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Rapper Jose Bodega takes the stand as a hostile witness in Yella Beezy trial | FULL TESTIMONY — Transcript

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0:00All right, Mr. Thomas, you are still
0:02under oath. Okay, thank you. State may
0:06proceed.
0:07>> Thank you.
0:08>> Good afternoon, sir.
0:10>> Good afternoon,
0:12>> Mr. Thomas. Can you please um introduce
0:15yourself by first and last name to this
0:16jury?
0:18>> Thomas.
0:20>> And Mr. Thomas, um I believe you've
0:22already spelled your name for the court
0:23reporter. Um
0:26I want to just kind of get this out of
0:27the way. You don't want to be here
0:29today, do you?
0:30>> Not even a little bit.
0:34>> You've been subpoenaed to be here. Is
0:35that correct?
0:37>> Yes.
0:38>> And Mr. Thomas, I know you know this,
0:41but just so that to make sure that the
0:43court reporter can take down everything
0:45that you say. I'm going to need yes or
0:47no answers. Um cuz she can't see you
0:50when you nod your head or shake your
0:52head.
0:53>> Um
0:56Mr. Thomas just generally where are you
0:58from?
0:59>> I'm from a little bit everywhere. I was
1:01raised in a couple different
1:02neighborhoods.
1:05I even went to a suburb and stuff. Uh I
1:08stay in East I a little bit everywhere.
1:11>> And um how old are you, Mr. Thomas?
1:14>> I'm 34.
1:27Mr. Thomas, do you know some individuals
1:29in the courtroom today?
1:31You recognize anybody you know?
1:36>> So, I'm going to start just so the
1:38record is clear.
1:40Behind me is your attorney, uh, Mr.
1:43James Lee Bright. Is that correct?
1:44>> Correct.
1:45>> Okay.
1:47Now, you said when I asked you if you
1:48knew in the courtroom, um you said not
1:51no more. Do you know an individual um
1:54that goes by the nickname of Yellow
1:58Beey?
1:59>> Yeah.
2:00>> Do you recognize that individual in the
2:02courtroom today know his real name to be
2:04Maris Connor?
2:06>> Yeah.
2:07>> Can you identify him by what kind like
2:09what is he wearing? What type of clothes
2:10is he wearing?
2:13>> A leg.
2:16All right. If I'm in seat number one,
2:18Mr. Bailey is in seat two, and so on,
2:20what seat number is he in? They're
2:22>> over
2:23>> on their side over there.
2:24>> Yeah.
2:24>> Okay. Furthest one at that table.
2:27Correct.
2:30May the record reflect that the witness
2:31has identified the defendant in open
2:33court.
2:33>> The record will reflect this fact.
2:36>> And your honor, permission to approach
2:37and to meet appropriately with this
2:39witness.
2:40>> You may. Thank you.
2:47Mr. Thomas, I've shown you this photo
2:49before in 105A. Is that the individual
2:51markings?
2:53>> Yeah.
2:59>> How long have you known Mr. Connley?
3:03>> Um, probably about 10 years, give or
3:06take.
3:07>> Okay. Did y'all go to school together?
3:10>> Yeah.
3:10>> What school did you go to? Uh, Langston
3:13High School.
3:14>> How did y'all first meet?
3:16>> Classroom.
3:20>> Now, Mr. Mr. Conway, you've known since
3:24Lancaster. Do you know an individual by
3:25the name of Devin Brown?
3:27>> A little bit.
3:28>> Okay. Does he have a nickname?
3:31>> Yeah.
3:43In 105A, we see uh Mr. Conway. In 103,
3:48is this uh Devin Brown, the individual
3:50uh you know, is nicknamed Chicago?
3:52>> Yeah.
3:54>> How long do you know uh Mr. Brown?
3:57>> Probably about eight years.
3:59>> Since growing up in Lancaster as well?
4:01>> Yeah.
4:04Do you know an individual by the name of
4:08uh Jerry Johnson or Jerry Maserati?
4:10>> Yeah.
4:12>> How do you know um Jerry Johnson?
4:15>> Yeah, we grew up together.
4:16>> Okay.
4:22And when you say grew up together,
4:24>> were y'all friends?
4:25>> We grew up together. Okay.
4:28Did y'all
4:32do anything in particular together when
4:34y'all uh grew up together? Did you hang
4:36out? I mean, explain that relationship
4:38just for us.
4:39>> We didn't grow up together.
4:41>> All right.
4:54Mr. Thomas, I want to make this kind of
4:57easy as possible. Um, y'all eventually
5:00started singing together or rapping
5:02together, correct?
5:03>> Yeah.
5:04>> Who all did you rap with when you were
5:06grow up in Lancaster?
5:08>> Just me and Jerry.
5:09>> You and Jerry. All right.
5:12Had you maintained and continued a
5:15relationship and friendship with those
5:18individuals uh since your days in
5:20Lancaster?
5:22>> Right.
5:23>> Yes.
5:24>> Yes. time. Who were you who were you
5:26closest to back in 2020 out of that
5:29group of individuals?
5:31>> Jerry,
5:33>> was he like a cousin to you? Basically,
5:40um,
5:42you and I have talked before about
5:45GRC, and this jury's already heard a lot
5:47about GRC. And I just want them to hear
5:50from you about what GRC, how it was
5:54founded, and and what it was all about
5:55because they've heard a lot about it.
5:56They've seen some of the chains. I just
5:58want them to hear from you what that was
5:59all about.
6:01>> All right. Can you just explain to them
6:03what GRC was?
6:05Uh, like I told them, it wasn't what
6:07they tried to make it to be. Like they
6:10thought it was a gangster click. It
6:11wasn't. It was a whole bunch of
6:12[ __ ] that went to high school
6:14together and then [ __ ] Half of them
6:16weren't even in the streets. So when
6:19they came trying to make it seem like it
6:20was just some murderous gang, I let it
6:22be known. That's what it was. Half of
6:24them [ __ ] is working men and got
6:26families.
6:28And
6:31that was just what y'all called
6:32yourselves as a as a group of friends,
6:34right?
6:35>> In high school.
6:35>> In high school back in the day.
6:37>> Yeah.
6:38>> Um
6:42the chains, the GRC chains,
6:44>> right?
6:45>> Where did those come from?
6:48>> [ __ ] People working hard to get them.
6:50>> Okay. If y'all were going to purchase
6:52them, where would you go to purchase
6:53them at? Manhattan Hills. Okay.
7:03Who was the person um that actually got
7:08Manhattan to actually make those pieces
7:10to start with?
7:11>> Well, I don't know which one particular
7:15person did.
7:15>> Mr. Thomas, Mr. Thomas, I'm going to
7:17have to instruct you to watch your
7:20language.
7:21>> I'm sorry.
7:21>> You understand?
7:22>> I'm sorry.
7:22>> Okay. You know what I mean, right?
7:24>> Yes, ma'am.
7:25>> Okay. Don't use those terms. Okay. My
7:27bad.
7:28>> Thank you.
7:29>> I'm sorry, Mr. Thompson. Um,
7:32>> you told me to talk freely.
7:35>> Tell the truth.
7:36>> Yeah, talk freely, but just don't use
7:38that language in
7:40>> and Mr. Thomas, if there's something
7:42that calls for like to say specifically
7:45um,
7:47profanity to some extent, if there's a
7:50reason that that needs to come out, I
7:51will ask the judge if it's okay for you
7:53to answer it.
7:55the exact. Is that fair?
7:57>> Correct.
7:58>> Thank you. Um, so
8:01Jerry was the individual who set up the
8:03GRC chains. Correct.
8:05>> I can't personally say if he was the one
8:07who set it up or not.
8:08>> Okay.
8:13>> Did you ever have to buy a GRC chain?
8:15>> Yeah.
8:16>> Okay.
8:24What do you do for a career, Mr. Um,
8:28Mr. Thomas?
8:30>> A little bit of everything.
8:35>> Are you still trying to pursue your
8:36music career?
8:38>> No.
8:41>> Now, back in 2020, you were rapping,
8:44correct?
8:45>> Correct.
8:46>> And what was the name that you wrapped
8:48under? Jose Mode.
8:51>> And that's
8:53J O S E B O D E G A. And I'm just saying
8:57that just so the court report can take
8:58that down. Okay.
8:59>> Yes.
9:00>> Um, and did you have a social media uh
9:03also under that name?
9:05>> Yes.
9:07>> Was that Jose Bodega like 247 or
9:10something?
9:10>> Yeah.
9:14>> And you had a number of songs. Um,
9:17who else in 2020 was actually involved
9:20in the music industry besides yourself?
9:23>> What you mean?
9:24>> Like as far as guys you grew up with,
9:26was Jerry still involved in the music
9:27scene?
9:27>> A little bit.
9:30>> What about Deon Brown?
9:32>> A little bit.
9:34>> Out of all the people you grew up with,
9:35who was the most successful?
9:39Jer,
9:48>> what about Mr. Conway?
9:51>> Yeah,
9:52>> him too.
9:54>> And it's your testimony in front of this
9:56jury that Jerry Johnson is more
9:59successful than Maris Conway.
10:01>> I didn't say that. You said
10:04>> in 2020, who was more successful? Oh, I
10:06can't tell you which one of them was the
10:07most successful being. I was in their
10:09pockets back there, right?
10:24>> This jury, uh, I've seen a lot of
10:26exhibits that have come out about your
10:28travel in 2020 with Mr. Conway.
10:30>> All right.
10:31>> Um, traveling to and from Los Angeles.
10:34Why were y'all traveling to and from Los
10:35Angeles from DFW?
10:37>> [ __ ] He had music. I mean, excuse my
10:39[ __ ] I apologize. He had music stuff
10:42to do.
10:43>> Mr. Conway.
10:44>> Yeah.
10:45>> And you'd agree with me that he was
10:48performing on national TV shows. He had
10:51a multiplatinum record. Fair.
10:53Multiplatinum song.
10:54>> Yeah.
10:55>> Very successful.
10:57>> Right.
10:58Um, in fact, he'd made promises to you
11:02that he was going to sign you to his
11:04record company. Is that fair?
11:05>> Correct.
11:06>> Did that ever end up happening?
11:09>> Is that now?
11:10>> No.
11:10>> Okay. Thank you. Just for the court. Um,
11:16November 2020. Let me backtrack real
11:19quick just a little bit.
11:23Do you recall going to Houston um for a
11:26concert on October 31st of of 2020?
11:30>> No.
11:41Your honor, I have a moment.
11:42>> Yes.
11:48>> Now,
11:50Mr. Thomas,
11:55>> you testified uh under a prior to this
11:59meeting. Do you remember that?
12:01>> Yeah.
12:02>> Um in front of a Dallas County grand
12:04jury. Do you remember uh testifying and
12:06I was asking you questions?
12:08>> Yeah, I remember answering questions.
12:10Yeah.
12:11>> Okay. And that was on February 13th of
12:182025.
12:20And I showed you this yesterday,
12:23which is just a copy of the transcript.
12:25And I'm going to pull out certain pages
12:26as we go through this. If you need to
12:28have your memory refreshed or uh your
12:32recollection refresh, that's what we're
12:33going to do. Okay.
12:34>> All right.
12:45You don't you do not remember going down
12:47to Houston. um
12:50for a concert on October 30th 31st of
12:532020 with Maris Conway and Q1.
12:58>> No.
13:16Hold
13:45on one Good.
14:10We'll come right back to that. Um,
14:13do you know an individual by the name of
14:15Q1?
14:17>> Yeah.
14:18>> How do you know Q1?
14:20>> Through a song I did with him.
14:22>> Okay.
14:4410002A. Is that Q1?
14:47>> Yeah.
14:50>> Did he go by the rap name of Banzo
14:52Blaine?
14:53>> I didn't know him by Key White.
14:55>> Okay.
14:56>> Do you know who he might have been
14:58related to or had a relationship with?
15:00No.
15:18November 10th of
15:212020. Do you recall going to California
15:23um with Mr. Conway?
15:26>> Yeah.
15:27>> Who else went on that trip?
15:34[ __ ]
15:35Like it was just u him and somebody
15:38else. I know it wasn't a lot of us, but
15:43>> how long were y'all supposed to stay up
15:45there? Do you recall?
15:46>> I never know how long we going to stay.
15:48>> Okay.
15:50>> It's always var.
15:52>> And how does that work? Like how do
15:53y'all um like how did those trips come
15:55together to go out there?
15:58>> Hey, you ready to go to California? All
16:00right. Hey,
16:17>> so is you, Mr. Conway, and do you recall
16:19testifying that his uncle was with you?
16:22>> Yeah. Yeah, that's I knew it was just
16:25one other person.
16:26>> Okay, so it's the three of y'all. Um,
16:30and while you were out there, do you
16:32remember um
16:35finding out that Melvin Noble, also
16:38known as Mo 3, the rapper, had been
16:40killed in Dallas?
16:41>> Correct.
16:42>> You do remember that?
16:43>> Yeah.
16:47You and I talked previously about this
16:50in in quite detail, but leading up to
16:53November 11th of 2020, were you aware of
16:56a feud or a beef between Mr. Conway and
17:00MO3 Melvin Noble um at the time of
17:04Melvin Noble's death?
17:06>> I don't recall.
17:42Time approach. Yes, man.
17:52I want you to start at the top of page
17:5456. All right.
17:56Let me know if this refreshes your
17:58recollection. There's three pages there.
17:5956, 57, and 58. Let me know if that
18:01refreshes your recollection.
18:19Yeah, I made the
18:23>> You may saying, "Yeah, they had a
18:26problem with each other." I really
18:27didn't know.
18:28>> Okay, you really didn't know. But um on
18:31page 56,
18:35what did you testify to as it relates to
18:37the um feud and beef between Melvin
18:40Noble and
18:43>> It was a lot. So I don't want to repeat
18:45it in court.
18:51>> So Mr. Uh Thomas, you've been provided
18:56use immunity and this court has granted
18:59that use immunity.
19:01And so you have no fifth amendment right
19:03to
19:06not tell this jury as it relates to that
19:08testimony. You understand that your
19:10attorney's here. The court has told you
19:12that. She's granted my motion for use
19:15immunity as it relates to your testimony
19:17today.
19:18>> That's correct. Mr. Ba or Mr. Thomas, go
19:22ahead and answer the questions.
19:24>> So, what did you tell myself and the
19:29other individuals in that grand jury as
19:31it related to the feud? What did you
19:33tell us?
19:34>> I just said I made it up.
19:36>> Yeah, but what did you tell us?
19:38>> I said, "Yeah, they have beat."
19:40>> Okay, judge, at this time would request
19:43an instruction to the jury regarding
19:45each.
19:48Ladies and gentlemen, you're hearing um
19:51testimony from Mr. Thomas here. Um he
19:55made statements on an earlier occasion
19:57that might be inconsistent with his
19:59present testimony here in court. You may
20:02consider those earlier statements, but
20:04only for the purpose of deciding whether
20:06to believe his testimony in this trial
20:09and how much weight to give it. Okay?
20:12You may not consider those earlier
20:14statements as evidence that the facts
20:17stated in them are true or as evidence
20:21of m uh Mr. Conway's guilt. Does
20:24everybody understand?
20:25>> Just
20:33so you can see, Mr. Thomas, um I've
20:35marked page 56 through 58 as states
20:38exhibit 121. You see that?
20:41All right. And on that date on February
20:4413th of 2025,
20:47I said Melvin Noble yell at Bezy and
20:50Trapway Freddy. Did they have problems
20:51with each other or who had problems with
20:54with each other? And you said yes sir,
20:56they did. Question who had problems with
20:59each other? Answer by you. Yellowy, Trev
21:03Friday, and Moy. That was your testimony
21:04in grand jury. Correct.
21:06>> All right.
21:07>> Is that a yes?
21:08>> Yes. So, you're not denying that you
21:10said that. You're just saying that that
21:12was a lie.
21:13>> Right.
21:19>> I then asked you, so who are the two
21:21individuals or how were they aligned?
21:23Was it Yellow Beey and somebody versus
21:25somebody else who were aligned together?
21:27Answer. Yellow bezy and trap Freddy. You
21:29recall testifying to that?
21:32>> Can I Can I ask you a question to
21:34>> No.
21:36>> Yeah.
21:37>> All right.
21:38our permission to treat this witness as
21:40hostile at this time.
21:44>> Thank you.
21:45>> And offense,
21:46>> I just want to make clear that your
21:48instruction you gave your prize to that
21:50answer.
21:50>> Yes, absolutely. Uh my instructions uh
21:54pertain to this witness's testimony
21:57here today as well as his prior
21:59testimony. Does everybody understand?
22:02>> Yes. Yes,
22:04>> can we just uh just to clarify when we
22:06speak about the grand jury transcript
22:08only, but the other testimony they can
22:10consider?
22:13>> Well, they can um ascribe any amount of
22:16weight that they wish to his testimony
22:19today, but his grand jury testimony is
22:21not to be uh taken as evidence of Mr.
22:34Mr. Thomas, we then talked about um
22:47>> Roy Lee a being assault. Does your
22:49recall us uh the questions and answers
22:52about that?
22:54>> Yeah. And um
23:00he ended up being uh jumped by a group
23:02of individuals. Correct.
23:05>> I didn't say you got jumped.
23:10>> Judge uh will object to that last
23:14question answered on our previous uh
23:17objections made outside the uh uh
23:20presence of the jury at an earlier
23:22hearing.
23:23>> What's the state's response?
23:28The motion wouldn't allow us to go into
23:30that incident.
23:33>> That's my recollection. I was just
23:34reiterating my objection on that.
23:36Preserve.
23:38>> That's denied.
23:41Do
23:42>> you recall in that grand jury um
23:48>> I asked you about who did he claim
23:50jumped in what group of people? Do you
23:51remember me asking you about that?
23:53>> No. Again,
23:56this is on page 57 of of 1201.
24:14>> I don't remember saying that.
24:16>> Are you saying you didn't say that?
24:18>> I'm saying I don't understand it.
24:23That doesn't refresh your recollection.
24:26>> No,
24:28>> it does not see it.
24:29>> You would have never said this.
24:30>> No.
24:48And just while I'm going through this
24:49real quick and the for the court. This
24:53is page 57. It says, "And so back in
24:55August 2017,
24:58he was I'm going to say I'm going to use
25:01the term jumped if you will, but was he
25:04at a club or a place and were you there
25:06as well?" And you answered yes, sir. I
25:08asked you and we don't need
25:10>> judge. Judge, we'll object to him just
25:12reading through the transcript for
25:14impeachment is to ask him if he made
25:16this particular statement on that day
25:19and the exact statement. rather than
25:21reading down then what stay at this time
25:24we'll offer states 1202 um for all
25:27purposes um for impeachment he said he
25:29would have never made this statement
25:32>> state what
25:34>> 1202
25:37>> describe 1202
25:39>> uh it is page 57 and 58 of uh the
25:43transcript describing uh those events
25:46that he said you've never
25:49um testified
25:52judge will object to that, but he's just
25:54uh willing to enter in enter in enter in
25:56copies of of a transcript. There was a
26:00witness in the grand jury uh that uh
26:04heard all the testimony, but I it's
26:07improper uh for an impeachment justice
26:10to enter a document.
26:13>> What did you say that there was a
26:14witness who heard the testimony? Yeah,
26:17there's an available witness as uh judge
26:19rather than just trying to offer a
26:22transcript in itself.
26:26>> Objections over exhibit 122 is
26:30>> permission to publish on it.
26:31>> Yes,
26:34>> all right Mr. Thomas.
26:42I asked you
26:44who did he claim he was jumped by
26:46referring to Roy Lee? What group of
26:47people? And your answer was PMG.
26:50Question. Okay. And people associated
26:51with the LBZY. Correct. Yes, sir. And in
26:55fact, you were involved in what
26:57transpired that night. Correct. Yes,
26:59sir.
27:01And that kind of kicked off the back and
27:03forth online. Is that fair? No. What
27:06kicked off the back and kicked off the
27:08online? Yella. His dad is from a place
27:10called Morell. So natural Yellow Bezy
27:13would claim, you know, where his father
27:14was from. And Roy Lee tried to say that
27:16Yellow Bee wasn't from Morell. And
27:18that's what transpired the online feud
27:21with them.
27:23And you're saying you never testified to
27:25this?
27:26>> No, I said I never testified to that
27:28question that you asked me.
27:36And so back in 2017,
27:40Roy gets assaulted and a feud uh there's
27:43a feud going on online between Roy Pate
27:47and Maris Conway. Correct.
27:49>> I can't say that. I told you about the
27:52incident that happened that night
27:53between them two. I didn't go deep in
27:55the double heaven because I didn't know
27:57what was going on.
28:06Do you recall what Roy Lee and um Mr.
28:10Conway were going back back and forth
28:12online about where he was from, which
28:15was just shown to this jury?
28:17>> No, what I'm saying is I said about what
28:20happened that night. I don't know. I
28:22didn't know nothing about the other. I
28:24just made it up.
28:43So, moving into 2020, there was a feud,
28:46correct?
28:49Between Yellow Bey, Trip Boy Freddy, and
28:51Melvin Noble.
28:52>> I mean, I guess so.
