6.Eric Johnson — Cross/Redirect (Part 2)
32 linesBOYD YOUNG: Lieutenant Johnson, you were not aware that Mr. Jones had invoked earlier that day when asked to provide hair, DNA and blood samples?
ERIC JOHNSON: I was not privy to that interaction or conversation with Mr. Jones, at that point. I hadn't even met him, at that point.
BOYD YOUNG: Thank you.
ERIC JOHNSON: Yes, sir.
SHAWN GRAHAM: Object.
THE COURT: Come up here. (Whereupon, a bench conference was held in the presence of the jury but out of the hearing of the jury.)
REDIRECT EXAMINATION By Mr. Graham:
SHAWN GRAHAM: Lieutenant Johnson, have you ever been involved with attempting to secure consent from somebody to obtain blood, hair or DNA?
ERIC JOHNSON: I have, many times.
SHAWN GRAHAM: And during that process, you are just asking them if they will do it, correct?
BOYD YOUNG: Objection.
THE COURT: I'm going to overrule.
ERIC JOHNSON: Yes, sir. And I refer back to -- I can give you a quick example, Counselor. I refer back to when I worked the road as a trooper. We might get someone that was injured in an automobile accident and they may not be able to give you a breath sample, or someone refused to give a breath sample, but would give you a consent for blood in the forms -- in the boxes that are used in Mississippi, it has a consent form in there. We explain it to them and they have a right to refuse it, they can give you consent and you can take them to the hospital and have a nurse or doctor draw it.
SHAWN GRAHAM: So they can either agree to cooperate or not?
ERIC JOHNSON: Yes. They have the right to refuse.
SHAWN GRAHAM: Thank you.
THE COURT: All right. You may step down.
ERIC JOHNSON: Thank you, Your Honor.
THE COURT: Safe travels.
ERIC JOHNSON: Thank you, Judge.
THE COURT: Do you want to stop there?
RICK HUBBARD: It's up to you. I can tell you who I've got next.
THE COURT: Who you got next?
RICK HUBBARD: Sheriff Crumpton, it is up to Your Honor.
THE COURT: Do you all want one more witness or do you want to adjourn for the day? (Whereupon, the Jury indicated to adjourn for the day.)
THE COURT: Adjourn for the day. Fair enough. All right. Have a good evening. Enjoy your supper. Tomorrow, hopefully, will be a full productive, I hope. But sometimes, with all the vast physical evidence, it just took more time to organize it. Don't discuss the case. Don't do any independent research. Now, has any of you all -- has anybody tried to contact any of you all about anything going on in the case? Anybody? Okay. If they have -- if anybody approaches you, asked you or suggests to you, emails you, texts you, please let one of the officers know. And then I'll send further inquiry to you about it. I'll inquire about it and I want to know about that. But nobody's communicated with you in any way? If you've ever seen any of the media things and any of that changed or impacts you, you can follow my instructions. Please, do so. Is that what you wanted?
BOYD YOUNG: Yes, sir.
THE COURT: All right. Good enough. See you all tomorrow morning. Same time. (Whereupon, the jury was excused from open court for the day.)
THE COURT: All right. I want everybody's assurance we're going to be more efficient tomorrow. Yes. Good. Thank you.
RICK HUBBARD: 9:00, Your Honor?
THE COURT: Yes, sir. We're starting at 9:00.
BOYD YOUNG: Yes, sir. (Whereupon, the trial will resume the next morning at 9:00 a.m.)