Witness for the Prosecution
March 7, 1994
FOGLEMAN: Call Deanna Holcomb.
(pause)
FOGLEMAN: Your Honor, she has asked not to be filmed.
THE COURT: This witness has requested that she not be filmed.
(pause)
THE COURT: All the way up here please.
FOGLEMAN: She'll need to be sworn, your Honor.
THE COURT: Raise your right hand to be sworn. Do you swear to tell the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth in the matter now pending before the court so help you God?
HOLCOMB: I do.
THE COURT: John, take that box down.
FOGLEMAN: Ok.
(mumbling)
THE COURT: Are you a little bit nervous?
HOLCOMB: Yeah.
THE COURT: Ok.
FOGLEMAN: Would you state your uh - name and what town you live in for the jury?
HOLCOMB: Deanna Holcomb - Marion, Arkansas.
FOGLEMAN: Ok. You're going to need to speak up.
THE COURT: Speak louder.
FOGLEMAN: Or you need to get closer to the microphone.
THE COURT: Well here. That one won't move. You'll have to move up.
HOLCOMB: Marion - Deanna Holcomb - Marion, Arkansas - Marion.
THE COURT: Ok.
FOGLEMAN: And who do you live in Marion with?
HOLCOMB: My parents.
FOGLEMAN: Ok. Now Deanna, I want to direct your attention back to uh - August or September of 1991. Uh - were you acquainted at that time with Damien Echols?
HOLCOMB: Yes sir.
FOGLEMAN: Alright. And uh - what was your relationship with him at that time?
HOLCOMB: We went together.
FOGLEMAN: Ok. And uh - how long did ya'll go together?
HOLCOMB: About nine months.
FOGLEMAN: Ok.
DAVIDSON: (mumbled question)
THE COURT: About nine months, is that what your answer was?
HOLCOMB: Yes sir.
FOGLEMAN: And Deanna, during the uh - time that ya'll went together, were you with him fairly often?
HOLCOMB: At school.
FOGLEMAN: Ok. And how did Damien dress?
HOLCOMB: He wore all black.
FOGLEMAN: Ok. And uh - did he ever wear any particular type of coat?
HOLCOMB: A trench coat and a leather jacket.
FOGLEMAN: Alright. Did - during the course of your uh - going with Damien, uh - did he have any particular friends? Friends in particular?
HOLCOMB: Um - yes sir.
FOGLEMAN: Alright, who - who were they?
HOLCOMB: Jason, um - Jessie, Joey Lancaster and some other people.
FOGLEMAN: Alright.
DAVIDSON: Your Honor, I'm having a hard time hearing.
THE COURT: Speak a little bit louder.
DAVIDSON: I didn't understand the last name.
FOGLEMAN: Joey Lancaster. Is that what you said?
HOLCOMB: Yes sir.
FOGLEMAN: Alright. Uh - and you said "Jason", who are you referring to?
HOLCOMB: Jason Baldwin.
FOGLEMAN: Alright. And you said "Jessie"?
HOLCOMB: Misskelley.
FOGLEMAN: Ok. Now during the time that you uh - went with him, did Damien carry any type of weapon?
HOLCOMB: Knives.
FOGLEMAN: Pardon?
HOLCOMB: Knives.
FOGLEMAN: Ok. I want to show you what has been introduced as exhibit 77 and ask if you've seen a knife like that before?
HOLCOMB: Yes sir.
FOGLEMAN: Alright. Where did you see it and under what circumstances?
HOLCOMB: Uh - I saw it in his coat pocket. His lea - his trench coat pocket.
FOGLEMAN: Alright, how did you see it in his coat pocket?
HOLCOMB: Um - I went to hu - put my arm around his waist and it was there.
FOGLEMAN: Alright. Did - well, did you uh - how did you - what did you do after you found it there?
HOLCOMB: I took it out to look at it.
FOGLEMAN: Ok. And it was - was it a knife like that?
HOLCOMB: Similar, yes sir.
FOGLEMAN: Alright. What was - what if anything was different about the knife that you pulled out of Damien's pocket?
HOLCOMB: It had a compass on the end.