28:56>> You agree? I can't say I agree.
29:01>> Had you ever been to 3915 and 3030 uh
29:04Britain?
29:07>> 3915
29:09>> Ramona. 3915 Ramona.
29:10>> I was there.
29:12>> Had you ever been to 3030 Britain? No,
29:15I'm not.
29:26>> Who primarily lived at 39:15?
29:28>> Did nobody live there?
29:30>> What took place out of 3915?
29:32>> Oh,
29:35it was a trap house, right?
29:36>> I can't say. Wasn't my house.
30:14November 10th of 20. All right. November
30:1610th of 2020. You're in California with
30:18Mr. Conway, correct?
30:21>> Yeah.
30:22>> And his uncle. Um,
30:28did you receive a call from somebody
30:30that night?
30:32>> It was my time.
30:34>> Okay.
30:36At some point on the 10th, did you
30:37receive a call from somebody involved in
30:39this case?
30:40>> Yeah.
30:41>> Who called you?
30:42>> Q1.
30:43>> Q1. White
30:45>> and
30:47that's really bothered you
30:49from that point till now, right? That he
30:52called you?
30:53>> Yeah. Explain to this jury why that
30:56bothered you that he called you that
30:58night. cuz he never called my phone and
31:01he just called me out the blue and asked
31:03me the dumbest question in the world.
31:06>> And so I'll get that question here in
31:07just a second. And you and I talked
31:09about this. Um he called you on
31:10Instagram, right?
31:12>> Yeah.
31:13>> Um
31:16who was Kiwan closest to out of
31:18everybody?
31:19>> I can't say.
31:24>> But you and him were not close. Right.
31:27>> Right.
31:28So, the fact that he called you the
31:29night before
31:31Melvin Noble gets shot and killed by
31:34him,
31:35that's bothered you.
31:37>> I didn't know that prior to that.
31:39>> Prior to that, you didn't know. But
31:40looking back on it, it's bothered you.
31:42>> Just the way you word it. I didn't know
31:44that prior to it.
31:45>> Okay. Sorry. Let me take that back.
31:48>> You were concerned when you got back and
31:50you found out that Kiwan had done the
31:51shooting. Correct.
31:52>> I never found out he had got the shoot
31:54when I did the shooting when I got back.
31:57When you got back, you found out about
31:58it.
31:59>> I didn't find out about it when I got
32:00back.
32:01>> All right, we'll come to that in a
32:02second. Why has it bothered you that he
32:03called you that night?
32:04>> Cuz he never called me and then all the
32:08speculated moments. So then I got
32:11worried, but I never found out
32:13physically that he did anything.
32:23You didn't know that
32:25Nova Noble was going to be killed that
32:27day by a Q1 knife, right?
32:29>> I told you that a thousand times.
32:31>> I just wanted to be clear on the record
32:32for you.
32:33>> But you asked me like like I told you
32:36that before.
32:37>> I know, but this jury heard you talk
32:39about it till today, man. So, I just
32:41need you to be honest about it and be
32:42truthful. They need to hear from you,
32:44not me.
32:45>> All right.
32:51Let me show you. It's been marked as
32:5512:03.
32:58We're talking about how long y'all y'all
33:00stay in LA.
33:14>> That's part of that.
33:16>> I made it up.
33:17>> You made that up. you would have never
33:19testified to that in 1203.
33:23And that's page 105. State would offer
33:26states exhibit 1203 for all purposes.
33:30>> What is 123?
33:31>> 1203 is page 105 and 106. Um talking
33:36about him finding out uh that Kiwan had
33:39actually committed the murder and when
33:41and from who he found out about it.
33:44Judge, I'll object. 1203 is a grand jury
33:49uh transcript. It's inadmissible
33:51uh hearsay and he's uh
33:56this is not even proper impeachment. He
33:59wants to introduce an entire two pages
34:02of transcript. Whereas
34:05you can impeach a witness by asking them
34:07specific facts, but you're not allowed
34:10to introduce a transcript from a grand
34:13jury. That just is a whole conversation,
34:16judge. It's hearsay. It's an admissible
34:18hearsay and it's not proper impeachment.
34:23>> Your honor,
34:25as as council has told this court, it's
34:26not substantive evidence. is not coming
34:28in for the truth of the matter is
34:29circuit. It's merely to impeach his
34:31prior testimony.
34:31>> And also, your honor, I think it's been
34:34made very clear in front of his court
34:36based off the hearing that was outside
34:37the presence of the jury that he's going
34:39to deny everything in this. Um, so I can
34:44read every single question and go
34:46through each one and and or I can just
34:47pick these select few and try and move
34:49this thing along.
34:50>> Judge, one more objection. Mr. Thomas
34:53didn't say he didn't say it. He said I
34:54made that up.
34:58He didn't deny saying this. He said, "I
35:00made that up." So, I would eject uh the
35:03introduction of this evidence because he
35:05didn't deny making it. He just said he
35:07wasn't truthful.
35:10>> Thank you. Objections over rules. This
35:12is a 12 vote rules.
35:19>> And judge, I'd re urge uh the court to
35:21admonish the jury on the impeachment.
35:24Yes, ladies and gentlemen, uh the grand
35:26jury testimony given by Mr. Thomas is
35:29not to be taken as evidence of Mr.
35:32Conway's guilt. It's just for
35:34impeachment purposes. Impeaches
35:36credibility. Does everybody understand?
35:38>> Yes.
35:41>> And may I proceed?
35:42>> Yes, you do.
35:44>> And on 12:05, um I asked you did he ever
35:48did you ever see him in person, meaning
35:50Kiwan White after the murder? You said
35:52yes sir. Question. Did he ever talk to
35:55you in person or were there ever
35:57conversations with him and you or with
36:00other people around about committing the
36:02murder? Answer. No. I found out about
36:05committing the murder from Jerry
36:06Johnson.
36:08>> You made that up?
36:09>> Yeah.
36:20>> Question. Okay. And how do you know? Or
36:22how did you find out from Jerry? When
36:24did you find out? When I got back?
36:27Answer. Because when I got back because
36:29I was telling him that he was blowing me
36:31up. Question. You told Jerry that Kiwan
36:34was blowing you up. Answer. Yeah.
36:37Calling me on Instagram while I was out
36:39of town.
36:42And what did Jerry say in response to
36:44you to you? Answer. He was like, "Man, I
36:47don't know why he did that dumb ass
36:50ass."
36:52And that's when he told me, "You know,
36:54he did that woody woop to buddy." End
36:57quote. And that's exactly how he said
37:00it. And I was like, "Damn, man. You just
37:03put me in some s
37:08question." Because he was calling you
37:09during that time frame. Answer, right?
37:15question. Did Jerry at that point in
37:18time when y'all had this conversation,
37:20did he mention anything else about the
37:22the killing? No. Not at that time. No.
37:25He was just like, I hope it don't put
37:27you in no s because I don't know why he
37:31was calling you from Instagram.
37:36Then I asked you, do you know where
37:38Jerry was at the time during the murder?
37:39You said no.
37:57Mr. Thomas, would you agree with me that
37:58that phone call has unfortunately put
38:00you exactly where you didn't want to be
38:02in the middle of all this?
38:04>> Correct.
38:05>> That's correct.
38:06>> Correct.
38:07>> State 755. Do you recognize these two
38:10individuals in state 755?
38:13>> No.
38:14>> Who's the person with the blue underwear
38:15on?
38:18>> And who's the individual with the black
38:20tracksuit on?
38:24>> I can't tell who it is.
38:30You made a wish.
38:44Yeah.
38:45>> Who's Who is that?
38:46>> It's G.
38:47>> That's J. And you told me before that he
38:49was like a cousin to you, right?
38:51>> All right.
38:54And that's at the 3915 Arona house.
38:57>> All right. Now, again, that was on
38:59November 10th. You were in California
39:01with the defendant Maris Conway.
39:11Show another photo in states exhibit
39:13360. Uh, sorry, excuse me, 760.
39:16Recognize that individual.
39:19>> Sign in front of the desk, please.
39:20>> Kean White.
39:21>> All right.
39:23>> And Mr. Thomas, I know these are silly
39:25questions to you, but these are
39:26important questions that this jury needs
39:27to know about. Okay.
39:33764. We see a better picture of his
39:35face.
39:44Did you call me asking you about what
39:46type of car was driving during that time
39:48frame?
39:50>> Do you think it would help refresh your
39:51recollection if I showed you your
39:54testimony?
39:56If he was driving a black uh
39:59uh Camaro that we see in 767, that would
40:02that surprise you or do you think that's
40:03consistent with what you previously
40:04testified to?
40:07>> Yeah, that would surprise me cuz I said
40:08charge
40:18770. That's Q1 white again. Correct.
40:21>> Right.
40:23And the date on that is 11112020 at
40:26140833 and 7 go 770
40:34states a good 775 that's Jerry correct
40:47778. You see those two individuals out
40:49in the back
40:51by the grill.
40:55State 780. We see them with something on
40:58fire.
41:04Do you recognize who's in the state's
41:06exhibit? Um 781.
41:10>> No, I can't see nobody.
41:27All right, we'll come back to that photo
41:28in just a second.
41:31Safe exhibit 1204.
41:37Okay.
41:48Does that refresh your recollection that
41:49that's what you previously testified to?
41:53>> Okay.
41:54>> And so previously um I asked you what
41:57kind of kind of car was Kiwan getting
41:59into while showing you these photos. Do
42:01you remember that?
42:04>> And you said it was a black Camaro.
42:07And then I said, "Is that what he
42:08typically drove?" And your answer was
42:10what?
42:11>> On the paper.
42:13>> Correct. On the paper.
42:14>> Yeah.
42:15>> Are you saying you did not testify to
42:17this?
42:18>> I'm saying I told you I lied already. So
42:20asking questions from the paper. It's
42:22like you making me ree when that was my
42:24whole point of telling you that I lied
42:25in the first place.
42:27>> State offer states exhibit 1204 for all
42:30purpose or for Yeah. For all purposes.
42:32>> Judge will object uh under hearsay under
42:34801. It's a grand jury transcript is not
42:38uh admissible uh hearsay. Uh the witness
42:42said he didn't deny saying it. He said
42:44that he lied. So he's not denying the
42:47statement. So this document should
42:49should not be introduced impeachment.
42:51He's he's admitted making the statement
42:53and just says it was true.
42:55>> Thank you.
42:56>> That's the whole point of impeachment is
42:58to give him an opportunity to say
43:01whether he did or didn't say that. um
43:04this is to show to actually impeach him
43:07for what he testified to.
43:08>> Well, he's saying he did say it, but
43:11he's saying that it was a lie.
43:13>> When I asked him on direct what kind of
43:15car, he said no, a charger. That is not
43:17what he says in this.
43:20>> But once his uh his memory was
43:22refreshed, he admitted it and said,
43:24>> "Right."
43:26>> Okay. I'll withdraw.
43:29Objection is sustained.
44:01So is Is it your testimony right now
44:02that you do not recognize that
44:04individual that I just showed you uh
44:06walking in with the blue GRC shirt?
44:08>> Yeah, I couldn't see my picture.
45:18Now, Mr. Thomas, when you were
45:19testifying in grand jury, um, I showed
45:22you a bunch of photos. You remember
45:24that?
45:26>> State exhibit at 12:05.
45:30I'm asking you about
45:346 to 33. At 6 PM on the 11th, we see an
45:37individual walking in with some Jordans
45:39with some uh with some Jordans, some
45:41white and blue Jordans, what looks like
45:43to be a promethazine cough syrup or beer
45:46and a blue GRC sweatshirt and a chain.
45:48Who is this individual?
45:51show you what's been marked as states
45:52exhibit
45:5433 from grand jury
45:57and your answer in states exhibit 1205.
46:01Does that refresh your recollection?
46:03>> Yeah.
46:04>> Who is in uh states exhibit 781?
46:08>> Shy Town.
46:09>> Shy Town.
46:10>> That's Devin Brown. Correct.
46:11>> Correct.
46:12>> And that's what you testified in grand
46:13jury as to
46:171206. just an Instagram of him.
46:22>> Yeah.
46:40>> Do you know who Chicago was dating
46:42during that time?
46:44>> No.
46:50He was Chicago. Let's keep the name
46:51straight for the jury's.
46:53>> Devin Brown, correct?
46:55>> It's Chicago.
46:58>> Do you know if he had kids with a woman
47:00named Jocelyn Jackson?
47:02>> Yes.
47:03>> Okay.
47:04And do you know uh who she was dating in
47:08November of 2020?
47:10>> No. Do you remember testifying about
47:15Devon and Hur's relationship and MO3?
47:19>> Yeah.
47:19>> Okay. You do know that during that time
47:21Melvin Noble Mo3 was dating Josson
47:24Jackson, the mother of Deon Brown's
47:26kids. Correct.
47:26>> Yeah, I heard I didn't know, but I
47:28heard.
47:28>> Okay.
47:54How did you find out that Melvin Noble
47:55had been killed?
47:57>> Social media.
47:58>> When you were in California.
48:02>> Were you with Mr. Conway at the moment
48:04that you found out? No.
48:08>> Do you remember during
48:10your previous testimony, we talked about
48:12his reaction when you went down to see
48:14him?
48:15>> Right.
48:16>> How was he acting um when you went down
48:20to see him after finding out Melvin
48:23Noble had died?
48:24>> [ __ ] Like he I always act. He wouldn't
48:27do nothing different from any other day.
48:58Thank you.
49:23Did you recall during grand jury in
49:262025 when I asked you
49:30Who would uh that when I asked you who
49:33had specifically wanted to mode three
49:36dead? What specific individuals? Do you
49:38recall your answer being yellowey and
49:40trap boy Freddy?
49:43>> Yeah, I recall but a lot.
49:45>> That was a lie.
49:46>> Yeah.
49:48>> And you were under oath, correct?
49:50>> Yeah, but I didn't know how serious my
49:51under was at the time.
49:53>> You didn't what?
49:54>> I didn't know what it was at the time.
49:58And just so we're clear,
50:02Mr. Thomas, you and I have met on
50:03multiple occasions.
50:05>> Fair?
50:06>> Yeah, we met twice.
50:09>> And
50:11I think we've met a couple more times
50:12than that, but since your grand jury,
50:14we've talked at least twice.
50:16>> Is that fair?
50:17>> Yeah. and
50:20you eventually recanted
50:23about a conversation that you heard and
50:26that was actually the Sunday before Q1
50:29White's trial. Correct.
50:30>> Correct.
50:32>> Well, actually it wasn't the Sunday
50:35before. Remember if you if you go back
50:37to it, I called you and told you I felt
50:38a way about something and I want to come
50:40talk to you. Then when you brought me
50:42in, there was a room full of people in
50:44there.
50:45>> Stage, Mr. Thomas, I'll respond to the
50:49question.
50:51>> And Mr. Thomas, you're currently charged
50:53with cases, correct?
50:56>> Yeah.
50:56>> And you have an attorney that's here,
50:57correct?
50:58>> Correct.
50:59>> And every time you and I have talked,
51:00I've had to make sure that he's he was
51:02present. You understand that, correct?
51:04>> Correct.
51:05>> Cuz you have certain rights that I do
51:06not want to violate. You understand
51:07that, right?
51:08>> Correct. In fact,
51:11I've told you so much when you wanted to
51:13talk privately that I cannot talk to you
51:15without your a charge. You understand
51:17that, right?
51:18>> Right.
51:20>> Because I wanted to protect you and your
51:22rights.
51:31The first time I ever asked you any
51:32questions about anything and you and I
51:34ever talked,
51:39there was no deals in place, no offers
51:41by me. Correct?
51:45And on February 13th, 2025, when you
51:48testify in front of a grand Dallas
51:49County grand jury and I asked you
51:52which specific individuals wanted Melvin
51:55Noble, Mo three dead, your answer was
51:58Yell Easy, and Trap Boy Freddy. Correct.
52:00>> Correct.
52:01>> But do you want this jury to believe
52:03that was a lie?
52:05>> Yeah, because
52:06>> Hold on. That's a yes.
52:10on August 26 or 25th, it was a a Sunday
52:13afternoon, you reached out to your
52:14attorney, Mr. Bright, and said you
52:16wanted to recant about a statement.
52:18Correct.
52:19>> Correct.
52:21>> In the two weeks prior to that, we met
52:22two other times on our 10th floor here
52:24in this building. You remember that?
52:27>> Prior to that, we met two.
52:29>> Yes. Thank you.
52:31>> Prior to that, you and I met other times
52:33on the 11th floor. After your grand jury
52:35testimony in the past year and a half,
52:36you've never once recanted or said, "I
52:38lied about anything." Correct. Correct.
52:41>> But on the Sunday before jury selection
52:43for Kiwan White, that's when you
52:45decided,
52:47you know what? I lied.
52:50>> Right. Right.
52:53>> But truth be told, when you testified in
52:55front of that Granger, when I asked you
52:56about Jared, do you remember what you
52:58did?
52:59>> Yeah.
52:59>> What' you do?
53:01>> I cried.
53:02>> Yeah. You cried?
53:03>> Cuz I was lying.
53:04>> Okay.
53:05Cuz you were lying,
53:07>> right?
53:08And let's be fair, the feds dismissed
53:10your case, right? Right.
53:12>> You got put in these steps program, a
53:14reentry program by the federal
53:16government for your doping gun charge.
53:18Right.
53:18>> Right.
53:19>> And and you got back on the right track.
53:22You got a job.
53:24>> And that's why I knew that I lied.
53:27>> And even after that federal case got
53:29dismissed, you still didn't recant. It
53:31wasn't until the night before the first
53:33trial that you just decided to say, "I
53:35lie." Well, I didn't know I was going to
53:36be a lawyer like you, so I didn't know
53:38how.
53:38>> Is that a yes or no? The first time you
53:40came forward and said I lied was the day
53:41before Kon Strong. Yes or no?
53:43>> Object like the witness to answer the
53:45question.
54:07Mr. Thomas, a lot of people have done
54:09you wrong in the last year and a half.
54:10Fair
54:12and fair to say that uh
54:19>> that because of this everything that's
54:21gone on since 2020 till now,
54:25you have a lot of heart feelings towards
54:27a lot of people. Is that fair? No,
54:29>> I ain't got no heart feelings against
54:30nobody.
54:31>> Okay.
54:33Do
54:35>> you remember when we talked on the phone
54:36one day and you told me the only person
54:39I trust is Detective Eric Barnes?
54:42>> Is that true?
54:43>> Yes or no?
54:43>> Yes.
54:53In October 2020, do you remember flying
54:55to
54:59do you remember flying to Miami for um
55:01Maris Conway's birthday?
55:03>> When was that?
55:05>> I believe y'all flew out October 22nd or
55:0823rd. Do you remember that? And y'all
55:09flew to Miami on that private jet?
55:10>> Yeah.
55:13>> Jerry was with y'all.
55:14>> Yeah.
55:29Now,
55:32Mr. Thomas,
55:36do you recall during your grand jury
55:38testimony, um, I asked you about,
55:42we've already seen the one portion
55:44about, um, Kiwan and whether you found
55:47out that he committed the murder. We've
55:49already gone over that portion. You
55:50remember that?
55:51>> Yeah.
55:51>> All right.
55:55And we talked about that first
55:56conversation, but then I asked you about
56:00were there any other discussions about a
56:02murder
56:05and you talked about Conway pulling up
56:07to the barber shop. Do you remember
56:08that?
56:10Yes.
56:11>> I already told you a lot about that.
56:13That was my where I came to from the
56:15jump.
56:15>> Okay,
56:16>> Mr. Thomas, we just got to go through
56:18this, man.
56:19>> I'm trying to get through this. You make
56:20me reive a lot when I ain't trying to be
56:22like that no more.
56:24So, what we're going to do, we're going
56:25to go through this.
56:27>> All right.
56:29>> You said Conway, you said he had pulled
56:31up to the barber shop. Me and Conway.
56:33You remember that?
56:34>> Yeah.
56:36And that was Jerry's barber shop, right?
56:38>> Yeah.
56:39>> But this was a lie.
56:41>> It wasn't lie. That is your barber shop.
56:44>> Okay.
56:46This was right after the California trip
56:48in November. I remember I told you I
56:51don't know exactly when
56:53I told you I lied about what I heard. I
56:55heard it in the car.
56:58He could pull up any day.
57:00>> And this is after the California trip,
57:02>> right?
57:02>> Yes, sir.
57:04>> Correct.
57:04>> Right. Keep breathing.
57:07Does it sound like you read it?
57:10>> Do you know what day? I don't remember
57:11what day exactly. No, sir. So, yellow
57:13easy pulls up to the barber shop at
57:15Jerry's. Who's at Jerry's with you?
57:20Just well, it was a lot of people there,
57:22but when he pulled over to the barber
57:23shop, sometimes he wouldn't go in,
57:26meaning Conway. Sometimes he'll just sit
57:28in the parking lot and be on his phone.
57:30You're talking about Con. This all a
57:31lot.
57:32>> Yes, definitely lot.
57:33>> Okay.
57:33>> I told him what I said.
57:35>> Okay. You mean?
57:36>> Yeah.
