitchell: Which, which boys were raped?
Jessie: Uh, Byers and the Branch.
Gitchell: Ok, so you know them by name and face, well enough to call them by name?
Jessie: Uh huh.
Gitchell: Ok, did you, did you see the Moore boy, was he raped?
Jessie: No.
Gitchell: Alright, who raped those two boys?
Jessie: Jason and Damien.
Gitchell: Do you know which one raped which boy, or how did that happen?
Jessie: Damien raped the Myers by hisself and and Jason and Damien raped uh the Branch.
Gitchell: Alright, give that to me again now.
Jessie: Damien raped uh the Myers by hisself and Jason and Damien raped uh the Branch.
Gitchell: Did anyone have oral sex with the boys?
Jessie: Yes, Damien and Jason.
Gitchell: How many of them did they do that to?
Jessie: Just two, Branch and Byers.
Gitchell: How did they keep the boys quiet?
Jessie: Put their hands over their mouths.
Gitchell: Did they do anything else other than put their hands over their mouths? How did they finally keep them from being quiet, cause the boys bound to have been hollering?
Jessie: They stuck their hands over their mouths first, and then they stuck their shirts to their mouth.
Gitchell: Ok, did they do anything else to them to make them be quiet?
Jessie: They stuck their thang in their mouth.
Gitchell: Ok, did they, were they hitting them before that or afterwards?
Jessie: Before and after, just trying to keep them off of them.
Gitchell: Just all of the time?
Jessie: Just trying to keep Jason and Damien off of them.
Gitchell: Now they put their, whose shirts did they put in their mouth?
Jessie: Damien's.
Gitchell: Ok, alright hold on just a minute, -pause- Let me ask you something else, Jessie, I'm sorry, I keep coming back and forth, but I got people that want me to ask you some other questions, uh talking about oral sex, did you see, you know we had talked earlier about how Jason and uh Damien do each other, have sex with each other did they, did they have oral sex on the boys?
Jessie: Yeah, they, they, one of them stuck their thang in one of the boys mouth while the other one got the other one up the butt and stuff.
Gitchell: Ok, but did, did anyone go down on the boys and maybe suck theirs or something?
Jessie: Not that, I didn't see nothing neither one of them do that.
Gitchell: You didn't see that?
Jessie: Uh, uh
Gitchell: Ok, did, did they pinch their penis in anyway or were rough with it or anything like that?
Jessie: I didn't see nothing like that, not rough with them, I just seen um
Gitchell: You didn't see anyone go down on the boys?
Jessie: Uh, uh.
Gitchell: Are you sure?
Jessie: Yeah.
Gitchell: Ok.
[Pause to give Jessie a Coke]
Gitchell: That Coke was kind of cold huh?
Jessie: Uh huh.
Gitchell: I tell ya it tasted pretty good to me though.
Gitchell: Um, Jessie when, now the boys hands were tied up right?
Jessie: Right.
Gitchell: How did, how did, they force these boys to have oral sex on them? How did they have a hold of them?
Jessie: One of them had holding them by the arms while the other one got behind them and stuff.
Gitchell: Did he ever hold him up here or
Jessie: Uh, the one that was holding him up there at the front grabbing him by his headlock.
Gitchell: Had him in a headlock? Did he have him any other way?
Jessie: He was holding him like this by his head like this and stuff (Note: was indicating the victims being held by their ears)
Gitchell: Could he have been holding him up here like that?
Jessie: I was too far away he was holding him up here by his head like this (Note: showed the same as above)
Gitchell: So, so
Jessie: And he was pulling him.
Gitchell: Ok, so who was one of them doing that or both of them was doing it? Was Jason?
Jessie: Jason was holding him while Damien did it and then they took turns.
Gitchell: So, they both did it to all three of these boys?
Jessie: Just them two as far as I know.
Gitchell: Just the two of them?
Jessie: Yeah.
Gitchell: But they, they both Jason and Damien did it to two of the boys and they took turns?
Jessie: Uh huh.
Gitchell: And they would hold, tell me again about their hands on, I mean I know you're, you're holding it up here.
Jessie: It was up here by their heads and stuff and was just pulling and stuff.
Gitchell: Alright, so they are up here, had their hands
Jessie: By their ears and pulling them and stuff.
Gitchell: Alright, Ok, say, say that again for me now.
Jessie: Hold them by their head, by ears and pulling
Gitchell: Ok.