FOGLEMAN: On the end, ok. You're talking about right here?
HOLCOMB: Yes sir.
FOGLEMAN: I don't know if the jury saw that - would you point to the area where the compass was?
HOLCOMB: Right there.
FOGLEMAN: Now, could you identify the person that you've - that you said uh - had a knife like that?
HOLCOMB: Yes sir.
FOGLEMAN: Is he in the courtroom?
HOLCOMB: Yes sir.
FOGLEMAN: Would you point him out for the jury?
HOLCOMB: Right there.
FOGLEMAN: Which one?
HOLCOMB: The one in the black sweater.
FOGLEMAN: Your Honor, may the record reflect the witness has identified the defendant?
THE COURT: It may so reflect.
(mumbling about cameras)
THE COURT: Yeah.
FOGLEMAN: I don't have any further questions at this time, your Honor.
THE COURT: You're going to have to hold up on your camera that don't have any silencers on them. They're -
FOGLEMAN: Your Honor, what we were talking about, she - we were questioning that she not be photo -
THE COURT: Well, yeah uh - was any photographs made of this witness?
UNIDENTIFIED MAN: No sir.
THE COURT: Ok.
DAVIDSON: Now, Ms. Holcomb, I've got a few questions for ya. When is the uh - when were you going with uh - Damien?
HOLCOMB: During school, at uh - 1991 to '92.
DAVIDSON: 1991 -
HOLCOMB: - To '92.
DAVIDSON: To '92, when in '92? When is this nine month period that you're talking about?
HOLCOMB: The beginning of school to the end of school.
DAVIDSON: The beginning of school to the end of school, would that be May of '92?
HOLCOMB: A little bit before.
DAVIDSON: Now, you haven't been around Damien since May of '92, have you?
HOLCOMB: No sir.
DAVIDSON: Hadn't been around him at all -
HOLCOMB: - No sir.
DAVIDSON: - Is that correct?
HOLCOMB: Yes sir.
DAVIDSON: And so what you're talking about today is something that you re - are saying is happened back in - somewhere in '91 or '92, is that correct?
HOLCOMB: Yes sir.
DAVIDSON: Now, I believe you mentioned that uh - Damien wore some black clothes. You wore black clothes too, didn't you?
HOLCOMB: Yes sir.
DAVIDSON: Ok. Now, um - back when you were going with Damien uh - he had a knife collection then, didn't he?
HOLCOMB: I guess, yes.
DAVIDSON: And had lots of different knives?
HOLCOMB: Yes sir.
DAVIDSON: And uh - even had a large knife with a compass on it, is that correct?
HOLCOMB: Yes sir.
DAVIDSON: Now, do - you do know that Damien moved to Oregon in - around May or soon thereafter of 1992, is that correct?
HOLCOMB: Yes sir.
DAVIDSON: And you do know that the family moved to Oregon -
HOLCOMB: - Yes sir.
DAVIDSON: - With their belongings, you do know that?
HOLCOMB: Yes sir.
DAVIDSON: But you have not seen him since May of '92, is that correct? I mean, you haven't been with him or - you may have seen him out somewhere, but you haven't been with him and talked with him, have ya?
HOLCOMB: No sir.
DAVIDSON: Ok. Now, so the family - do you have knowledge that the family later moved back to Arkansas from Oregon?
HOLCOMB: Yes sir, I do.
DAVIDSON: You don't have any knowledge of - of whether Damien moved his knife collection out there or whether he brought it back, do ya?
HOLCOMB: No sir.
DAVIDSON: Ok. And this particular knife - you're not trying to tell the jury that this is Damien's knife, are you?
HOLCOMB: No sir.
DAVIDSON: You're just saying it may look something like that?
HOLCOMB: Yes sir.
DAVIDSON: How long was the knife that Damien had?
HOLCOMB: About that long.
DAVIDSON: What was the brand name of it, do you know?
HOLCOMB: I don't know.
DAVIDSON: And did you see it on more than that one occasion?
HOLCOMB: I don't remember.
DAVIDSON: Ok. But as far as you can remember, it was that one time that you put your arms around him?
HOLCOMB: Yes sir.