57:41>> Can I ask you about what type of
57:42vehicle?
57:46>> Unfortunately, Mr. Thomas, I can't just
57:48sit here and read through this whole
57:49thing, but I'm happy to
57:54question. So, Yellow Bezy pulls up at
57:56the barber shop at Jerry's.
57:58Who's at Jerry's with you?
58:06And we talk about how
58:08he can't just come in. He can walk right
58:11in. Yella can walk in. No problem,
58:13right?
58:14Nobody bothers him at the barber shop,
58:17right? That's what we're talking about.
58:18I'm trying to skim it so I'm not reading
58:20all of it.
58:22He knew most of the people at the barber
58:24shop, people weren't going to bother him
58:26at the barber shop. Like a bunch of
58:27people, fans and stuff like that. Right.
58:29>> Right.
58:29>> Okay.
58:32He felt comfortable around there.
58:35Judge will object to just going into
58:39uh irrelevant matters about how where he
58:42felt comfortable in the barbershop. If
58:44he wants to ask specific question or
58:47statement Mr. Thomas made regarding
58:50the uh the elements of this case, that's
58:52what we're asking him to do.
58:57>> You recall me asking you about what type
58:59of vehicle he was driving that day?
59:01>> What type of vehicle was he driving?
59:04Uh, I think it's a Yukon.
59:06>> The black vanilla.
59:07>> Yeah,
59:07>> the bulletproof one.
59:08>> Yeah.
59:10>> So, that wasn't a lot.
59:14>> I mean, obviously
59:19I asked you about what the conversation
59:21was in the car and I said, "You get in
59:24the car, what's the conversation about
59:25initially?"
59:27Do you recall making the statement?
59:30Well, Johnson was telling Yellow Bezy
59:31that he needed money because he paid
59:33Kiwan money, the Kiwan White, the money
59:36for him. So, he needed his money back
59:37because he don't got it like that. You
59:40recall testifying to that?
59:41>> I didn't actually say it like that, but
59:44that's why I also told you I lied to
59:45him.
59:46>> Okay.
59:47>> I mean, lied about.
59:48>> So, you did not say this.
59:50>> I said, but I lied.
59:51>> Okay. So you said Johnson was telling
59:53Elizy that he needed the money because
59:55he paid Key wanted the money for him. So
59:57he needed the money back.
59:59>> Hold on,
1:00:00>> Mr. Thomas. So he needed the money back
1:00:02cuz he don't got it like that. And I
1:00:05asked you when you say he don't got it
1:00:06like that, meaning Jerry doesn't have
1:00:08the money to front for the murder and
1:00:11you answered yeah.
1:00:13That is what you testified to, but
1:00:14you're saying that is a lie. Correct.
1:00:17>> Okay. Judge WA asked that you give the
1:00:20jury the instruction again on the
1:00:22feature.
1:00:23>> Yes, ladies and gentlemen, this grand
1:00:25jury testimony uh you can give whatever
1:00:28weight uh you like to it, but don't take
1:00:32it as evidence of Mr. Conway's gift.
1:00:36It's so for the purpose of impeaching
1:00:38Mr. Thomas. Okay,
1:00:44the next next part
1:00:50I asked you about is this the first time
1:00:53you've heard Jerry talk about his
1:00:54involvement or anybody else's
1:00:55involvement in this murder for hire,
1:01:00right?
1:01:03other than the conversation about Kiwan.
1:01:05And you said, now I asked you, you're
1:01:08hoping you didn't get involved or caught
1:01:10up in this, right? And you said, "Right
1:01:13again, cuz that phone call that night
1:01:15from Kiwan, who never calls you, that's
1:01:18really that had you bothered?" Yes.
1:01:22>> Just yes or no?
1:01:23>> Yes.
1:01:24>> Okay.
1:01:27Is this the the first time you've heard
1:01:29Jerry uh talk about he Kiwan getting
1:01:32paid for it? And you say, "Yes, sir."
1:01:34Right? Is that what you testify to?
1:01:47>> You remember all this?
1:01:49>> I remember saying.
1:01:50>> Okay. So, you remember all this? I'm
1:01:52going to ask you about this. I'm going
1:01:53to ask you, did you say, and you can let
1:01:56this jury
1:01:57>> you can tell me what you said and we can
1:01:59move this along. Is that all right? And
1:02:00you can the jury understands.
1:02:07I asked you. So when they're talking
1:02:08about it,
1:02:10the jury say how much he want was paid.
1:02:13You remember that?
1:02:14>> No.
1:02:15>> And
1:02:17what did you say?
1:02:24>> I said in the car he didn't say how much
1:02:26he gave. But did you later find out how
1:02:29much he gave him?
1:02:31>> No,
1:02:36page 116.
1:02:39And I asked you when y'all talked about
1:02:41the money, how much money was Kiwan paid
1:02:44to do this? And your answer was
1:02:45supposedly 40,000. That was your answer.
1:02:51>> Then I asked, where did that $40,000
1:02:53come from? And you said yell and trap
1:02:55boy Freddy. Do you recall that?
1:02:57>> That was a lot.
1:02:58>> But is that what you said?
1:02:59>> Um, I need a yes or no.
1:03:02>> Yeah. Judge will again request the
1:03:06court's instructions to jury
1:03:08impeachment.
1:03:08>> Yes. Ladies and gentlemen, the grandeur
1:03:10of testimony that given by Mr. Thomas
1:03:14should not be um used as evidence of Mr.
1:03:19Conway's guilt. It's sole purpose for
1:03:22now is uh to impeach Mr. Thomas's
1:03:25credibility and he can give whatever way
1:03:28he wishes to.
1:03:35And during that conversation or during
1:03:37that um testimony and grand jury,
1:03:41we discussed about the back and forth
1:03:42that took place in the car. You recall
1:03:45that?
1:03:46>> Yeah.
1:03:48Now you and I um you understand at that
1:03:51time you were still under federal
1:03:54indictment at that time. Is that
1:03:55correct?
1:03:56>> Correct.
1:03:57>> And when did you graduate from the steps
1:03:58program?
1:04:01>> It was April.
1:04:03>> April this year.
1:04:04>> No, August. August. It was August of
1:04:06this year.
1:04:12I remember the day I graduated but it
1:04:14was around August. August. Yeah. Uh
1:04:18June. It was June cuz it was 2 months
1:04:21after I had been
1:04:23June.
1:04:24>> Okay.
1:04:25>> And so when you graduate, your federal
1:04:27case gets dismissed. Correct.
1:04:28>> Correct.
1:05:05During grand jury,
1:05:08you and I talked
1:05:10about Kiwan White and his um financial
1:05:14status. Do you remember or his his
1:05:16finances and what kind of money he had
1:05:18back then? Do you remember that?
1:05:31And specifically, we're talking about
1:05:33how Jerry had paid some money upfront
1:05:36and that Jerry was trying to get the
1:05:38rest of the money from yellowy. You
1:05:39remember that?
1:05:41>> Yeah.
1:05:41>> You do remember that? Okay.
1:05:45So, we're talking about that that Jerry
1:05:47fronted some of the money. We're trying
1:05:48to get the rest of the money from Conway
1:05:50about this $40,000 from Trap and Yellow,
1:05:53right?
1:05:58because Jerry needed the rest of the
1:06:00rest of the money to pay Kiwan, right?
1:06:05>> Is that a yes?
1:06:06>> Yeah.
1:06:10>> And I asked you about Kiwan and his
1:06:12spending. Do you recall when I asked you
1:06:14about his spending habits and I asked
1:06:16you whether his spending habits changed
1:06:18after that and you said, "Yeah."
1:06:20>> Right.
1:06:23I ask you how did they change after um
1:06:25after
1:06:27he'd been furning some of the money from
1:06:28Jerry and you talked about he was buying
1:06:31new things like Jordans, right?
1:06:34>> Outfits, going out to the club, those
1:06:36kind of things,
1:06:37>> right?
1:06:46He talks about how all of a sudden he
1:06:48came into some money that he normally
1:06:49didn't have, right? He
1:06:57>> didn't have his own car, didn't have a
1:07:00house.
1:07:01>> Kind of bouncing from traffic.
1:07:03>> Judge, could we have a specific
1:07:05statement uh that that uh the witness
1:07:08says rather than just reading from a
1:07:10from a document, please would object
1:07:12otherwise.
1:07:14>> Okay. on page 130. When I ask you
1:07:17whether or not he had uh his own car,
1:07:19did he have his own car?
1:07:21>> Not that I knew of.
1:07:22>> Okay. Did he have his own house?
1:07:24>> Not that I knew of.
1:07:25>> Okay. And on page 13, I ask you about
1:07:29all of a sudden he had some money and
1:07:31some chains. You remember that?
1:07:33>> Right.
1:07:34>> Cuz there were uh times prior to this,
1:07:37including music videos with you, where
1:07:39Kon White was wearing chains and
1:07:41flashing money, right?
1:07:42>> Right.
1:07:44But those weren't his chains or his
1:07:46money, right?
1:07:47>> In that in particular video, that wasn't
1:07:50his chain.
1:07:51>> Whose chain was it?
1:07:52>> That was my chain.
1:07:53>> But at some point later, did he get a
1:07:55GRC chain?
1:07:56>> I can't say.
1:08:03And you told Kiwan after y'all got back
1:08:07from California, um, you'd agree that
1:08:10you told him that it was getting the
1:08:11heat was too much in the city and he
1:08:13needed to get out of town, right?
1:08:16>> That wasn't a lie, right?
1:08:17>> Cuz I could see what everybody else see.
1:08:19>> What did What did you see?
1:08:22>> That it was a lot of [ __ ] going on
1:08:24circulating around
1:08:25>> like what?
1:08:26>> Different [ __ ] He He like I told you
1:08:29before, I ain't no tell who he was
1:08:31anymore.
1:08:36>> Was it the way he was acting after the
1:08:37murder that you were worried that it
1:08:39might bring some heat on y'all?
1:08:41>> No, the way he was acting period. I
1:08:43didn't know the murder. I told you
1:08:57And so you testified a grand jury. I
1:08:59told him that you should leave the city
1:09:00because you he was basically doing a lot
1:09:03of dumb stuff. So
1:09:05>> judge will object to him reading from
1:09:06the document. He needs to ask him a
1:09:08question of what his statement was.
1:09:12>> Did you tell him that because you knew
1:09:13what he had already done and that it was
1:09:15hot in the city that he needed to leave
1:09:16town? Did you tell him that?
1:09:18>> Yes.
1:09:19>> Okay. Thank you.
1:09:25Did you tell him that when uh he was
1:09:27putting bringing so too much heat the
1:09:29way he was spending stupid uh and he was
1:09:31putting heat on your cousin Jeremy that
1:09:34he needed to leave?
1:09:35>> Yes.
1:10:43Okay.
1:10:51I have one moment please to find the
1:10:52exit.
1:10:53>> Yes.
1:11:26Heat. Heat.
1:12:01Now, Mr. Thomas. Um,
1:12:04as far as your current charges, you are
1:12:06currently charged um with a misdemeanor
1:12:10UCW firearm case. Is that correct?
1:12:13>> Yeah.
1:12:14>> And the other charge that you have is, I
1:12:18believe, a state jail theft. Is that
1:12:19right?
1:12:21And the punishment for a state jail uh
1:12:24felony is
1:12:28up to two years in the state jail unit.
1:12:32180 days to uh two years in the state
1:12:34jail unit. Correct. I guess so.
1:12:37And
1:12:40prior to recanting
1:12:43uh the night before Dre selection on Q1
1:12:46white, um
1:12:50I offered you
1:12:52a conviction in that time on your gun
1:12:54case and uh dismiss your felony through
1:12:57your honest and truthful testimony. You
1:12:59understand that, right?
1:13:01>> Um and that was early August.
1:13:10And when you came in on that Monday
1:13:12morning, uh, you spoke to Detective
1:13:15Barnes, correct?
1:13:16>> Correct. and you gave an interview where
1:13:19you recanted
1:13:22overhearing the conversation about the
1:13:24$40,000
1:13:26and Jerry having furned some of that
1:13:28$40,000
1:13:30to uh Ewan on behalf of Maris Conway,
1:13:34the defendant in this case, and Devarius
1:13:36Moore aka Trap Boyd. That was the first
1:13:39time and it was about 5 minutes of
1:13:42video. Is that fair? Yeah, cuz I forgot
1:13:44about the the the actual grand testimony
1:13:47stuff. So, I didn't know B what I did
1:13:52say and that. So, that's why I had just
1:13:54to get it out there that I made up the
1:13:57[ __ ] that I mean, excuse my I'm sorry,
1:14:00the stuff that I was saying and like I
1:14:03said, I made sure that uh
1:14:06>> I'm going to object to nonresponsive,
1:14:07your honor.
1:14:08>> Oh, go ahead.
1:14:12minister.
1:14:18But yeah, like I told I didn't want to
1:14:20uh I ain't want to lie, you know. I
1:14:23already felt like I did too much line
1:14:25from the jump and I didn't like I said I
1:14:27I I came I did come to them two weeks
1:14:30before, but they were basically like,
1:14:33"Hey, you I know you scared." You know
1:14:35what I mean? But I did come to them
1:14:36before that. I didn't wait till the day
1:14:38of. I just actually said I couldn't I
1:14:40had to get it out to my lawyer to get to
1:14:42them as fast as I could cuz I got tied
1:14:43away cuz I didn't want to do it. I
1:14:46>> have been nonresponsive.
1:14:48>> Thank you.
1:14:48>> And narrative
1:14:51>> um
1:14:57Mr. Thomas
1:15:00792. This is from the Ramoner trap
1:15:02house. As has previously been admitted
1:15:04on November 22nd, 2020
1:15:08time stamp of 22 2918.
1:15:13>> We see you and uh Q1,
1:15:15>> right?
1:15:18And that's uh at Jerry's trap house on
1:15:20Ramona,
1:15:22>> right?
1:15:24>> And that's the night that K1 leaves town
1:15:26and goes to Mount Pleasant.
1:15:28I don't know exactly if that was tonight
1:15:30or not, but that's me right there cuz
1:15:32you see me in the picture, but I don't
1:15:34know what night it was.
1:15:47>> M Mr. Thomas, would you agree with me
1:15:48that it's looked down upon to come in
1:15:50and testify against somebody you grew up
1:15:52with? No,
1:15:54>> it's not.
1:15:59I agree with you that it's looked down
1:16:01down upon a lot and you told me all you
1:16:03wanted me to do is tell the truth. So
1:16:05that's what I'm doing.
1:16:21Mr. Thomas, in the time that you've um
1:16:24been out of federal custody and on bond,
1:16:28both while on the STEPS program and
1:16:29while out of the STEPS program, um you
1:16:33did not recant until August, but you
1:16:36also didn't do anything else, and that
1:16:38was give interviews,
1:16:40>> correct? You never gave a single
1:16:42interview up until about 10 days ago.
1:16:45>> I need to pay my rent.
1:16:48And all of a sudden now you've done
1:16:49multiple interviews talking about this
1:16:51case
1:16:53um and denying that you testify in grand
1:16:56jury,
1:16:56>> right?
1:16:58>> And so you lied in those interviews too,
1:17:00>> right?
1:17:02>> Lying that you didn't say that Maris
1:17:04Conway paid for Kiwan White to kill
1:17:08Melvin Noble,
1:17:09>> right?
1:17:12And you lied um not only about that, but
1:17:15you lied that Jerry fronted some of the
1:17:17money.
1:17:18>> And you lied about the specific amount
1:17:20of $40,000.
1:17:23Right.
1:17:26>> Is that right?
1:17:27>> Right.
1:17:27>> Okay.
1:17:29And like you and as you said here today,
1:17:33you're just here to tell the truth.
1:17:56Thank you.
1:18:36transfer March is 1210. Do you recognize
1:18:381210?
1:18:39>> Yeah.
1:18:39>> Is that the trip that went to the uh
1:18:42Florida for Conway's birthday in October
1:18:442020?
1:18:45>> Yeah.
1:18:48>> Yeah.
1:18:50>> 12:11. You remember that day, don't you?
1:18:52>> Yeah.
1:18:54>> I cut There's a kid in this boat. I cut
1:18:55the kid out.
1:18:57Be respectful. 121. You recognize that
1:19:02>> 1212. You recognize those
1:19:07states going to offer states exhibit
1:19:091210 121 12 for all purposes.
1:19:16>> 1210 is a photo from the October trip to
1:19:19Miami. 1211 is a photo of Conway, Jerry,
1:19:25and uh Theodore.
1:19:281212 is there photos from Lancaster?
1:19:32>> No judges that it's 1210, 1211, and 122
1:19:37for admitted purposes.
1:19:41>> 1210.
1:19:46This was y'all's trip to to Miami in
1:19:48October of 2020, right?
1:19:49>> Right.
1:19:571211. What do we see here in 1211?
1:20:02A picture.
1:20:03>> What's it from?
1:20:06>> Baby shower.
1:20:07>> Baby shower, right?
1:20:08>> Yeah.
1:20:10>> 1210s,
1:20:12y'all. For Conway's birthday. 1211s,
1:20:15baby shower for your little girl.
1:20:18>> Say yes.
1:20:19>> Yeah.
1:20:221212. Y'all in uh growing up, right?
1:20:26>> Right.
1:20:28>> Lifelong friends,
1:20:45>> I know you tried to downplay it, Mr.
1:20:47Thomas, when I asked you about your
1:20:49relationship with them growing up and
1:20:52you said we grew up together, how many
1:20:54of your friends that you grew up with
1:20:55take you on private jets?
1:20:58>> I got dude I never I was a friend with a
1:21:00year or two private jet. So that ain't
1:21:02nothing.
1:21:15>> Yes.
1:21:42Mr. Thomas, do you remember testifying
1:21:44in grand jury about um
1:21:49uh Rainwater being assaulted by yourself
1:21:53and Mr. Conway?
1:21:55>> Was that a lie?
1:21:56>> No.
1:22:13Did you know uh rainwater personally?
1:22:16>> No.
1:22:27Let me show you a disc marked as 1213
1:22:30that you initialed on August 12th of 26
1:22:34about two weeks prior to K1's trial. You
1:22:36remember initial in this disc all those
1:22:39people?
1:22:42>> I did though my initial but I don't
1:22:45remember.
1:22:45>> Remember we watched this and you watched
1:22:47the video the assault.
1:22:49>> Yeah.
1:22:51>> Okay. So these are your initials and we
1:22:53talked about the assault on that day the
1:22:5512th
1:22:56but you did not recant on that day
1:22:58August 12th. Correct. Correct.
1:23:06state would offer states exhibit
1:23:098 uh 1213 for all purposes. Um it's been
1:23:13previously tender to defense council
1:23:14which is the uh rainwater assault
1:23:17videos.
1:23:19>> Judge will object and review our
1:23:21previous objections uh made at a hearing
1:23:24outside the purpose of the jury couple
1:23:27months ago.
1:23:29>> What's this next?
1:23:32We had a hearing in July that the court
1:23:34admitted or ruled that these were
1:23:36admissible during that entire hearing as
1:23:38to the feud and the timeline.
1:23:40>> Okay.
1:23:41>> State exhibit 1213 is admitted for
1:23:44purposes.
1:23:44>> Thank you. Just show the records clear.
1:23:46Are you overruling my
1:23:53>> may I have a moment your honor to
1:23:54prepare this? Thank you.
1:24:57Mr. Thomas, while this is trying to get
1:24:59to work, how well did you know um
1:25:02rainwater?
1:25:05I'm sorry.
1:25:05>> I barely knew him.
1:25:10>> And prior to this assault that took
1:25:14place,
1:25:16you had never had any runins like this
1:25:18with rainwater. Correct. Right.
1:25:29Another
1:25:38one.
1:26:08We're having some technical
1:26:08difficulties. I apologize.
1:26:11This is a good time to take a break.
1:26:13Let's take a 15 minute break and be back
1:26:16at
1:26:194 4:15.
1:26:22>> 3:15.
1:26:23>> I'm sorry. 3:15.
1:26:36You got our mics up.
1:27:01You
1:27:14>> didn't know nothing about nothing.
1:27:15>> Yes.
1:27:16>> I was like, "Oh, what's I don't know."
1:27:18And then I lied. I lied to the grand
1:27:22jury.
1:27:22>> And you're asking me to lie again.
1:27:24>> Reli.
1:27:25>> You're making me rely.
1:27:27>> I'm like I'm like, "Is that a word?"
1:27:29He says, "Do you recognize anyone um in
1:27:32the courtroom?"
1:27:34Not no more. I was like, "Okay, this
1:27:36ain't going anywhere good."
1:27:38>> Yeah, it's
1:27:39>> it was kind of uh
1:27:40>> But this is what we've been waiting for.
1:27:43>> Yeah, but how much how much credence can
1:27:47a jury give this?
1:27:50>> Well, like I said before, it just
1:27:51depends on the juror. You may have some
1:27:53jurors on there that are going to say
1:27:57he's lying now. What he told the grand
1:27:59jury, what he told Detective Eric
1:28:01Barnes, which he said that's the person
1:28:03he trusted.
1:28:05>> That was the truth. And what he's doing
1:28:07now, because he's in front of uh
1:28:11Yellowy, this is a lie. Or he's trying
1:28:13to save himself now. This is a lie. Then
1:28:16you may have other jurors that are like,
1:28:18I'm not going to listen to anything he
1:28:19says. He's he's just a liar. Well, how
1:28:21do you how do you even begin to parse
1:28:23what is true and what is not true as a
1:28:27juror? I mean, I
1:28:29>> it makes it hard. It makes it hard.
1:28:33>> It It feels really difficult. You you
1:28:36you thought, you know, you kind of
1:28:37understood when he took the fifth last
1:28:39week, okay, he's cutting himself, you
1:28:43know, some kind of deal here,
1:28:45>> right? Because that's why we got his
1:28:46attorney.
1:28:48And then we heard them say this morning
1:28:49they were doing this limited immunity
1:28:52agreement
1:28:53and it's just like he's he does not
1:28:59not want to be in that courtroom.
1:29:02>> No. and um his body language, you know,
1:29:07besides him just saying he he doesn't
1:29:09know or that he was lying and uh ADA
1:29:13Adams having to pull out the um grand
1:29:15jury transcript and impeach him with
1:29:18that. Um his body language says he
1:29:21doesn't want to be there and it doesn't
1:29:23look like he looked over to Yellowy one
1:29:27time during that trial,
1:29:29>> during his testimony.
1:29:31>> Right. What does that tell you?
1:29:35>> That he knew he knows he messed up
1:29:38>> that he never should have talked in the
1:29:39first place.
1:29:39>> That he never should have talked in the
1:29:41first place because what he he wasn't a
1:29:44really a party to it. It was just things
1:29:46he had heard or things that were
1:29:48allegedly told to him.
1:29:50>> Right. What did you make of I mean I
1:29:54counted four times that the
1:29:58uh Toby asked the judge to admonish the
1:30:03jury and then four times that the judge
1:30:08did it and talk to people about what
1:30:10that means and why that's important what
1:30:12she was doing
1:30:12>> about the grand jury testimony that
1:30:14they're not supposed to consider it for
1:30:16guilt or it's only being
1:30:18>> because he called it inadmissible
1:30:19hearsay. Yes. Yes. Well, um that it it
1:30:24can't be used for
1:30:27to decide his guilt or innocence, but
1:30:30it's hard to unring that bell once it's
1:30:32been rung.
1:30:34>> Are they improperly bringing it in?
1:30:38>> I I think there were a a few points
1:30:40there where ADA Adams didn't lay out the
1:30:44the question. It was just like he like
1:30:47attorney Shook said, he was just reading
1:30:48from the grand jury testimony,
1:30:50>> right?
1:30:50>> When he should have been asked him a
1:30:52question and then let him give his
1:30:55answer,
1:30:56>> right?
1:30:56>> Okay, this isn't the answer you gave in
1:30:59grand jury. Do you remember saying this
1:31:00to the grand jurors?
1:31:02>> Right now, does this create some
1:31:04appellet should Maris Conway get
1:31:07convicted, does this create some
1:31:09appellet points?
1:31:10>> I think they do have some things for
1:31:11that appellet record.
1:31:13>> What do you think the judge should have
1:31:14done? I mean, you know, she doesn't
1:31:16watch this.
1:31:18>> Well,
1:31:20Judge, she made, she may, she's very
1:31:24informed. Um,
1:31:27I think, you know, Judge Anum, she made
1:31:30some right calls, but me being a defense
1:31:32attorney, I'm, you know, judge, hey, no,
1:31:36don't let him, don't let him do this
1:31:38>> because they're they're backing it in.
1:31:39They're backdooring it in and they know
1:31:42the jurors,
1:31:44even though you may have some jurors
1:31:45that are going to follow the judge's
1:31:47instruction, you got others that are
1:31:49like, "No,
1:31:50I remember what he said in that grand
1:31:52jury testimony that he
1:31:56>> Yeah. And and and they're basically
1:31:58saying that he heard
1:32:02Describe for folks what what what the
1:32:04grand jury testimony is saying happened
1:32:06here. From what I can tell, um, he
1:32:10testified that, um, Jerry Johnson, who
1:32:14is a very close friend, they grew up
1:32:16together, they call each other cousin,
1:32:19you know, they view each other as
1:32:20family.
1:32:22>> Um,
1:32:24>> paid for Yellow Beey's part of the hit,
1:32:29>> right?
1:32:30>> And that he needed his money back.
1:32:32>> He didn't have a lot of money.
1:32:33>> Yeah, he needed his money back. And um
1:32:39also um that
1:32:44Mr. Thomas himself told Kiwan, "Hey,
1:32:47you're making things bad out here the
1:32:49way you're spending this money,
1:32:50>> right?
1:32:51>> You you're drawing a lot of attention
1:32:52because people know you don't have any
1:32:54money. Not money like that
1:32:56>> and you're out here buying new clothes,
1:32:58you're buying change, you're going to
1:33:00the clubs, you're you're doing all this
1:33:02stuff. you need to leave town,
1:33:04>> which is allegedly why we end up seeing
1:33:07him out on the
1:33:08>> in Mount Pleasant
1:33:09>> in Mount Pleasant getting stopped with
1:33:10all that money, cash, and drugs. Um,
1:33:15how much more do prosecutors have with
1:33:18him, you think, or are they done?
1:33:20>> Uh, I think they're going to be wrapping
1:33:22it up here and then we're going to watch
1:33:24attorney Shook or I don't know, maybe
1:33:27Guousio will take him. But I kind of
1:33:29have a feeling he's going to be shook. I
1:33:30think it's going to be shook. I think
1:33:32Shook is
1:33:32>> Well, you know what? Yeah, because Shook
1:33:34is the one doing the objections. So,
1:33:35it's going to be
1:33:36>> Shook is going to have a field day with
1:33:38him.
1:33:39>> Um, I think he's going to,
1:33:43you know, it's like which when were you
1:33:46telling the truth?
1:33:47>> Yes.
1:33:47>> Which time and what kind
1:33:49>> today? Are you telling the truth today
1:33:51by saying that you were lying to the
1:33:52grand jury?
1:33:53>> Was it that day? Was it another day? Was
1:33:56it in August when you recanted it? Is it
1:33:58today when you're talking about the the
1:34:00rei and and we did and Valerie and I
1:34:03actually looked it up. Um he has a
1:34:06pending thirdderee felony um theft case
1:34:10uh in Dallas County in in Judge Jones's
1:34:14court, Judge Rocky Jones. And um
1:34:19that had to be the case. They were I
1:34:21guess they were going to you know cut
1:34:22him some kind of deal on that. That
1:34:24third a third degree felony in Texas is
1:34:262 to 10. And you can guarantee they are
1:34:28going to go for
1:34:28>> Yeah. He won't be getting probation on
1:34:30that. He won't be getting into a
1:34:32deferred prosecution on that one.
1:34:34>> There will be no sweets on that.
1:34:36>> They're going to want the max on him,
1:34:38which is 10 years. But, you know, that
1:34:40was the point that I think Ada Adams was
1:34:42making. You had these federal gun cases
1:34:46that basically were dismissed because
1:34:49you participated in some type of federal
1:34:52deferred prosecution program. And you
1:34:56never said then you were lying, but then
1:34:58the night before we're supposed to go to
1:35:00trial on Kiwan White, all of a sudden
1:35:03you're lying. You you you were lying to
1:35:06us this entire time. But you got what
1:35:08you wanted,
1:35:08>> right?
1:35:09>> Which, you know, having federal gun
1:35:11cases, that's a big deal. That's
1:35:13>> what because the feds don't play. If you
1:35:16get time in federal prison, you're
1:35:17you're going you're going for the rodeo,
1:35:20>> right? And you got to do about what? 80%
1:35:22of your time.
1:35:23>> Yeah. I don't I don't know what the
1:35:24exact percentages are, but in the f in
1:35:26the federal system, it's it's a for real
1:35:29deal. Um, and you also get, you know, he
1:35:32wouldn't be necessarily in Texas. He
1:35:34could have been anywhere anywhere.
1:35:35>> I mean, he can be anywhere in the
1:35:37continental United States. And so, um,
1:35:40you know, that's a pretty good deal. Uh,
1:35:43>> okay. So, somebody asked now, and I and
1:35:45I hate, you know, you hate to use the
1:35:47words winning, but somebody wants to
1:35:48know
1:35:49>> right now, who is winning, state or
1:35:51defense?
1:35:53Valerie,
1:35:54>> I don't I don't know because I'm I'm not
1:35:56the juror. The jurors on there and only
1:35:59they, you know, and I see people going
1:36:01back and forth. It looks like it's about
1:36:0250/50. Some people think um Yellow Bee
1:36:06is going to be acquitted. Some believe
1:36:08he's going to be convicted, but you
1:36:11never know until that red light flashes
1:36:14and it's the last red light and the
1:36:16baiff come back comes back and says, "We
1:36:19have a verdict."
1:36:20>> Right. Right. So, I'm just getting word
1:36:22that what they're going to do is after
1:36:24this break, um, they're going to show
1:36:27video of Bodega and Yellow Beey beating
1:36:30up Mo 3's manager. That's Rainwater that
1:36:33they're talking about.
1:36:34>> Okay.
1:36:35Um,
1:36:37but
1:36:38you know, I guess that's, you know,
1:36:41starting to
1:36:43give people some perspective on this
1:36:45feud, this feud that is unwinding and
1:36:50and and that's going to that they're
1:36:51going to the prosecutors are saying and
1:36:53that Eric Barnes is going to say
1:36:55culminated in this killing of Mo 3.
1:36:59>> Okay. So, I mean, that's
1:37:01if you were the defense attorney, um,
1:37:06what would you do with Joseé Bodega,
1:37:09Theodor Thomas?
1:37:12I would rip him apart. I would pull out,
1:37:17you know, that, you know, he's pending
1:37:19theft charges. So, cuz that's a crime of
1:37:22moral turpitude and it can be and it can
1:37:24be used now because the prosecu
1:37:26prosecutor brought it out. um that he,
1:37:30you know, got this great deal with the
1:37:32feds, you know, got his cases dismissed,
1:37:35>> sweet deal.
1:37:36>> Yes. And that um
1:37:41you know,
1:37:43he's he's basically lying for whatever
1:37:45reason is, you know, is he lying because
1:37:48he felt Yellow Beey wasn't really
1:37:50backing him in his music career?
1:37:52>> You know, that's something I saw in real
1:37:54life street stars. Some people were
1:37:56commenting about. Do you see them going
1:37:58after him for perjury?
1:37:59>> Oh, yeah. But perjury is just a class A.
1:38:02>> But you got that. But see, we get again,
1:38:04guys, we've got this pending theft
1:38:07charge
1:38:08>> and it's a thirdderee felony
1:38:11>> and and if they've got anything else
1:38:13that's sitting over there in the quiver,
1:38:14so to speak, oh, they're going to pull
1:38:16it out. I mean, Mr. Bodega or the Thomas
1:38:19or whatever he wants to call himself.
1:38:21They are if they've got anything they
1:38:23haven't charged him with, they
1:38:24>> they probably bring stuff up from middle
1:38:26school, you know, just,
1:38:28>> you know, because these guys have known
1:38:30each other since they were kids.
1:38:32>> I mean, do you think that the the
1:38:35defense, I mean, the prosecution, they
1:38:37really thought they had this worked out
1:38:38with this immunity deal?
1:38:40>> I think that's what they believed.
1:38:44um you know,
1:38:47why wouldn't he testify, right? He got
1:38:50all these things from us, from the feds.
1:38:53But, you know, as
1:38:56as a prosecutor,
1:38:59generally, you wait till after they've
1:39:01testified and then give them the sweet
1:39:04sweet deals.
1:39:07um
1:39:07>> because there were because the state is
1:39:09required to tell the defense if they
1:39:13have any deals worked out with
1:39:15witnesses. Um and you know a lot of
1:39:18prosecutors they wait until after the
1:39:21person has testified after
1:39:24you know the defendant has been
1:39:27convicted or you know whatever the case
1:39:28may be in order to do the sweet deals so
1:39:32they don't have to release that and
1:39:33state that in front of a jury. Now, we
1:39:35haven't seen the immunity deal, but the
1:39:37way I understand it, and Valerie, you
1:39:38can correct me, is that basically
1:39:40they've agreed that whatever he
1:39:42testifies to, as long as he testifies
1:39:44truthfully,
1:39:44>> truthfully,
1:39:45>> that he would have immunity for it.
1:39:48>> So,
1:39:50one could argue,
1:39:53I mean, were you lying then? Are you
1:39:55lying now? Which time were you lying?
1:39:58>> Right. Yeah. What is what is truthfully
1:40:01in this case? I mean, when when the guy
1:40:04said,
1:40:04>> "Are you being truthful that you were
1:40:06lying?"
1:40:07>> He said,
1:40:08>> his first question was, "Do you
1:40:10recognize anyone in the courtroom?"
1:40:13>> Not no more. Was like, "Oh, this is not
1:40:16going a good direction."
1:40:17>> Yeah,
1:40:18>> this this is not Oh, okay. So, um,
1:40:22somebody wants to know, "What does a
1:40:24hostile witness mean?"
1:40:26>> Um,
1:40:26>> what does that mean? A hostile witness
1:40:28means originally this person is your
1:40:30witness and they're supposed to be on
1:40:32board with the case with your case that
1:40:34you're presenting, but for whatever
1:40:37reason they don't want to testify the
1:40:39way they told you how things went down.
1:40:42And so you have to lay out some things,
1:40:46you know, showing that they won't answer
1:40:48or they don't recall or they're being,
1:40:51you know, maybe being aggressive towards
1:40:54the uh attorney asking the questions.
1:40:56And then you ask the judge for
1:40:58permission to treat them as a hostile
1:40:59witness. Then your questions can be
1:41:01leading questions, right?
1:41:03>> You can, isn't it true? Blah blah blah.
1:41:07Uh, didn't you say this? Um, the kind of
1:41:10questions that you heard ADA Adams
1:41:13asking Mr. Thomas.
1:41:15>> Okay. Somebody asked Tanya, are there
1:41:17lessers? It's are there lessers if he
1:41:19gets acquitted of the renumeration? I
1:41:22don't know because he would be I mean if
1:41:24he's if
1:41:26>> if
1:41:27>> well he could he could be acquitted of
1:41:30um
1:41:31>> well it it depends on what's in the um
1:41:33>> well it would be
1:41:34>> in the jury charge the jury charge
1:41:36>> you know because they can ask for a
1:41:38murder or they can ask for aggravated
1:41:40assault with a deadly weapon.
1:41:42>> Do you see them doing that
1:41:45>> after the way this went? I can see I
1:41:49perhaps perhaps the state asking for a
1:41:52murder charge um in addition to the
1:41:55capital murder. Now um attorney Shook
1:41:58and attorney um Goosey will probably
1:42:01Gucci will fight that tooth and nail
1:42:04because they're probably going to figure
1:42:07have a strong enough case for an
1:42:09acquitt,
1:42:10>> right? Um but the state could ask for
1:42:13lessers and the judge could grant that
1:42:15and he could be acquitted of capital
1:42:17murder but then found guilty on um
1:42:21>> if they put a lesser in to the jury
1:42:23charge.
1:42:24>> Um somebody wants to know um okay here's
1:42:28somebody want to know basically why are
1:42:30prosecutors putting a lying witness on
1:42:32the stand?
1:42:34>> Well they didn't think he was going to
1:42:36lie.
1:42:38They thought he was gonna
1:42:39>> They thought they had cut the deal.
1:42:41>> They thought they had cut the deal.
1:42:43>> They got to be frustrated.
1:42:44>> But someone here said the case is weak.
1:42:46And right now it does look that way. It
1:42:49does look like it's a a a weaker
1:42:52>> I mean folks case.
1:42:53>> I I don't know if y'all noticed I've now
1:42:55had five Well, no, I've had four
1:42:57attorneys on here. Now, I know Bri
1:42:59represented Kiwan White, and some of
1:43:01y'all didn't completely like Bri because
1:43:04of her representation of of of Kiwan
1:43:06White, but you guys have every single
1:43:09one of them has been pretty consistent
1:43:11that they've felt that right now that
1:43:14every day we have not seen the evidence
1:43:17that would get us to a conviction. Like,
1:43:20we're not seeing enough kind of dots on
1:43:22on the board yet. Not saying we don't
1:43:24get there, but but so far we have not
1:43:26gotten there. Um,
1:43:28>> now someone asked, "Does this have a
1:43:29chance to be a RICO charge?"
1:43:31>> I don't know. I don't know if it does or
1:43:34not.
1:43:35>> That's a federal charge and I don't
1:43:36know. I don't feel like I know enough
1:43:37about federal law. I I have
1:43:40>> Well, I mean, they could be like an
1:43:43engaging in organized crime, you know, a
1:43:46state charge, but uh I don't think
1:43:49that's what they wanted to p pursue.
1:43:52>> Yeah. Okay. Somebody asked uh can he be
1:43:56charged as an accessory,
1:44:00meaning bodega
1:44:02to the crime if if uh if yellowy is
1:44:06convicted.
1:44:09>> Like an accessory after the fact.
1:44:11>> Yeah, something like that.
1:44:13>> I just dropped my little eye.
1:44:15>> Oh, you dropped your
1:44:17>> Yeah, it's okay. I I would have to see
1:44:20what he did in order in order to further
1:44:23the crime,
1:44:24>> right? But it sounds like he didn't
1:44:25they're saying he didn't find out about
1:44:26it till after the
1:44:28>> Yeah, he didn't find out until after the
1:44:29fact. But what did he do to help and aid
1:44:32after this murder took place?
1:44:35>> So obviously, if they've got any,
1:44:37>> you know, just just saying, "Hey, man,
1:44:39you you bringing heat, you probably need
1:44:41to go." That may not be enough to charge
1:44:44him,
1:44:45>> right,
1:44:45>> with some of those
1:44:47>> with some of those things.
1:44:48>> Do you see them if they've got anything?
1:44:50Sorry, I'm looking for my cord, guys,
1:44:51for this. There it is. Uh, this is so I
1:44:54can hear in my ear when they talk to me.
1:44:56I have to have
1:44:58This is uh um do if if they have
1:45:03evidence like that, do you see them
1:45:04trying to bring that kind of charge?
1:45:08They could because of
1:45:10what's going on here today.
1:45:13>> Um, how mad are they?
1:45:17>> Well,
1:45:18ADA Adams, he sounded pretty
1:45:22>> pretty frustrated, pretty upset. Oh, I
1:45:25just saw Judge Ana. It looks like she's
1:45:27getting back on the bench.
1:45:29>> Okay, here's here's another question.
1:45:31They really think you look like they
1:45:32really keep calling you media. Oh, is it
1:45:35that one that smokers only or dot that
1:45:38man the man say I really like media but
1:45:41anyway that's a whole another topic. Uh
1:45:42so Ellen Mad Mader's rich
1:45:47>> so the question so they want they call
1:45:49keep calling me Ellen and they want me
1:45:51to ask you how much did Bodega's lawyer
1:45:53have to do with this quote unquote with
1:45:56his quote unquote stupidity?
1:46:00I mean I I it's hard for me to know that
1:46:02James Lee Bright would have known that
1:46:03this was what gonna happen.
1:46:04>> Yeah. I don't
1:46:07>> I I just I do I Somebody wants to know
1:46:10if I speak other languages. I'm doing
1:46:12good to speak English, folks. Um, yeah,
1:46:15I think it's just
1:46:17this is not going the way that
1:46:20prosecutors expect. And it'll be very
1:46:22interesting if at the conclusion of this
1:46:25trial if any of the um jurors talk. So,
1:46:30we get a feel for, you know, whether or
1:46:33not um,
1:46:36you know, how much stock they're going
1:46:37to put in in this witness. Mhm.
1:46:41>> Um I think it so folks are see now some
1:46:44people think they're say they're being
1:46:45disrespectful to y'all. I folks I I
1:46:49my my attitude on that stuff is that
1:46:51people you know say all kinds of stuff
1:46:53in the comments and I don't I don't take
1:46:55it personal. I mean and neither
1:46:57>> I just laugh. It's funny to me.
1:46:58>> I think it's funny. I I even on my my
1:47:01personal Facebook page uh put together a
1:47:04a picture of Ellen and a picture of
1:47:06myself and I was like how do they how do
1:47:08they where are they? I mean, I know I
1:47:09have short hair right now and it's kind
1:47:11of blown dry forward, but I'm like,
1:47:14where are they getting the Ellen
1:47:15comparison? Because she's got blonde
1:47:17hair and I do not have blonde hair and
1:47:19I've gotten too lazy to dye it and cuz
1:47:22my hairdresser told me that was an okay
1:47:24thing. Um, and so I but whatever. It's
1:47:29It is what it is. Um, okay. So, I think
1:47:32we're we see Hey, can you I I can't
1:47:36remember the name of the guy that's back
1:47:37there. It's not Zeke. Can you put up the
1:47:39the shot in the courtroom for me?
1:47:40>> Oh, it's Mr. Guzman, I believe.