DAVIDSON: Now, I believe when Mr. Fogleman asked you - you said that that knife was similar, is that correct?
HOLCOMB: Yes sir.
DAVIDSON: Ok. Were there any other markings on that knife that you saw? Anything else that would distinguish it other than a compass on the end?
HOLCOMB: The jagged edge.
DAVIDSON: The jagged edge, anything else?
HOLCOMB: No sir.
DAVIDSON: Any writing on there?
HOLCOMB: No sir.
DAVIDSON: Now when was the first time that you saw this particular knife? Not the other one, but this particular knife, when's the first time that you saw it?
HOLCOMB: Um - in Mr. Fogleman's office.
DAVIDSON: In Mr. Fogleman's office, and when would that have been?
HOLCOMB: It was um - a week or two ago.
DAVIDSON: A week or two ago, would - would it have been February the 14th? Does that sound right - Valentine's day?
HOLCOMB: Yes sir.
DAVIDSON: And you gave a statement that day, is that correct? Did you write out a statement?
HOLCOMB: Yes sir.
DAVIDSON: And did you say in the statement that it reminds you of a knife that Damien had?
HOLCOMB: Yes sir.
DAVIDSON: And is that your testimony here today also?
HOLCOMB: Yes sir.
DAVIDSON: It reminds you of one he had?
HOLCOMB: Yes sir.
DAVIDSON: Ok. Now, how many knives did Mr. Fogleman show you?
HOLCOMB: Maybe five.
DAVIDSON: Maybe five, and uh - the - one second, please.
(pause)
DAVIDSON: Any of the other five knives, they look like Damien's knives too?
HOLCOMB: They look similar.
DAVIDSON: They look similar, too. Um - and -
(mumbling)
DAVIDSON: - And did this one also look uh - similar to one of Damien's knives?
HOLCOMB: No sir.
DAVIDSON: It did not, ok. Now of the other ones, are you saying they look similar to some of Damien's knives?
HOLCOMB: Yes sir.
DAVIDSON: Which one was it - describe it for us.
HOLCOMB: One had a golden handle.
DAVIDSON: Now, let's go back to this large knife. Where did you say that it was when you saw it?
HOLCOMB: In his trench coat pocket.
DAVIDSON: In his trench coat pocket?
HOLCOMB: Yes sir.
DAVIDSON: Um - was he holding it or did you just discover it when you um - when you hugged him?
HOLCOMB: Just when I hugged him.
DAVIDSON: Was it tied on in any way?
HOLCOMB: No.
DAVIDSON: No kind of sheath or anything like that with it?
HOLCOMB: I don't remember.
DAVIDSON: So that knife was in his pocket? That's all.
FORD: No questions.
FOGLEMAN: Deanna, was it unusual for Damien to have a knife?
HOLCOMB: No sir.
FOGLEMAN: Alright. And uh - did he ever tell you anything about why he carried the knives?
DAVIDSON: Objection, your Honor.
THE COURT: Overruled.
HOLCOMB: Because he said that he didn't feel safe.
FOGLEMAN: Ok. And um - how would you describe the relationship between Jason and Damien?
HOLCOMB: They just talked to each other and - except for when I was there.
FOGLEMAN: Ok. What do you mean by that?
HOLCOMB: Usually when I would walk up, Jason would stop talking.
FOGLEMAN: Ok.
(mumbling)
FOGLEMAN: Oh, uh - Deanna, I do recall a question I wanted to ask you. Uh - the knife that you described - that you also identified among other knives that I showed you, you said something about uh - one that had a golden handle, is that like a dagger?
HOLCOMB: Yes sir.
FOGLEMAN: Ok. And uh - now besides that knife - that folding knife that Mr. Davidson showed you, I showed you another folding knife too, is that right?
HOLCOMB: Yes sir.
FOGLEMAN: Alright then, what did you tell me about that knife?
HOLCOMB: He usually didn't carry folding knives.
FOGLEMAN: Ok. I don't have any further questions.
DAVIDSON: We have no questions, your Honor.
THE COURT: Alright, you're free to go. Thank you. Call your next witness.
FOGLEMAN: Call James Parker.