1:47:42>> Mr. Guzman. I feel horrible. I I know he
1:47:45introduced himself to me and I've
1:47:46already forgotten his name because I'm
1:47:48terrible with names. I can barely
1:47:49remember my own sometimes.
1:47:53Okay, kill our mics.
1:47:57We're back on the records. The record
1:47:58will reflect that the defendant
1:48:00presented the state is present. The
1:48:03jurors are present and see and the state
1:48:05is still in the process of examining Mr.
1:48:07Thomas ready to proceed ready your
1:48:10honor.
1:48:11>> Fence is ready. Your honor state and
1:48:13proceed.
1:48:16>> Uh your honor permission to publish
1:48:19states exhibit 1213 and within 12 1213
1:48:22it's actually exhibit 29 surveillance
1:48:26rainwater
1:48:28conway
1:48:30sync.mpp4.
1:48:34That's my dog. Sorry.
1:48:40And your honor, if the court wouldn't
1:48:41mind giving a light.
1:48:51>> Now, Mr. Thomas, I'm not going to take a
1:48:53whole lot more of your time today. I
1:48:55know this is not easy for you. Um, but I
1:48:58do appreciate your patience.
1:49:08Now, this is the video. Um, 1213 is the
1:49:11video that we've watched previously,
1:49:13correct?
1:49:16Great.
1:49:18>> And I'm going to pause right there at 11
1:49:20seconds. Who do we see um chasing after
1:49:24rain water in that video?
1:49:28>> I can't see nobody chasing cuz it ain't
1:49:30clean.
1:49:34Who is that hitting the rainwater and
1:49:36chasing him from the 00 second mark to
1:49:39the 16-second mark?
1:49:41>> That's yellow.
1:49:42>> That's yellow.
1:49:43>> Okay. Are you on this video?
1:49:47>> Yeah.
1:49:48>> Where are you at on this video?
1:49:52>> I think I'm right there behind me.
1:49:54>> You're the first person behind uh Conway
1:49:57under the Empire Central. Is this you?
1:49:59All right.
1:50:29Where did this take place at
1:50:32>> Dive
1:50:33>> at Dive.
1:50:34>> Yeah.
1:50:34>> And that's the D Live in Dallas, right?
1:50:38>> And Rainwater was uh the manager of
1:50:41Melvin Noble Mil, correct?
1:50:45>> I guess so. Yeah. Yeah.
1:50:56I have nothing further. I'll pass away.
1:51:02defense.
1:51:03>> Thank you, Judge.
1:51:05Mr. Thomas, I have some questions. I'm
1:51:07going to go over uh some different
1:51:09areas. If you uh you need any
1:51:11clarification or re ask a question, if
1:51:14you understand, uh just let me know.
1:51:15Okay.
1:51:16>> All right.
1:51:16>> All right. Now, uh I want to talk a
1:51:21little bit about uh
1:51:25what's behind and the criminal charges
1:51:27uh that uh were pending on you when you
1:51:31went to the grand jury. Okay.
1:51:34going back to uh
1:51:38uh
1:51:39May of 2022.
1:51:42Uh after the incidents what we're
1:51:44talking about that happened in November
1:51:46of 2020, you continued to live down in
1:51:50South Dallas doing the things you were
1:51:52doing. Is that right?
1:51:53>> Right.
1:51:53>> Were you continuing to try and do
1:51:56rapping as well?
1:51:57>> Right.
1:51:58>> Okay.
1:52:00Uh but there was also uh at that we've
1:52:03heard about a house uh on Ramona Street,
1:52:06one on Britain Street, we've heard about
1:52:08the barber shop, we've heard about the
1:52:10tobacco shop. There was drug dealing
1:52:12going on. Is that right?
1:52:14>> Right.
1:52:15>> Now, in May of 2022,
1:52:20uh May 12th of 2022, you were arrested
1:52:22along with Jerry Johnson, Cedric
1:52:24Bradley, and a few other men uh by the
1:52:27Dallas Police Department. You recall
1:52:29that correct? And you were all in, I
1:52:32believe it was the uh uh kind of a store
1:52:36that belonged to Jerry Johnson. Is that
1:52:38right?
1:52:39>> All right. And that led to uh the police
1:52:43filing charges against you, first-degree
1:52:46felony charges of manufacturing,
1:52:48delivery of controlled substance. All
1:52:51right. Uh that's a state charge,
1:52:55correct? and that uh all the other
1:52:58people with you, Jerry Johnson, Sandy
1:53:00Bradley, and them were all charged with
1:53:02the same thing. Correct. The police
1:53:05raided and they found some drugs in uh
1:53:07that area. Is that right?
1:53:09>> Right.
1:53:10>> Uh and you were all charged with first
1:53:12three felonies.
1:53:14Recall that?
1:53:15>> Yes, sir.
1:53:16>> And first three felonies for the jury is
1:53:18minimum of five years goes up to 99
1:53:20years of life. Right. Now, since it was
1:53:24a state case, under the law, you're
1:53:26eligible to to post a bond if you can
1:53:29afford it.
1:53:30>> Correct.
1:53:31>> And you were able to post a bond in that
1:53:33case.
1:53:34>> Correct.
1:53:35>> Uh same thing for the other men
1:53:37involved, Jerry Johnson, Cedric Bradley,
1:53:39and the others. Correct.
1:53:40>> Is that right?
1:53:42>> Okay. And there were drugs inside that
1:53:43place. Correct.
1:53:45>> Right. Um then uh the drug dealing uh
1:53:50continued but you participated to some
1:53:52extent. Is that right? All right.
1:53:55>> Uh it was one year later, almost to a
1:53:58year later, that uh Jerry Johnson,
1:54:00Cedric Bradley were arrested uh this
1:54:03time by federal authorities
1:54:07uh an ATF task force uh for drug
1:54:10conspiracy.
1:54:12And that involved the uh same type of
1:54:15activities going on uh at that uh store,
1:54:20at Ramona, at Britain, that type of
1:54:22thing.
1:54:24a continuation of of those drug dealing
1:54:26activities. Is that right?
1:54:29>> Uh and then in June of that year, you
1:54:31were you also were arrested uh on that
1:54:35federal conspiracy charge.
1:54:37>> Correct.
1:54:38>> And the federal system is a lot
1:54:41different from the state system, is it?
1:54:43>> Yes, sir.
1:54:44>> And when you're arrested on a federal
1:54:46drug conspiracy charge, it's very hard.
1:54:49They don't have bonds like they do down
1:54:51in the state, do they? Right.
1:54:53>> There's detention hearings and and
1:54:55there's a presumption that if you're
1:54:57arrested for a federal drug conspiracy
1:54:59charge, uh you're not released.
1:55:02>> Right.
1:55:03>> And you weren't released, were you?
1:55:05>> And none were any of the others.
1:55:08And you were held at Limestone County
1:55:10Jail. Is that right?
1:55:11>> Right.
1:55:12>> Which is a federal facility. Right. Now,
1:55:20the other thing about uh the federal
1:55:22case is uh if you're involved with a
1:55:25conspiracy with other people, you're all
1:55:28held responsible
1:55:30in a lot of ways for for everything.
1:55:34>> Same thing. Uh, and you've told people
1:55:38and your complaint was you didn't
1:55:40believe you really had an active part or
1:55:42near as active part as other people
1:55:44involved in that conspiracy.
1:55:45>> Right.
1:55:45>> Is that right?
1:55:46>> Right.
1:55:47>> And yet under the federal system, you'd
1:55:50be held responsible for the amounts of
1:55:52drugs and what went on when you weren't
1:55:54even around. Is that right?
1:55:55>> Right.
1:55:56>> And so at that time, you were facing I
1:56:00think one of the counts they had on you.
1:56:01And that's how the feds do it. They
1:56:03indict you by counts. Is that right? You
1:56:06had one that uh for for participating in
1:56:11a drug uh distributing uh conspiracy uh
1:56:15you were facing up to 20 years in prison
1:56:17for that. All right. You also when you
1:56:20were arrested and and the federal
1:56:22authorities included the activities for
1:56:25the previous year that you were arrested
1:56:27on from the from the Dallas Police
1:56:29Department case. Is that right?
1:56:31So they formed them all together and
1:56:34they used the drug amounts in all those
1:56:36cases uh for your federal case.
1:56:40>> Is that right?
1:56:40>> Right.
1:56:42>> And when you were arrested in 2022,
1:56:45there was a gun in your backpack inside
1:56:48that store. Is that right?
1:56:49>> Right.
1:56:50>> And that led to what we call a gun count
1:56:53also in your federal case.
1:56:55>> Right.
1:56:56>> Which carries up to 5 years in federal
1:56:58prison.
1:56:59>> Yeah. Substantial. Yeah.
1:57:01>> Okay. And it's stat.
1:57:04>> Can you tell the jury what that means?
1:57:06>> Uh, so basically like whatever you get
1:57:09sentenced with, it'll be five I have to
1:57:12do with like I got sentenced with then 5
1:57:14years after that.
1:57:16So under what they had charged you with
1:57:19and the counts you were facing up to 25
1:57:22years in federal prison, right? And you
1:57:24couldn't get out of custody, right?
1:57:36and the way the federal system works and
1:57:38and they had evidence such as undercover
1:57:41buys. They had uh what they call pole
1:57:44cameras outside the places that that
1:57:46were able to film drug transactions,
1:57:48that type of thing.
1:57:50>> They had strong evidence, didn't they?
1:57:52>> Right.
1:57:53And
1:57:55under the federal system,
1:57:58uh, when you have a count according to
1:58:00whatever it is, uh, there's a a range
1:58:02of, uh, that a judge can sentence you to
1:58:05if you plead guilty. Is that right?
1:58:09>> And the best way and almost the only
1:58:11way, one of the only ways you can help
1:58:13yourself if you're a defendant in those
1:58:15cases is cooperate with the federal
1:58:19authorities. Right.
1:58:22>> And that and if you cooperate,
1:58:24the prosecutors and the feds have a
1:58:27option that files called a 5k motion
1:58:31where they recommend to the judge
1:58:33certain levels that your uh the top of
1:58:36your sentence could be reduced based on
1:58:39how much a person cooperates. Is that
1:58:41right? Right.
1:58:45And the more the government likes what
1:58:46you say or values a defendant's
1:58:50cooperation,
1:58:52the more they can recommend the lower
1:58:54that punishment range for the defendant.
1:58:57>> Right?
1:58:57>> That's how the system set up.
1:59:00>> Is that correct?
1:59:02>> All right. Now,
1:59:06the person who makes the decision as to
1:59:09what you'll be allowed to plead to and
1:59:12how much credit they'll give you is the
1:59:14federal prosecutor. Is that right?
1:59:19>> They kind of hold all the cards in that
1:59:20situation.
1:59:22>> Right.
1:59:23>> They have a lot of power.
1:59:25>> Right.
1:59:28while you were in custody uh in the
1:59:31federal system uh at times you were even
1:59:33put in uh what they call a seg is that
1:59:36right
1:59:38and when you're an egg seg they'll walk
1:59:40you down uh to 23 hours uh a day in a
1:59:44cell is that right
1:59:46>> you come out maybe 1 hour to exercise
1:59:48and shower
1:59:50>> right
1:59:50>> was that when you were locked down in a
1:59:53seg was that something that you done or
1:59:55something someone else had done or do
1:59:56you recall
1:59:58It was something I had done.
2:00:00>> Someone else?
2:00:01>> No, it's something I had.
2:00:02>> Okay. How long did they have you in a
2:00:04city?
2:00:05>> 60 days.
2:00:06>> All right. Uh and that certainly wasn't
2:00:10a pleasant experience sitting in that
2:00:11cell 23 hours a day.
2:00:13>> No.
2:00:14>> None of that incarceration was a
2:00:16pleasant experience, was it?
2:00:18>> No. Now, uh,
2:00:23you had been arrested numerous times
2:00:25when you were growing up, but this is
2:00:27the first time when you're indicted in
2:00:292023 that you had ever been uh,
2:00:32incarcerated for any long period of
2:00:34time. Is that right?
2:00:35>> Yeah. I want to say numerous times, but
2:00:37I had been arrested a couple times.
2:00:39>> Okay. You had a couple arrests. You had
2:00:41never been convicted. Is that right?
2:00:42Right.
2:00:43>> Okay.
2:00:51And you remember telling people or
2:00:53describing this system is the feds like
2:00:56to slow play you.
2:01:01>> Okay.
2:01:03How they put pressure on you,
2:01:05>> right?
2:01:06>> Pressure on you to cooperate,
2:01:08>> right?
2:01:09>> Okay. So back in 2024, you spent a total
2:01:14of about 18 months in federal custody.
2:01:17Is that right?
2:01:18>> Correct.
2:01:19>> Back in the summer, early part of the
2:01:21summer of 2024. Let me let me back up.
2:01:25When you got arrested u on these federal
2:01:28charges, you had a young daughter. Is
2:01:30that right?
2:01:31>> Right.
2:01:32>> How old was she?
2:01:34>> At the time she was like three.
2:01:35>> Okay. and you were in a a relationship
2:01:39uh uh with with a woman,
2:01:42>> right?
2:01:43>> I'm not going to say her name uh keep uh
2:01:47not have that out in public. Uh and it
2:01:50was a serious relationship,
2:01:52>> right?
2:01:53>> Uh and that's something that you didn't
2:01:55want to lose, did you?
2:01:57>> And it had nothing to do with it.
2:01:58>> But you you didn't want to lose that
2:02:01relationship and you were separated from
2:02:03it, weren't you?
2:02:04>> Had nothing with it. Okay.
2:02:13>> Do you remember uh you would have some
2:02:15phone conversations with the man that
2:02:16y'all call Lo Vezy? Uh
2:02:19>> yeah.
2:02:20>> Real name's Adrien Brown.
2:02:22>> Yeah. Do you remember u talking to him
2:02:26once on June 4th of 2024 and telling
2:02:30him, "You know why they got me in this
2:02:32hoe? Slow. They just trying to make an
2:02:35end. Feel [ __ ] up.
2:02:39Yeah, they holding me. Just trying to
2:02:41make trying to make an end tell some
2:02:43[ __ ] on some [ __ ] Remember telling
2:02:46him that?
2:02:47>> No.
2:02:48>> Is that how you felt back then?
2:02:51>> Yeah.
2:02:51>> That they were holding you trying to get
2:02:54you to say something to sell something
2:02:57as you said on some [ __ ] Wow.
2:03:01>> And that means a lot.
2:03:06Now,
2:03:20>> you were looking at 25 years and in
2:03:22federal time, uh, the parole, they keep
2:03:26you in there about 85% of the length of
2:03:28your sentence time.
2:03:31So you were looking at that time uh
2:03:34being in prison probably 20 years or so
2:03:40as far as what you were looking at
2:03:41charges.
2:03:44Then as the uh summer went along,
2:03:47uh the federal prosecutors applied more
2:03:50pressure by uh coming to and you learned
2:03:54quickly that they uh that they were now
2:03:57threatening to bring RICO charges and
2:04:00bike charges in your case. You recall
2:04:03that?
2:04:05>> Uh I'm not sure the jury knows what
2:04:08>> I was about to ask that. Okay.
2:04:10>> Could you explain to the jury what RICO
2:04:12charges are?
2:04:14Uh, basically it's a a murderous gang
2:04:18uh with drugs, killing, robing,
2:04:21stealing, and they it's a group or more
2:04:24than one. I think it's something like
2:04:26that. I don't really know the bait.
2:04:28>> So, some it's a racketeering charge,
2:04:31correct?
2:04:31>> Right.
2:04:32>> And that ups your penalty range up to a
2:04:35life sentence, does it?
2:04:37>> Yeah.
2:04:38>> And your lawyer came with you and told
2:04:40you that they were considering
2:04:43uh indicting you on a RICO charge.
2:04:46Right.
2:04:47>> They also mentioned Vicar. Is that
2:04:50right?
2:04:52>> Can you explain to the jury what that
2:04:53is?
2:04:54>> I ain't uh I really know it, man. I just
2:04:57know that uh it was the same thing they
2:04:59used to get the mob.
2:05:00>> Okay. That also carried a life sentence.
2:05:03>> Yeah. So now when you were looking at 25
2:05:06years in prison, now you were learning
2:05:08that they were considering charging you
2:05:11with crimes that would put you in a way
2:05:14for life in prison
2:05:17at that time. Is that right?
2:05:18>> Right.
2:05:19>> So the pressure was even more intense at
2:05:21that point,
2:05:23>> I guess. So,
2:05:26uh, it certainly got your attention that
2:05:29they were considering doing that to you,
2:05:30didn't it?
2:05:31>> Right.
2:05:33And
2:05:35you knew they had a solid case as far as
2:05:38the drug dealing goes, but you knew what
2:05:40kind of information
2:05:42the federal authorities wanted, didn't
2:05:44you? Right.
2:05:47You knew almost from the beginning of
2:05:49your incarceration they wanted
2:05:51information
2:05:52on the MO3 murder. Correct.
2:05:55>> Right.
2:05:56>> And they wanted the rappers,
2:06:00>> right?
2:06:01>> You knew that.
2:06:05>> Did you?
2:06:06>> Right.
2:06:07>> And that's the kind of information they
2:06:09want.
2:06:10And now you were facing uh charges that
2:06:14might uh give you a life sentence.
2:06:18All right. You could never see your
2:06:20daughter grow up.
2:06:23>> Correct.
2:06:24>> Correct.
2:06:25>> You may never uh uh be able to obviously
2:06:28re reunite with the person that you
2:06:30wanted to spend your life with. Right.
2:06:34>> Wouldn't be able to see your family.
2:06:36>> That's a lot of pressure.
2:06:41They also gave you a deadline in
2:06:42September of 2024.
2:06:45You recall that about convincing them
2:06:48that you shouldn't be in a RICO case.
2:06:52So, this deadline was uh coming up in
2:06:55September on uh September 23rd of 2024
2:06:58when you were supposed to go with your
2:07:01lawyer to meet the federal prosecutor
2:07:03and detective Barnes. You recall that?
2:07:09And at that meeting is when uh when you
2:07:14told this story
2:07:16about what you say you heard in that uh
2:07:21SUV. Is that right?
2:07:23>> Right. That was a lie.
2:07:28>> But you told that story because that was
2:07:30the only way out for you.
2:07:35>> Am I right? Right.
2:07:37>> Otherwise, you thought they may be going
2:07:38after you and you get a life sentence.
2:07:42>> Correct.
2:07:43>> Correct.
2:07:44>> A life sentence over what you believe
2:07:47were more of a minor role in this whole
2:07:50drug conspiracy uh charge that you were
2:07:53facing.
2:07:54>> All right.
2:07:58So when you went in that meeting, you
2:07:59were you were facing that possibility of
2:08:02a life sentence and that's when you told
2:08:04this story that wasn't true.
2:08:07Correct.
2:08:08>> Correct.
2:08:10And then 3 days later,
2:08:13your attorney informs you that
2:08:16they believe you'd be an ideal candidate
2:08:19for the STEPS program
2:08:21that you should apply.
2:08:23You recall that?
2:08:24>> Yeah, I had to apply for it. Right. But
2:08:27that you went from facing a life
2:08:29sentence, then you told this story that
2:08:32they must have liked because 72 hours
2:08:36you were being told
2:08:38you just need to apply for steps,
2:08:42which is a drug uh program that the feds
2:08:45were running. Is that right? Right. And
2:08:49you were also told that if you got in
2:08:51the program, you'd be released from
2:08:52federal custody.
2:08:55Correct.
2:08:56>> Correct. And that your case could be
2:08:58dismissed
2:09:00>> upon completion of the program. Yeah.
2:09:02>> Upon completion of the program.
2:09:05So things had dramatically
2:09:08changed for you once you told this story
2:09:12to Detective Barnes to the federal
2:09:15prosecutor.
2:09:17>> Well, my profit wouldn't have just owed
2:09:19it. It was over my involvement.
2:09:21>> Right. and the whole thing far as
2:09:25>> but included the part you said that you
2:09:28lied about.
2:09:30You didn't ever hear any conversation in
2:09:32an SUV, did you?
2:09:33>> Right.
2:09:34>> You didn't hear or have a conversation
2:09:36with Jerry when you first got back uh
2:09:38from California.
2:09:41>> Right.
2:09:43>> You knew that's what they wanted to
2:09:44hear.
2:09:47>> True. Wow. In fact, that's what you told
2:09:50Detective Barnes early this year when he
2:09:53asked you why you were saying you lied.
2:09:55He said, "I was facing life
2:09:59and I was just telling them what they
2:10:00wanted to hear."
2:10:02Right?
2:10:03>> You remember telling him that?
2:10:05You didn't say you were threatened by
2:10:07anyone, that you felt you were in danger
2:10:09or your family's in danger.
2:10:12You told him the reason you're recanting
2:10:14is
2:10:16you knew it was wrong.
2:10:18And you were only telling them what they
2:10:20wanted to hear back in September of
2:10:222024,
2:10:24right?
2:10:25>> And you were able to get accepted into
2:10:27that stage program, weren't you?
2:10:29>> I was accepted before that.
2:10:31>> Okay. Well,
2:10:35if you're accepted before that, they
2:10:36were still threatening you with a RICO
2:10:39charge, weren't they?
2:10:41>> Say it again. I said they were still
2:10:43threatening you in September with a RICO
2:10:46charge and possible by car charge,
2:10:48weren't they?
2:10:49>> Yeah. Okay.
2:10:50>> That's cuz they like they told me I was
2:10:52I had to tell them to show them that I
2:10:54was involved.
2:10:55>> Yeah. They also wanted to hear
2:10:57information about the rafters, too,
2:10:59didn't it?
2:11:00>> Right.
2:11:00>> Which is why you told them that story
2:11:03because you knew that's what they wanted
2:11:04to hear.
2:11:07>> True. Right.
2:11:09>> All right.
2:11:15and they let you into the steps program
2:11:18even though that you had that one gun
2:11:20count on you from what? From that
2:11:22previous arrest back in 2022, didn't
2:11:26>> I have my gun count from 2022? That gun
2:11:29count was from
2:11:30>> 2023.
2:11:31>> No, it was way before.
2:11:33>> It was when you got arrested on the
2:11:35state charge, right?
2:11:37No, I uh they didn't charge me with a
2:11:38gun when I first got um charged with
2:11:41state charge. I got charged with a gun
2:11:43two weeks after that when I got out of
2:11:46jail. I got I caught another gun charge.
2:11:48>> Okay.
2:11:50Is that in May 2022?
2:11:53>> I don't remember the date.
2:11:56>> About 9 days after you got out of jail.
2:11:58>> Yeah. All right.
2:12:00I approach your
2:12:20I want to show you what's been marked as
2:12:22uh
2:12:24defense 85, 86, and 87. Do you recognize
2:12:28those documents?
2:12:49Do you recognize
2:12:51defense 87 as your plea agreement
2:12:54paperwork?
2:12:59recognize
2:13:0485 as your clean agreement supplement
2:13:07that you sign
2:13:11and you recognize
2:13:15defense 86 as the uh motion to dismiss
2:13:19that the government filed uh in your
2:13:22federal case.
2:13:24All right,
2:13:26judge will offer 85, 86, and 87 at this
2:13:30time.
2:14:07That's pretty good.
2:14:14Heat. Heat.
2:14:24Heat. Heat.
2:14:46Any
2:14:57objections?
2:14:58>> Your honor, uh other than redaction of
2:15:02some information which I' I've spoke to
2:15:04Mr. Shook about. We have no objections
2:15:07other than those redactions, but to keep
2:15:09this moving, he's going to fold it back.
2:15:12So that won't be seen at this time, but
2:15:14we can get a red copy later. talking
2:15:16very
2:15:17>> the one is for record purposes only I
2:15:18believe which is 83 with no objection
2:15:21for record purposes 83 you said 85 86
2:15:25and 87 that's 86
2:15:28>> oh sorry hard sorry hard to see on that
2:15:30figure
2:15:32>> uh so no obje objection to 86 for record
2:15:35as long as it's redacted 85 as long as
2:15:38it's redacted for all purposes and 87 as
2:15:41long as it's redacted for all purposes I
2:15:43have no problem
2:15:43>> okay thank
2:15:45States exhibit I'm sorry, defense
2:15:47exhibit 85 is admitted
2:15:52as redacted. Uh, defense exhibit 86 is
2:15:55admitted for record. Defense exhibit 87
2:15:59is admitted as redacted.
2:16:03You entered into a plea in December of
2:16:05uh uh 2024. Is that right?
2:16:08>> Oh yeah. Okay. And uh you signed what we
2:16:12call a please supplement uh at the time
2:16:15you entered that plea. Is that right?
2:16:19December 17th, 2024.
2:16:23>> That correct?
2:16:24>> Correct.
2:16:25>> I want to show you some language in that
2:16:27please supplement
2:16:29uh
2:16:32about some of your obligations under
2:16:34here. Please. Okay. All right.
2:16:50The government agrees that USSG
2:16:54section 1B1A is applicable to the
2:16:56defendant. any information provided by
2:16:58the defendant and not otherwise known by
2:17:01the government
2:17:08other than what was charged in the
2:17:10second suiting indictment in connection
2:17:12with the defendant's assistance to the
2:17:14government including debriefing and
2:17:15testimony will not be used to increase
2:17:18the defendant's sentencing guideline
2:17:20level or use against the defendant for
2:17:22further prosecution if in the opinion of
2:17:25the United states attorney. The
2:17:27defendant has met all the defendants's
2:17:29obligations under the plea agreement and
2:17:31provided full complete and truthful
2:17:34information and testimony. However,
2:17:36nothing revealed by the defendant during
2:17:38defendants debriefings and testimony
2:17:39were precluded prosecution for any
2:17:42violent crime
2:17:45that was part of all your cooperation uh
2:17:48agreement that you had signed. You
2:17:49recall that?
2:17:53Do you recall that you had as part of
2:17:55your uh agreement, you had to agree to
2:17:59testify against
2:18:02at any
2:18:05any prosecuting office, not just
2:18:06including the feds, against Maris
2:18:08Conway, Jerry Johnson, Devin Brown, and
2:18:10Kiwan Brown. He won a lot.
2:18:14>> That was one of your requirements.
2:18:16And if you didn't do that,
2:18:19then your
2:18:21plea agreement could be voided and you
2:18:24could be back in custody and prosecuted
2:18:26on the federal case. Right? So part of
2:18:30your condition with the feds is you had
2:18:32to cooperate and testify with other law
2:18:34enforcement including the state of
2:18:36Texas,
2:18:38which is why you were in the grand jury
2:18:41on February 13th, 2025.
2:18:46So when Mr. Adams says he didn't promise
2:18:49you anything,
2:18:51you knew
2:18:53you knew that if you didn't testify in
2:18:56that grand jury proceeding to what you
2:18:57had already told him that your federal
2:18:59deal would be off, didn't you? Right.
2:19:03>> And that's why you lied in the grand
2:19:05jury.
2:19:06All right.
2:19:22Heat. Heat.
2:19:41Now, I want to turn your attention. Uh,
2:19:44and you were released from custody. Uh,
2:19:48was that in February?
2:19:49>> Yeah.
2:19:51>> And you were out when you were released
2:19:53from custody, you were allowed to go to
2:19:56a relative's house. Is that right?
2:19:58>> Right.
2:19:59Uh you had this pending felony charge in
2:20:02Dallas County at that time, didn't you?
2:20:04>> Yeah.
2:20:05>> In fact, there was a warrant out for
2:20:07that for your uh there was no bond said
2:20:09you had an active warrant on that,
2:20:11didn't you?
2:20:11>> Right.
2:20:13>> Uh but that when you were released, they
2:20:15didn't take you in custody and take you
2:20:17over to uh to Lucer, did they?
2:20:19>> Yeah, they did.
2:20:21>> That day or were you allowed to check in
2:20:23later?
2:20:23>> No. As soon as I got released from the
2:20:26feds, they put me in a hold in the in
2:20:28the the small county that I was in and I
2:20:30had to wait on Dallas to come pick me
2:20:32up.
2:20:32>> Okay. And when did you get out of that
2:20:34uh holding facility?
2:20:36>> I never got out of Dallas came to pick
2:20:37me up.
2:20:38>> So you went to Dallas County?
2:20:40>> Yeah.
2:20:40>> And after you testified, is that when uh
2:20:43you were granted a PR bond?
2:20:47>> You didn't have to post the bond. It was
2:20:48a personal reconnaissance bond. Correct.
2:20:50Right. when you and the DA agreed to
2:20:53that.
2:20:54>> Well, your honor, I'm going to object.
2:20:55That's a misstatement. The state never
2:20:57agreed to a PR bond on Mr. Thomas.
2:21:00>> Yeah, my lawyer got me a PR bond.
2:21:01>> Hold on, Mr.
2:21:03>> Thomas. I'll let him answer it.
2:21:06>> All right. Go ahead.
2:21:07>> Okay. So, your lawyer got you a PR bond,
2:21:09so you didn't have to post money. You
2:21:10got out of jail, right?
2:21:12>> And that's when you went to live with
2:21:13your uh your relatives,
2:21:16>> right?
2:21:16>> Okay. All right.
2:21:20So, let's turn your attention back to uh
2:21:222020 when you went out to California on
2:21:26that trip with Maris Conway and his
2:21:29uncle Keith. Okay.
2:21:31>> Now, you had in 2020 flown with Maris
2:21:34Conway several times, had you not?
2:21:37>> Right.
2:21:38>> And you were uh you were pursuing your
2:21:40rap career as well at that time, weren't
2:21:42you?
2:21:43>> Right.
2:21:44Uh, and when y'all went
2:21:47in this on this trip, when you arrived
2:21:50in uh LA on November 10th, you'd been
2:21:54out to Los Angeles with Maris Conway
2:21:56beforehand.
2:21:57>> Yeah.
2:21:57>> And he had been signed recently uh with
2:22:00uh Hitco, which was a record company. Is
2:22:03that right?
2:22:04>> Right.
2:22:04>> Okay.
2:22:07That was a a trip that was planned by
2:22:10his record company. Is that right?
2:22:11>> Right. And when you were out there, the
2:22:13plan was Maris Conway would do
2:22:16promotions, photooots, interviews, that
2:22:19type of thing, right?
2:22:21>> Which is what he's required to do as
2:22:23part of the record company, promote his
2:22:24music,
2:22:25>> right?
2:22:26>> Uh they paid for the trip out there, the
2:22:28record company,
2:22:30>> right?
2:22:31>> You didn't have to.
2:22:33Uh, and uh, also the motel, the hotel
2:22:36you were in, uh, the Mandre, you stayed
2:22:39there along with Maris Conway and his
2:22:42uncle Keith. Correct.
2:22:43>> Correct. They record paid for that as
2:22:46well.
2:22:46>> Yeah.
2:22:47>> All right. Now, that trip uh, was
2:22:52supposed to be like a three-ight trip.
2:22:54You recall that?
2:22:55>> Yeah. I don't recall how many days it
2:22:57was supposed to be. Wasn't supposed to
2:22:58be real long, though, was it?
2:23:00>> Yeah. I don't remember. Were usually the
2:23:02trips just a two or three days?
2:23:05>> It depends like Yeah. Probably sometime
2:23:07like probably like 3 days after we
2:23:10depend on like give or take. We we been
2:23:12places for longer than that though too.
2:23:14>> Do you remember when you debriefed with
2:23:17the detective Barnes and the federal
2:23:19prosecutors on September 23, 24? You you
2:23:24told them that after Melvin Nova was
2:23:27killed, the record company wanted Maris
2:23:30Conway to stay a little longer in in
2:23:33California,
2:23:34>> right? Uh the plan was to leave earlier,
2:23:37but they said, "No, you need to stay a
2:23:39little longer."
2:23:40>> Right.
2:23:41So, the trip was extended uh more days
2:23:45than God expected when you went out
2:23:47there,
2:23:48>> right?
2:23:50>> Do you remember that? Uh uh and this was
2:23:52in November, so Thanksgiving's coming
2:23:54up. Do you remember Maris Conway's uh
2:23:57girlfriend come out with their children
2:23:59uh to join him out there in California?
2:24:01>> Yeah.
2:24:03>> And they came shortly after uh around
2:24:07couple of days basically around November
2:24:0913th or 14th, something like that.
2:24:14>> And they stayed out there for the rest
2:24:16of the time that you were out in
2:24:18California. They were all in the room at
2:24:20the at the Mandre Hotel,
2:24:22>> right?
2:24:22>> Is that right?
2:24:23>> Right.
2:24:24>> Okay.
2:24:34Then it was on uh we've learned November
2:24:3920th that you and Uncle Keith and Maris
2:24:42Conway flew back to DFW.
2:24:45Landed around noon. Is that right? I
2:24:48don't remember what time it Okay. You
2:24:50remember how you uh were able to leave
2:24:53the airport? Who who who you got to ride
2:24:55home with? I think I drove myself that
2:24:57time.
2:25:04And then in the story going back, you're
2:25:07you're back to Dallas November 20th. At
2:25:10that time when uh when you told the
2:25:12story the first time in September 23rd
2:25:14of 2024,
2:25:16you had no idea about the actual dates
2:25:19when you got back or when Maris Conway
2:25:23went back to California, did you?
2:25:25>> Right.
2:25:26>> Uh but you were aware and you do recall
2:25:28that Maris Conway did fly back to
2:25:30California. Correct.
2:25:32>> I said that's something I did say.
2:25:34>> Okay. And he stayed out there in
2:25:37California for some time, didn't he?
2:25:40Yeah. I don't remember like how long,
2:25:42but I know he I know he went back. I
2:25:44don't remember how long he was gone. His
2:25:45family was back there in California
2:25:47waiting for him, weren't there? I don't
2:25:49remember exactly.
2:25:50>> Okay. U But you didn't have the exact
2:25:54dates, but then you told the story. You
2:25:56said that once you got back,
2:26:00uh that's when you talked to Jerry. I
2:26:02know this wasn't true, but you said
2:26:04that's when you learned that Kiwan White
2:26:07had been the one that shot Mo 3. That
2:26:09was the story you told.
2:26:12>> That was after you got back from from
2:26:14California.
2:26:16>> And then your story was on a different
2:26:18day. On a different day, you were down
2:26:20at the barber shop and saw Maris Conway
2:26:24come in his SUV.
2:26:26You saw Jerry get in the SUV. You
2:26:29remember telling him that? All right.
2:26:31And so you decided to go get out in the
2:26:33SUV as well. Recall that.
2:26:37And that's when you say you overheard
2:26:40this conversation about Jerry wants some
2:26:43money from Maris Con.
2:26:46And that's what the feds wanted to hear.
2:26:50But that was a lie. Correct. Right. But
2:26:53you were very specific when you talked
2:26:56to the detective Barnes and the feds in
2:26:59September of 2024. You said this
2:27:01conversation happened out in front of
2:27:04the barber shop.
2:27:06Correct.
2:27:07>> Correct. And you said the same thing in
2:27:09the grand jury. You said it happened out
2:27:12in front of the barber shop.
2:27:15Right. And it happened after you got
2:27:18back and supposedly heard had this one
2:27:21conversation with Jerry Johnson.
2:27:23Remember that
2:27:25you also told him that it was maybe a
2:27:28week later that you talked to Jerry and
2:27:32he said Maris Conway hadn't paid him the
2:27:35money yet. You call that? No.
2:27:39>> Okay. But definitely you said it all
2:27:41happened at the barber show. the
2:27:43conversation in the SUV that that you
2:27:46lied about.
2:27:48>> And the barber shop's down in South
2:27:49Dallas, correct?
2:27:51>> Oaklair.
2:27:52>> Yeah.
2:27:53>> What streets it on?
2:27:54>> Sunny. Okay.
2:28:00Now, we now know uh may I approach Sh?
2:28:04>> Yes, you may.
2:28:09when you're telling uh this story, it's
2:28:12the first time you told it's like four
2:28:14years after after Melvin Noble had been
2:28:17killed. Is that right?
2:28:52Let me go this way. Uh
2:28:57there have been records introduced that
2:28:59Maris Conway flew back to California on
2:29:02November 22nd, 2020. Okay.
2:29:07So, if we're looking at a calendar,
2:29:13this story you told,
2:29:23the story that you told the
2:29:26US Attorney's Office, Detective Barnes,
2:29:28the story you you told the grand jury
2:29:32would have all had to happen, those
2:29:35events starting with the 20th.
2:29:3821st
2:29:4022nd. Correct.
2:29:41>> A 2 and 1/2 day period.
2:29:44Correct.
2:29:46>> Meaning if you were telling the truth to
2:29:49them if it was a true statement, all
2:29:52this would have happened.
2:29:55Talking to Jerry about what happened and
2:29:57then seeing Maris Conway at the barber
2:30:00shop would all have to happen during
2:30:02this 2 and 1/2 day period. Right. Right.
2:30:06Okay. And you've been uh
2:30:10you were incarcerated for some 18
2:30:12months. You know people that have had
2:30:14criminal charges. You know that the
2:30:16police and the authorities use cell
2:30:18phone uh tower evidence to track
2:30:21people's phones, don't you?
2:30:23>> And they use it so they can help prove
2:30:26their case and cooperate where people
2:30:28are
2:30:29>> by their phones. No big secret, right?
2:30:32You're also aware that they use their
2:30:34phones themselves to track and see where
2:30:37they're correct.
2:30:38>> Right.
2:30:39>> So if your story was true, actually
2:30:41true,
2:30:45the police would be able to see who
2:30:48seller evidence or funds themselves or
2:30:49sell evidence that Maris Conway had come
2:30:53down there to cliff at that barber shop
2:30:55sometime in that time period, wouldn't
2:30:57they? Right.
2:31:00And if they didn't have that evidence,
2:31:02if it showed him in another place such
2:31:04as Frisco, Texas,
2:31:07that would show that you're telling the
2:31:09truth today that what you said was a
2:31:11lie.
2:31:13>> Correct.
2:31:45In your meetings with Detective Barnes
2:31:47or with the DA's office, have they ever
2:31:50brought up uh
2:31:52cell phone evidence, tower evidence of
2:31:55of where you were or where Mary's family
2:31:58was.
2:31:58>> No.
2:32:05>> Let me turn your attention to uh back
2:32:08into May of 2022. You remember you got
2:32:11arrested for the drug charge around uh
2:32:14May 12th of 2022 and made bond. Recall
2:32:17that. All right. And then it was on May
2:32:2020th when you got pulled over with Jerry
2:32:23Johnson and they arrest you on a
2:32:25misdemeanor marijuana charge and a a
2:32:28misdemeanor gun charge.
2:32:30>> Right.
2:32:30>> And they took you down to uh they took
2:32:33you down to downtown where homicide was.
2:32:36Put you in the interview room. Recall
2:32:38that.
2:32:39>> Yes, sir.
2:32:40>> And that's the first time you met
2:32:41Detective Barnes.
2:32:43>> Yes, sir.
2:32:45>> And you interviewed with him.
2:32:47you call that we had a long discussion
2:32:51and he asked you all about uh
2:32:56Melvin Noble and Maris Conway called Mo3
2:32:59and Yellow and you told him at that time
2:33:02on May 20th that you didn't believe uh
2:33:06yellow would want to harm Mo 3 at all.
2:33:08>> Right.
2:33:09>> You told him you didn't really think MO3
2:33:11was even want to be in a beef with Mo 3,
2:33:14did you? Right. because he was so big as
2:33:18far as rapping go. He was above that. He
2:33:22was he was having national fame. That
2:33:24type of thing,
2:33:25>> right?
2:33:26>> Didn't need to get involved in any
2:33:28something locally, that type of thing.
2:33:30>> Right.
2:33:31>> I think you called it clickbait.
2:33:34Right.
2:33:35>> Right.
2:33:36>> That that was a social media thing and
2:33:38that type of thing. That's what you told
2:33:40Detective Barnes that day.
2:33:42>> Right. And Detective Barnes, he had
2:33:46taken two of your phones. Do you
2:33:47remember that?
2:33:48>> Yes, sir.
2:33:49>> And you asked him if those phones could
2:33:51be released back to you. You remember
2:33:55that?
2:33:56>> I don't remember the call, but I'm sure
2:33:59I had said ask him.
2:34:01>> Do you remember Detective Barnes saying,
2:34:02"I'm going to hold on to him for a
2:34:04while, but here's my car. Call me when
2:34:07you get out and I'll get them back to
2:34:08you."
2:34:09>> Oh, yeah. Yeah, I do remember that.
2:34:11>> Okay. So, he kept your phones and said,
2:34:13"I'm going to keep them a while. Uh, but
2:34:16I'll get back to you."
2:34:17>> And did did he get back to you? Did you
2:34:20get those phones back?
2:34:21>> No.
2:34:22>> Okay.
2:34:25So, he never saw those phones again.
2:34:27>> No, sir.
2:34:29Did he reach out to you or did you reach
2:34:31out to him trying to get them back?
2:34:33>> I ain't really too much going on.
2:34:36>> All right. The last you saw of them was
2:34:38when uh they were taken by DPD. Right.
2:34:41All right.
2:34:57All right. Now, I want to turn your
2:35:01attention to after you were released,
2:35:03uh, you you testified to the grand jury
2:35:06on February 13th of, uh, 2025. Is that
2:35:10correct?
2:35:11>> Correct.
2:35:12>> Then you got out of custody.
2:35:15Call that.
2:35:16>> Right.
2:35:17>> Then it was in March uh, March 20th of
2:35:202025 when Maris Conway was arrested for
2:35:23capital murder.
2:35:25And that was due to your testimony, was
2:35:27it?
2:35:30>> You think a large part of that was due
2:35:32to what you said in the grand jury? Your
2:35:33honor, I'm not object speculation
2:35:35sustained.
2:35:37>> But what you told the grand jury about
2:35:40that phone that that conversation SUV
2:35:42was a lie, wasn't it?
2:35:43>> Right.
2:35:44>> But you were out of custody.
2:35:48>> Correct.
2:35:49>> Correct.
2:35:50>> You weren't facing a life sentence
2:35:52anymore.
2:35:53>> Correct.
2:35:54you just had to
2:35:58uh work this uh program's conditions and
2:36:01not get arrested, not commit any new
2:36:04offenses,
2:36:06that type of thing. Right.
2:36:07>> Right.
2:36:08>> Those were the conditions of your
2:36:09release. You call that?
2:36:11>> Yes, sir.
2:36:12>> All right.
2:36:18Now,
2:36:20when you uh uh were released, you were
2:36:24able to get a job. Is that right?
2:36:26>> Yes, sir.
2:36:26>> And how did you get that job?
2:36:29>> Simply appear.
2:36:30>> And you got hired?
2:36:32>> Yes, sir.
2:36:32>> Okay. Uh your relationship with the
2:36:36woman that you'd been you considered her
2:36:39at that time your fiance, correct?
2:36:42>> No, we weren't engaged. But it was a
2:36:44serious relationship. Yeah.
2:36:47>> But y'all had a y'all broke up for a a
2:36:50time period.
2:36:51>> Correct. But you're able to reunite with
2:36:54her later. But during that summer time,
2:36:56you'd broken up.
2:36:58>> Correct.
2:36:59>> Okay. Uh and that upset you, didn't it?
2:37:02No.
2:37:03>> You didn't care about not being with
2:37:05her?
2:37:05>> No.
2:37:06>> Okay.
2:37:09Do you remember uh in September of uh
2:37:132020
2:37:15uh going over her house a few times and
2:37:17she told you she didn't want to talk to
2:37:19you anymore?
2:37:20>> Do you remember when she called your
2:37:23probation officer and said you were
2:37:25harassing?
2:37:27>> No. She never called me.
2:37:30>> Do you remember your probation officer
2:37:31telling you about that?
2:37:33>> We had a disagreement harassment. Oh, I
2:37:36know you're saying you weren, but you
2:37:38remember her complaining and calling up
2:37:40your probation officer? No, I don't
2:37:42remember. You don't remember the
2:37:44probation officer talking to you and and
2:37:46the judge asking if if you had a little
2:37:49problem and worked through it when you
2:37:52went in for the
2:37:54>> Okay, I remember that. And that was
2:37:55about the argument you'd had with her.
2:37:57>> All right. Okay.
2:38:01You remember uh
2:38:04September 26th of 2025
2:38:09that she was so upset that she did call
2:38:12the Lancaster police to make a report?
2:38:14>> No. Remember that?
2:38:16>> I've never heard nothing about it.
2:38:19>> How about when she reported uh that you
2:38:21were uh she reported things or talked to
2:38:25the probation officer? Do you remember
2:38:27reaching out and talking to Detective
2:38:29Barnes about that situation?
2:38:32>> Yeah, you did. I tell you. Uh, did you
2:38:36ask him to help you out as to what might
2:38:39happen uh with the steps program?
2:38:41Because she made that report.
2:38:43>> It was if she made that report, she
2:38:44never made a report.
2:38:46>> Okay. She never she never wanted it
2:38:50filed. So, you're saying charges were
2:38:53never filed against you, were they? No,
2:38:55she never make the report.
2:38:57>> Okay. But that's what you talked to
2:38:59Detective Barnes about. Is that right?
2:39:17In fact,
2:39:20uh, on that day on, uh, September 26th,
2:39:29you talked to Barnes for quite a long
2:39:31time on that day, did you not?
2:39:33On the phone conversation,
2:39:35>> I won't say that.
2:39:37>> Okay. Do you remember texting with
2:39:39Detective Barnes uh while you were going
2:39:41through this uh uh steps program?
2:39:45>> Yeah, probably. Yeah.
2:39:46>> Okay. Do you remember uh September 3rd
2:39:51of 2025 when uh your car you had a wreck
2:39:54in your car?
2:39:56>> And you you uh texted detected Barnes to
2:39:59let him know that you'd had a wreck.
2:40:01Recall that,
2:40:02>> right?
2:40:03And you asked him uh from for some
2:40:06assistance,
2:40:07>> right?
2:40:08>> Was he able to help you?
2:40:10>> No.
2:40:11>> Didn't do anything for you?
2:40:12>> No.
2:40:13>> Did he say he was going to make some
2:40:14calls, try to help you?
2:40:17>> Uh, well, he didn't do nothing though.
2:40:19>> Were you able to get another car?
2:40:21>> Yeah. On my own.
2:40:22>> Okay.
2:40:24Y'all talked quite a bit though during
2:40:26that time period, didn't you? You and
2:40:27Detective Barnes.
2:40:28>> Yeah.
2:40:28>> What were y'all talking about?
2:40:31Nothing in particular.
2:40:34>> Nothing in particular.
2:40:35>> Yeah, nothing in particular.
2:40:38All right,
2:40:45let me uh go over a couple other areas.
2:40:48Uh
2:40:49you asked questions about GRC uh in the
2:40:54uh in the debrief as well as in the
2:40:56grand jury. Recall them asking questions
2:40:58about that?
2:40:59>> Yeah.
2:41:00Um,
2:41:05and there was no, as far as even with
2:41:09the drug dealing operation going on,
2:41:11there was no big crime boss who told
2:41:14everyone else what to do, was there?
2:41:17People, uh, it was really Jerry Johnson
2:41:19and Cedric Bradley who who made the
2:41:22money. Recall that.
2:41:24uh you would work and make some money,
2:41:27but uh you weren't a soldier for them,
2:41:31you didn't take orders from them,
2:41:32anything like that,
2:41:33>> right?
2:41:34>> If you wanted to work and sell drugs,
2:41:37make money, you could do that,
2:41:39>> right?
2:41:40>> Uh if you didn't want to work all the
2:41:41time, you weren't required to do that.
2:41:43>> And nobody worked for nobody.
2:41:45>> No one worked for anybody. You were all
2:41:47independent.
2:41:49>> Is that right? In fact, uh, Ramona, for
2:41:53instance, was just did you, if you
2:41:56wanted to sell drugs out of it, you had
2:41:57to rent the time while you're in there
2:42:00or how did that work?
2:42:01>> I mean, I never I was just chill.
2:42:03>> Okay.
2:42:04>> It was like a little chill spot. It was
2:42:05no spot like, you know,
2:42:08>> but the others, if they wanted to, they
2:42:11weren't working for Jerry Johnson or
2:42:13Cedric Bradley necessarily, is what
2:42:14you're saying?
2:42:15>> No, nobody work. But they can sell drugs
2:42:18out of those locations.
2:42:19>> They can do what they want to do if they
2:42:20don't work for nobody.
2:42:22>> Okay? It's not like what we see at drug
2:42:24gangs, anything like that where you're
2:42:26taking orders from people, anything like
2:42:28that.
2:42:28>> Right.
2:42:31>> And we know this, Maris Conaway wasn't
2:42:34ever down there selling drugs. He wasn't
2:42:35do anything like that, was he?
2:42:37>> Right.
2:42:40In fact, the only people Maris Conway
2:42:42was close with was you and Jerry. Is
2:42:44that right? because y'all known each
2:42:47other back since high school,
2:42:48>> right?
2:42:51>> The other guys in GRC he wasn't wasn't
2:42:53close with didn't hang out with anything
2:42:55like that.
2:43:06I want to ask you uh uh another area is
2:43:09about this uh trip down uh there's a
2:43:12concert uh in October of 2020 where you
2:43:18went down there with a big group of
2:43:20people in the entourage and Marcus
2:43:22Conway uh was at a concert or performed
2:43:26at a concert. Can you recall that?
2:43:30You recall uh Kiwan White went with you
2:43:33in a sprinter van down there?
2:43:35>> Yeah.
2:43:36>> Okay. You were the one that invited
2:43:38Kiwan for that. You recall that.
2:43:40>> Right.
2:43:41>> Uh Maris Conway didn't know Kiwan White
2:43:43did.
2:43:44>> I told him to go.
2:43:46>> You told Kiwan to go?
2:43:47>> No, I said I told him that he didn't
2:43:49know.
2:43:50>> Okay. You told him that when they asked
2:43:52you that in the brief, you said Marky's
2:43:55he doesn't know he want. Right.
2:43:58>> You're the one that knew him and you
2:44:00invite him along on that trip.
2:44:02>> And when you you're the entourage on a
2:44:06rapper when he's uh rapping out on
2:44:08stage, a group of his friends or his
2:44:10entourage may stand behind and sing
2:44:12along and move that type of thing.
2:44:16>> And that's what happened on that day.
2:44:18Correct. Correct.
2:44:20>> Okay.
2:44:34Hey,
2:44:44hey, hey.
2:45:06You better.
2:45:25All right.
2:45:35>> Would you like to approach the witness?
2:45:37>> I'm sorry.
2:45:38>> Would you like to approach the
2:45:39>> Oh, yes. I'm sorry, Judge. May I
2:45:40approach the witness?
2:45:41>> Yes.
2:45:43>> Freedom to move about while I question
2:45:45it.
2:45:45>> Yes.
2:45:46>> All right. I apologize.
2:45:49Let me show you some photographs.
2:45:50Denmark defense 88
2:45:54uh 89
2:45:5690
2:45:5891
2:46:0092
2:46:0290. You recognize those?
2:46:07All right. Recognize those photographs.
2:46:12At this time, we'll offer defense 88
2:46:14through 93. Would you describe them?
2:46:18>> Uh, these are photographs of
2:46:22Mr. Thomas
2:46:24uh with jewelry on and uh
2:46:28two photos of Q1 white uh with jewelry
2:46:32on. No objection.
2:46:35>> Defense exhibits 88 room 93 are admitted
2:46:38for all purposes.
2:46:41Now, you took uh Tiwan White down there
2:46:44uh and you there was about 13 of you and
2:46:46you went down in a sprinter van. Is that
2:46:48right?
2:46:50>> Uh you uh you allowed uh Kiwan White to
2:46:55borrow some of your jewelry on that
2:46:56trip. Did you call that?
2:46:58>> Yeah.
2:46:59>> Okay. Let me show you what's uh fence
2:47:0288. Is that a watch that you that you
2:47:06own?
2:47:07>> Yes, sir.
2:47:08>> Okay.
2:47:10uh
2:47:18defense uh 90. Does that show a ring
2:47:20that you own?
2:47:22>> Right.
2:47:22>> And this is a a chain that you have?
2:47:25>> Yes, sir.
2:47:26>> That's a GRC chain.
2:47:28>> Uh that's a large one. Is that right?
2:47:31>> Right.
2:47:31>> Okay.
2:47:33uh
2:47:34the size of the chain or anything like
2:47:36that for GRC. Did that sign signify in
2:47:40any way your rank in GRC or whether you
2:47:42were a boss? Anything like that?
2:47:44>> No. People just had their own money and
2:47:46they bought what they like.
2:47:48>> Whether they wanted a big chain or a
2:47:50small chain,
2:47:50>> right? A lot of different ones.
2:47:52>> All right.
2:47:56Again, uh showing you
2:47:59defense 91. Uh that's the watch that uh
2:48:03you owned back at that time.
2:48:04>> Right.
2:48:07Now I want to show you a few more
2:48:09photos. This is when uh Kwan White was
2:48:12down there with you in Houston. Defense
2:48:1592. Is that the watch? That watch
2:48:17belonged to you?
2:48:19>> Yeah.
2:48:19>> You let him borrow that, correct?
2:48:22>> And defense 93. Same watch and the ring.
2:48:27Correct.
2:48:27>> That ring. That ring was yours as well.
2:48:29Yeah. Okay.
2:48:38Kiwan, uh, you you told during your
2:48:43debrief,
2:48:45wanted to be accepted, you felt,
2:48:48>> right?
2:48:49>> Is that accurate?
2:48:52>> Uh, he wanted to be uh, liked by you and
2:48:56other people.
2:48:57>> I didn't say me and other people. I just
2:48:59said he wanted to be liked.
2:49:02>> Be liked.
2:49:02>> Yeah.
2:49:04>> Uh and
2:49:06you helped him with some with his
2:49:08rapping. Is that right?
2:49:10>> Yeah.
2:49:15>> I mean like not helped him like that,
2:49:17but I helped him on the song we did
2:49:19together.
2:49:20>> Okay.
2:49:21Uh gave me some tips on how to rap
2:49:23better, that type of thing.
2:49:25>> Yeah.
2:49:31Uh he also uh was kind of strange
2:49:34sometime, wasn't he?
2:49:37>> I really didn't pay attention to him
2:49:39like that.
2:49:40>> Do you remember doing an interview
2:49:41recently and said Kiwan White would make
2:49:43things up in his head?
2:49:50You remember when you uh debrief with
2:49:52the feds uh that you told them uh that
2:49:57Kiwan was willing to do anything for
2:49:59acceptance?
2:50:01>> No.
2:50:03>> Okay. Do you remember uh telling them
2:50:06that Kiwan had a reputation for
2:50:07committing a robberies and violent
2:50:10crimes like things of that nature?
2:50:12>> Yeah, I don't copy either.
2:50:15Do you remember telling him you he was
2:50:16known to be a shooter and he shot a
2:50:19girlfriend? He had
2:50:21>> Yeah.
2:50:23And that was in 2020.
2:50:25>> I don't know what what what year it was
2:50:28in. I just know it happened. I heard it
2:50:30happened afterwards. How it got locked
2:50:32up.
2:50:43I want to ask you another area. Uh when
2:50:45you were testifying the grand jury,
2:50:48uh a lot of the a lot of the questions
2:50:51you were asked were were what we call
2:50:53leading questions, right? Mr. Adams,
2:50:55make a statement and you would agree or
2:50:57or disagree.
2:50:59>> Okay. You remember though at one point
2:51:01when you were talking about uh
2:51:05beefs and someone doing something for
2:51:07money, killing someone for money. Uh you
2:51:10said it's just how society is now. Like
2:51:12somebody with money beefing with
2:51:14somebody.
2:51:16If they feel like you got money, they'll
2:51:18do it. How things go in the hood at
2:51:21times. You remember talking about that?
2:51:23>> I don't
2:51:25I don't remember. I remember a little
2:51:28bit.
2:51:28>> Okay. talking about that in the hood
2:51:32where there's a lot of people that don't
2:51:33have a lot of money. If they think you
2:51:35do and you have a problem with someone,
2:51:37they may take that person out and expect
2:51:39to get paid later,
2:51:42>> right?
2:51:42>> Without ever having agreement up front,
2:51:45>> right?
2:51:46>> That's just how things are down there
2:51:48sometimes.
2:51:50Do you remember making those kind of
2:51:51statements?
2:51:53>> Not really, but you you asked me, so I
2:51:56must have said it.
2:51:57>> Okay. That's true, isn't it? There are
2:51:59people that will do that.
2:52:01>> Yeah.
2:52:12We Mr. Adams asked you about you getting
2:52:15that Instagram call from Kiwan White a
2:52:17few hours uh uh before the murder of uh
2:52:22Melvin Noble, and that came out of the
2:52:24blue. Is that right?
2:52:25>> Right. And he asked you this strange
2:52:27question of why didn't you why didn't
2:52:29you take me with you?
2:52:31>> No.
2:52:31>> That make any sense to you at all?
2:52:33>> No.
2:52:34>> You think that's cuz he you taken him
2:52:36down to Houston
2:52:38a couple weeks earlier?
2:52:40>> I don't know why he asked me, but
2:52:43[ __ ] It just didn't seem right to me. I
2:52:45told him I ain't never took you nowhere
2:52:46before me.
2:52:47>> Right. And you wouldn't expect to fly
2:52:50him out to California, would you? Right.
2:52:52>> That was a strange statement. Right.
2:53:09Did Kiwan uh want to act like you were a
2:53:12real close friend of his?
2:53:14>> I don't think you want to act like he
2:53:16was close friend. Did he start calling
2:53:18you more? I mean, like I said, he he
2:53:21caught me from this a couple times, but
2:53:24he, like I said, I don't think he
2:53:26thought he was legit.
2:53:28>> Did you think Kiwan liked or tried to
2:53:30impress people?
2:53:32>> I mean, like I said, I really never
2:53:35had an opinion of him that much to where
2:53:36it mattered to me whether he did or what
2:53:38he didn't do. I really
2:53:42I ain't care about all that.
2:54:05Let's uh talk a minute about
2:54:08uh you had told Kiwan White and
2:54:11testified that you thought you should uh
2:54:14leave town. remember that?
2:54:16>> Yeah.
2:54:17>> And why did you tell him uh he should
2:54:18leave town?
2:54:19>> Cuz he was doing too much.
2:54:21>> He was what?
2:54:22>> He was doing too much.
2:54:24>> What was he doing?
2:54:25>> Just being doing the most.
2:54:28And uh you didn't tell him to do that to
2:54:33uh because you felt uh you were involved
2:54:36with any way or Jerry was involved. You
2:54:38you thought he was doing things that
2:54:40could get your friend in trouble. Is
2:54:43that right? I mean, you know, I I see
2:54:46[ __ ] I mean, my bad. I apologize.
2:54:49I see stuff like I see stuff on the
2:54:52internet. You know what I'm saying? Like
2:54:54I said, you moving like an idiot. Like,
2:54:56so you need to move around. I didn't say
2:54:59I really didn't say get out of town.
2:55:00Said you can move around. But, you know,
2:55:05and we saw a uh a photo of you from the
2:55:09security camera where you're you're
2:55:11talked to him and he left that night uh
2:55:14for Mount Pleasant. We saw that
2:55:16photograph.
2:55:16>> You had a picture he shot of her.
2:55:18>> Yeah.
2:55:18>> Yeah.
2:55:20>> Uh you were at the Ramona address there
2:55:23when Jerry got back. You remember that?
2:55:26>> When Jerry arrived,
2:55:29>> you talking about that night?
2:55:30>> Yeah.
2:55:31>> Yeah. that Kiwan took off.
2:55:32>> Yeah.
2:55:33>> Uh when you were in the house with them,
2:55:36uh you never saw Jerry give him any
2:55:39money, did you?
2:55:39>> I told him that on a C.
2:55:41>> In fact, you told him that when they
2:55:43asked you in the grand jury and they've
2:55:45asked you when they talked to you, you
2:55:47ever ever see Kiwan get paid? You said,
2:55:50"I had no idea."
2:55:51>> Right.
2:55:52>> Never saw that.
2:55:53>> Right.
2:55:53>> And certainly while you were down there
2:55:55at that house in Ramona before he went
2:55:57to Mount Pleasant, you didn't see
2:55:58anything like that, did you?
2:56:00>> Right. You never heard a jury talk about
2:56:03giving him money after he left, did you?
2:56:05>> I said, though.
2:56:06>> Yeah. I just want to make it clear.
2:56:09>> Uh, you never saw that.
2:56:29That one
2:57:22Mr. Thomas, let me ask you a couple
2:57:24other things regarding uh Maris Conway.
2:57:28Uh he had started rapping uh when he was
2:57:32about 14, 15. Remember that?
2:57:34>> Right. Well, I wasn't there when he
2:57:36first started. I meet him then.
2:57:38>> Okay. So, when you met him, he already
2:57:40was right,
2:57:41>> right?
2:57:41>> And he seemed to work pretty hard at it.
2:57:44>> I mean, was nobody working too hard when
2:57:46he was young.
2:57:47>> Okay. Well, he became successful, right?
2:57:50>> But he stayed in touch with you and
2:57:52Jerry and come down and see y'all with
2:57:54him. Right. Uh, and
2:57:59you knew that he uh he was raised by his
2:58:02mother. You knew that, didn't you?
2:58:04>> You knew his mother, didn't you?
2:58:06Uh, he took care of his mother, didn't
2:58:08you?
2:58:10He supported her.
2:58:13>> Uh, and Maris
2:58:16uh would often carry cash, pay for
2:58:19things with cash. You thought that?
2:58:22>> Yeah. Wasn't unusual to see him with
2:58:24large amounts of cash, was it? No, it
2:58:26wasn't unusual. In
2:58:27>> fact, that's how he usually paid for
2:58:30that.
2:58:31>> I don't know how he paid every time,
2:58:33>> but he usually had a lot of cash on him.
2:58:36>> Uh he liked clothes. He he'd wear and
2:58:39buy expensive clothes, wouldn't he?
2:58:41>> Yeah. when you would go with him uh on
2:58:44these uh promotions in other cities, uh
2:58:48he would have different outfits to wear
2:58:50when he was being filmed and performing,
2:58:52didn't he?
2:58:53>> Yeah.
2:58:54>> Uh and those were real expensive
2:58:57uh uh clothing, wasn't it?
2:58:59>> I mean, I can't say if it was expensive
2:59:01or not.
2:59:02>> He like to wear nice shoes as well.
2:59:06>> Uh he also like to gamble, didn't he?
2:59:08>> I mean, I don't know that either. You
2:59:10remember him making video showing uh
2:59:13offering to bet on his friend uh who was
2:59:15the fighter?
2:59:17>> Oh yeah. Yeah.
2:59:18>> Who was that?
2:59:20>> EJ.
2:59:21>> Okay. Spence. He was middleweight
2:59:22champion for a while.
2:59:24>> Yeah.
2:59:24>> And he was from the same neighborhood.
2:59:26>> I don't know where he's at from.
2:59:28>> Uh but they were friends.
2:59:30>> And he would offer to bet sometimes
2:59:32$100,000 on the fight. Recall that.
2:59:36>> No.
2:59:37>> He bet on the Cowboys all the time.
2:59:39Yeah.
2:59:40>> Uh wasn't unusual for him. He had a lot
2:59:42of jewelry he'd pay for cash. You recall
2:59:45that,
2:59:45>> right?
2:59:46>> Uh and he took care of his mother real
2:59:49well, right?
2:59:51>> His mother didn't work, did she? No.
2:59:54>> Uh he paid for everything. Right.
2:59:58>> Supported her where she lived, car she
3:00:01drove, food she ate, that type of thing.
3:00:03>> Yeah.
3:00:04>> And that's what you do when you become
3:00:06successful. You tried to support your
3:00:08mother and loved ones.
3:00:10>> Right.
3:00:11>> And Maris did that.
3:00:14Is that correct?
3:00:15>> Right.
3:00:31Heat. Heat.
3:01:01you were taken uh on a uh
3:01:05along with Jerry and some of the other
3:01:08friends uh with Maris's birthday on
3:01:10October 23rd of the 2020. Do you recall
3:01:13that?
3:01:14>> Yeah.
3:01:14>> Uh and that was a a weekend trip to
3:01:17Miami. Call that.
3:01:19>> All right.
3:01:20>> And Maris took a lot of cash on that
3:01:22trip, didn't he?
3:01:23>> I don't know exactly how much money.
3:01:25>> Did you see him with a lot of cash?
3:01:27>> I don't.
3:01:28>> All right.
3:01:43Mr. Thomas, you met several times with
3:01:47the DA's office, Mr. Adams and some of
3:01:49the other prosecutors. Do you recall
3:01:51that?
3:01:52>> Yeah, I met a couple times.
3:01:55But many times you didn't talk about the
3:01:57story you told you told. You talk talked
3:02:00a lot about your background uh your
3:02:03relationship with Maris Conway. Recall
3:02:05that
3:02:07No, I mean not really.
3:02:09>> Well, you they didn't get really into
3:02:10the details of the car and what you said
3:02:13happened in the car except uh on one
3:02:16occasion. You recall that
3:02:18>> just one time and you said right before
3:02:21you recanted
3:02:23uh you called uh Mr. Adams and tried to
3:02:26talk to him to come see what
3:02:28>> why did you want to do that?
3:02:30>> To tell my lie.
3:02:33>> And were you able to do that at that
3:02:35time? No, cuz too many people in there.
3:02:38>> Okay. But you wanted to do it on that
3:02:40day.
3:02:42>> But you were able to do it after you
3:02:44told your lawyer uh that you had lied
3:02:47and and then came to the DA's office and
3:02:49talked to Detective Barnes,
3:02:51>> right?
3:02:52>> Is that right?
3:02:53>> No, I talked to him over here.
3:02:55>> Okay. Here in the here up upstairs at
3:02:57the DA's office.
3:02:58>> Okay. Yeah. Yeah.
3:03:00>> And that's when you told him that you'd
3:03:01lied. Uh because you were just telling
3:03:05the feds what they wanted to hear.
3:03:07>> Well, I didn't say it like that with
3:03:08you.
3:03:09>> Okay.
3:03:16>> Judge.
3:03:18>> Yes.
3:04:01You remember telling Detective Barnes.
3:04:04Uh, well, I was going through some
3:04:06federal charges and I felt like I didn't
3:04:09give them what they wanted to hear. I'd
3:04:12be going to jail for something I didn't
3:04:14uh commit already. So, I tried to tell
3:04:17them what they wanted to wanted to know
3:04:21so I could get back home to my family.
3:04:23That was the reason you made this up.
3:04:33Were you telling the truth today when
3:04:35you told the jury that you lied about
3:04:38getting in a car and hearing this
3:04:39conversation?
3:04:40>> Yes.
3:04:53>> I'll pass.
3:04:54>> Thank you. State.
3:04:57All right. Now, Mr. Thomas, when I asked
3:04:59you about the uh trip to Houston uh in
3:05:03October, you didn't remember it, but
3:05:05when defense asked you, you remembered
3:05:06it. Is that fair?
3:05:08>> No, like I told her, I didn't
3:05:09necessarily remember everything about
3:05:11the trip, but like I told you when I
3:05:14read the paper, I did.
3:05:15>> Okay.
3:05:17Do you recall telling uh Detective
3:05:20Barnes and the federal prosecutors
3:05:23that you were sad that Jerry ever got
3:05:25involved in this to help Conway? Because
3:05:28Conway only cares about himself and the
3:05:30various more.
3:05:31>> All right.
3:05:49Do you recall telling the
3:05:52federal prosecutor as well as Detective
3:05:54Barnes that the song On Your Head, which
3:05:57is a bounty song,
3:05:59was publicized by the uh record company
3:06:04to publicize attention and get it uh
3:06:06given to the ongoing view regarding
3:06:09Yellow Bezy and Melvin Neville in the
3:06:11three. Do you do you remember that?
3:06:14>> I thought I wasn't supposed to talk
3:06:15about that.
3:06:17>> That one's fine.
3:06:19>> You tell me not to talk about it. You
3:06:20did a while.
3:06:25>> Do you recall that?
3:06:26>> I I recall seeing it, but I
3:06:28>> Okay.
3:06:30>> We got to be very limited. So, if I'm
3:06:33asking you about it, that means it's
3:06:34okay. All right. Unless it gets an
3:06:36objection. Is that fair?
3:06:43When you met with uh Detective Barnes
3:06:46and the federal prosecutors and you went
3:06:48down to um Houston, do you recall
3:06:51telling them that you began began
3:06:53receiving death threats?
3:06:57>> Do you recall that?
3:06:58>> When I went to Houston.
3:06:59>> Mhm. Over your over social media because
3:07:02of your affiliation with Conway?
3:07:04>> No.
3:07:05>> Do you recall why you took K1 with you?
3:07:08Oh yeah, I do. I would call. Yeah.
3:07:10>> Can you tell the jury about that?
3:07:12>> Uh cuz I um you know, people start
3:07:15feeling like something might happen to
3:07:16me because of all the rapping he was
3:07:18doing.
3:07:18>> And when you say all the rapping he was
3:07:19doing, you're talking about Conway?
3:07:21>> No, I was talking about all three.
3:07:22>> Okay. So there was a few going on.
3:07:24>> I can't say it was a few between them,
3:07:26but you know, I wasn't paying attention
3:07:28to what everybody else was listening to.
3:07:30So,
3:07:31>> like I said, it was something that was
3:07:32told to me
3:07:33>> and the re and you recall telling um
3:07:37telling us in an interview that the
3:07:38reason you took he was
3:07:41>> because Jerry told you to take him.
3:07:43>> Yeah.
3:07:44>> For protection. He's a shooter.
3:07:47>> No, just to take him.
3:07:48>> Okay. And to be fair, Jerry was trying
3:07:51to help Kiwan out the most. Is that
3:07:53fair?
3:07:54>> I guess so.
3:07:55>> Um he called Kiwan little bro.
3:07:59>> All right. That's just a figure of
3:08:00speech.
3:08:01>> But that's what he called Keywalk.
3:08:03>> That's just a figure of speech.
3:08:04>> Did Jerry call you that?
3:08:06>> I'm open. Okay.
3:08:09>> Do you recall telling Detective Barnes
3:08:11and the federal prosecutors that Deon
3:08:14Brown had distanced himself um from
3:08:17Jocelyn for a long period before the
3:08:19murder due to the fact that she'd been
3:08:21stealing money from her
3:08:24or she'd been stealing money from him,
3:08:25excuse me.
3:08:36Do you recall telling
3:08:39Barnes and the feds that Deon Brown was
3:08:41a lowle drug dealer? Yeah, they knew
3:08:45that I already know. I didn't have to
3:08:47tell them that. And these are all true
3:08:48things, right? This facts though. They
3:08:51stuff the feds already knew. You can't
3:08:53tell the feds nothing that they don't
3:08:55already know.
3:09:02Do you recall telling them that
3:09:07Jerry had told you that quote key had
3:09:10taken care of that S for quote beey?
3:09:14>> No. Got it.
3:09:18that you were concerned and
3:09:21Jerry was concerned for you because the
3:09:23Instagram records would show that you
3:09:26and K1 had communicated the night before
3:09:28the murder.
3:09:29>> Excuse me, judge. Uh for the previous
3:09:32answer, could you uh instruct the jury
3:09:34about the uh complaint?
3:09:37>> Yes. The jury will recall my
3:09:38instructions regarding uh Mr. promises
3:09:41grand jury testimony that should not be
3:09:44taken as evidence um of guilt of Mr.
3:09:47Conway. Um it sole purpose is to uh
3:09:51discredit or impeach Mr. Thomas and you
3:09:54can ascribe whatever way you wish to it.
3:09:58And in not in grand jury with me,
3:10:04do you recall telling Detective Barnes
3:10:06and the federal prosecutors that Johnson
3:10:08said he paid quote little bro some of
3:10:11the money but he wants the rest of the
3:10:13money that he is owed to him and said
3:10:16quote get little bro right.
3:10:19Do you recall saying that?
3:10:20>> No. How I'm I'm glad you asked me
3:10:23exactly exactly how I said it was. Hey
3:10:27man, I don't know, man. I need that. I
3:10:29never said all that you said I was
3:10:31saying.
3:10:32>> Okay.
3:10:34>> I was always hesiding on like like I
3:10:37told you then. It was like a funny way.
3:10:38So, I couldn't say how he how he meant
3:10:40it.
3:10:42But that's how he took.
3:10:44>> I wasn't adopted.
3:10:46>> Well, that's how they took
3:10:51Were
3:10:59you lying
3:11:02to Detective Barnes and the federal
3:11:03prosecutors when you said Kiwan White
3:11:06personally told you that he was
3:11:07responsible for shooting uh Boozy?
3:11:12>> Yeah.
3:11:12>> You were lying about that.
3:11:13>> Yeah.
3:11:16>> And that took place at Big Boozy was
3:11:19actually shot at Big T, right? Everybody
3:11:20knew it.
3:11:22>> But you told the feds that Kiwan
3:11:24specifically told you that,
3:11:26>> right?
3:11:28>> Are you aware that since now Kiwan has
3:11:30admitted to that?
3:11:33>> Everybody knew it.
3:11:35>> I know everybody knew it, but are you
3:11:37aware that Kiwan's now admitted to that?
3:11:39>> Yeah.
3:11:43>> But you were lying about that
3:11:44conversation that you had with the feds
3:11:46back in 2024, right?
3:12:06Do you recall telling Detective Barnes
3:12:08and the federal prosecutors that
3:12:11Jerry said that quote this is no time to
3:12:13be cheap with Kiwan and to quote keep
3:12:16him straight because the money that he
3:12:19had been given um has been taken up. Do
3:12:23you recall that?
3:12:26>> No.
3:12:31Do you recall telling um Detective
3:12:33Barnes and the federal prosecutors that
3:12:38Jerry had become responsible for putting
3:12:41money on Kiwan's books, bonds, and
3:12:43paying for his lawyer fees because
3:12:45Conway stopped um doing it and leaving
3:12:48Johnson with all of the financial
3:12:49responsibility for Q1. Do you recall
3:12:51that?
3:12:52>> Yeah.
3:12:52>> Was that a lie?
3:12:53>> Yeah, cuz I had no possible way of
3:12:55knowing that.
3:12:57Where did you come up with that?
3:12:59>> I taught them whatever they wanted
3:13:00there.
3:13:04>> Am I proud of it? No.
3:13:07>> That's what that's what it that's how it
3:13:09was at the time.
3:13:10>> Do you recall telling the feds that
3:13:12Conway was in involved in an internet
3:13:14dispute with comedian Roy Lee Pay over
3:13:16the fact that uh Roy Lee had mocked
3:13:18Conway for actually not being from
3:13:20Dallas? They already knew that
3:13:26>> that wasn't what
3:13:27>> they already knew that though. I didn't
3:13:29have to tell them. That was something
3:13:30they showed me.
3:14:02Now, when you decided to come forward as
3:14:04far as what was truthful and what was
3:14:06not, you'd agree with me that if you
3:14:09really wanted to lie, right?
3:14:13If you really wanted to sell this story,
3:14:16you could have said that you saw Kiwan
3:14:19with the money. Right. Right.
3:14:22>> And you've never once said, "I saw Kiwan
3:14:24get the money from Jerry." Right.
3:14:28>> If you really wanted to get out of jail
3:14:32and you knew that what they cuz what
3:14:34defense is saying is that you knew all
3:14:36along that all they cared about
3:14:38allegedly was that this case right here,
3:14:41right?
3:14:42Right.
3:14:43>> That's what you're saying today.
3:14:45>> Right.
3:14:46>> And you sat in custody of the
3:14:51of the US Marshalss with BOP for 18
3:14:54months.
3:14:55>> I went in BOP.
3:14:57>> You were in Limestone County. I
3:14:58understand that.
3:14:59>> Right.
3:14:59>> But you sat in custody all that time. A
3:15:01man who doesn't have very many or any
3:15:03convictions on his record. Right.
3:15:05>> Right.
3:15:07And you waited until September 24th or
3:15:10September of 2024 to come forward. Is
3:15:13that correct?
3:15:14>> All right.
3:15:30May I have one moment? Y.
3:15:31>> Yes.
3:15:46Heat. Heat.
3:15:55Heat.
3:16:15Heat.
3:16:27Sorry, I was thinking about it while you
3:16:29were answering that last question and
3:16:31kind of slipped out my mind. Um, you
3:16:34haven't given any interviews or made any
3:16:36statements about all this till after you
3:16:38recanted it and and your testimony here
3:16:39in this courtroom today is because you
3:16:41got to pay your bills, right?
3:16:44That's why you've done the interview
3:16:46with uh I'm not going to but Dallas
3:16:49Global and Real Life Street Stars. Those
3:16:51are the two uh
3:16:53bloggers that you did interviews with.
3:16:55Right. Right. Um
3:16:59and your testimony today is that all the
3:17:01feds cared about was this case right
3:17:03here was this murder for hire case.
3:17:05Right.
3:17:08But when you did these interviews in the
3:17:10last 10 days,
3:17:13you said the feds didn't even care about
3:17:15this at all, right?
3:17:19>> Well, it can't be both ways. It can't be
3:17:21this is all they cared about. But then
3:17:23in your two interviews,
3:17:24>> well, I wasn't under no interview. I'm
3:17:27under right now.
3:17:31>> I can tell them anything.
3:17:34I came out of here.
3:17:56Mr. Thomas, just uh regarding Detective
3:18:00Barnes and and defense has made this big
3:18:02deal out of y'all two talking
3:18:05since you've uh since you've been out of
3:18:09federal custody and out of on bond on
3:18:11your state cases. Fair to say you've
3:18:14reached out to him a lot,
3:18:15>> right?
3:18:18>> You were concerned about your safety. Is
3:18:20that fair?
3:18:21>> No.
3:18:22>> No,
3:18:23>> I wouldn't say my safety. When
3:18:25information got released about you in
3:18:27your federal paperwork, did you reach
3:18:29out to him?
3:18:29>> Yeah. You
3:18:31>> concerned about your safety?
3:18:33>> Of course.
3:18:33>> Okay. So, you did reach out to them
3:18:35because you were concerned about your
3:18:36safety when defense put some of your
3:18:37information in their motions.
3:18:41>> That was before you came to testify this
3:18:43quarter.
3:18:44>> Before you was forced to testify. Yeah.
3:18:51and you were concerned about the safety
3:18:53of your family and your little ones,
3:18:54right? Right.
3:18:56>> This has not been an easy experience uh
3:18:58for you the last year and a half that
3:19:00you've been out on bond for this, have
3:19:01you?
3:19:03>> You've lost just about everything and
3:19:05everybody who you thought were your real
3:19:06friends before this. Is that fair?
3:19:13>> I have no control with your honor.
3:19:16Defense.
3:19:17>> Just a few more questions. You you told
3:19:20some lies, some untruths in these
3:19:22interviews you did. Is that right?
3:19:24>> Okay. Uh and you were paid to do the
3:19:26interviews.
3:19:28>> That's kind of what happens. The
3:19:30internet since this trial is going on
3:19:32and coming up. Uh it's it's it's uh like
3:19:37you say, clickbait.
3:19:39>> Uh people make money off of it, don't
3:19:41they?
3:19:42>> All right. And
3:19:46Mr. Mr. Adams said you waited until 9:24
3:19:49knowing what the feds wanted. 9:24 2024
3:19:53became the feds. That's true because
3:19:57you'd learned that they were threatening
3:19:59you with Rico and Vikar life sentence,
3:20:01right?
3:20:03>> And that was a real threat
3:20:05>> in your mind, wasn't it?
3:20:08>> And your only way out was to give him
3:20:10the story.
3:20:12>> Well, like I told you earlier, I think I
3:20:14also heard what you said. I think you
3:20:16y'all took it out of context of what I
3:20:17said. That wasn't all my debriefing was
3:20:20about. My debriefing was about to let
3:20:22them know I wasn't involved.
3:20:24>> Right. But you also wanted to tell them
3:20:28that story because that once you did
3:20:30that, 72 hours later, they were telling
3:20:32you, "Hey, why don't you apply to the
3:20:35steps program?"
3:20:36>> No, it didn't happen like that.
3:20:39>> Well, it was 72 hours when you got the
3:20:41news that you could apply to the steps
3:20:43program. 72 hours later.
3:20:45>> How much?
3:20:45>> It wasn't 72 hours later.
3:20:47>> How much later was it?
3:20:48>> It was like a week and a half later.
3:20:50>> Okay. Week and a half later. That's when
3:20:52you found out,
3:20:53>> right?
3:20:55>> And because of what you said and did,
3:20:56you achieved your purpose. You got out
3:20:58of custody, didn't you? I mean,
3:21:00>> I guess so.
3:21:01>> And you got your case dismissed, didn't
3:21:02you?
3:21:03>> It wasn't because of that, though.
3:21:05>> Well, you got your case dismissed,
3:21:06didn't you?
3:21:07>> Yeah, my case got dismissed. Yeah.
3:21:08>> Okay.
3:21:14You, Mr. Adams, asked you about a
3:21:16statement you would uh uh told uh
3:21:20Detective Barnes that uh Jerry Johnson
3:21:23has said, "Now we got to support Kiwan
3:21:26White he had put money on his books
3:21:29because Maris Conway was no longer
3:21:32putting money on his books." Can you
3:21:34explain to the jury what putting money
3:21:35on books is?
3:21:38uh like you're basically putting money
3:21:41on the phone or sending people
3:21:43commentary. What you asking now? I'm not
3:21:45I'm not
3:21:46>> Well, he asked you uh if Jerry Johnson
3:21:49had actually said that that Maris Conway
3:21:51quit putting money on his books and you
3:21:53said I have no way of knowing that,
3:21:55>> right?
3:21:56>> Uh that that wasn't true. You would have
3:21:58no way of knowing that. But I wouldn't
3:22:00have no way of knowing.
3:22:01>> And certainly if the if the authorities
3:22:04with all the investigators they have
3:22:06would be able to find out if Maris
3:22:08Conway was indeed putting money on Maris
3:22:11Conway's book. I mean uh Ewan White's
3:22:14books wouldn't
3:22:16>> I said with all the investigators they
3:22:19have and the money they have if Maris
3:22:21Conway was putting money paying for his
3:22:23phone paying for his commissary they'd
3:22:25be able to find that out. Don't you
3:22:27think?
3:22:27>> I guess so.
3:22:32In one of your uh interviews with the
3:22:34DA's office, they asked you if you
3:22:36thought Deon Brown could pay $40,000.
3:22:39Uh and you said you didn't know,
3:22:42>> right? Cuz you didn't know, did you?
3:22:48>> Did you know that uh Mo 3 had actually
3:22:52put his chains on Deon Brown's children
3:22:54and put it out on social media? I just
3:22:57recently found out about this.
3:22:59>> Okay.
3:23:01That certainly uh would be uh something
3:23:05that would upset a man if if he saw a
3:23:08rapper putting his chains on him and
3:23:10putting out on social media with him.
3:23:12Your honor, I'm going to object to
3:23:13speculation.
3:23:14>> That's interesting.
3:23:18>> Okay. Let me ask you uh one one thing I
3:23:22forgot to go into you with. you uh once
3:23:25you got out
3:23:28uh and your relationship broke up for a
3:23:30while in the summer of 20 25,
3:23:35do you remember uh coming over to
3:23:40uh that lady's house uh in the early
3:23:44morning hours uh on her birthday?
3:23:46>> What that got to do with this case?
3:23:49>> Well, because you got in a little tussle
3:23:51with a guy you knew from high school
3:23:52named Oifo. Remember? in tussle with a
3:23:54lot of people that do this.
3:23:57>> You know who Oifo is, right?
3:23:58>> Right.
3:23:59>> And you all got in a little tussle and
3:24:01he asked you why are you doing this? You
3:24:03remember that?
3:24:04>> N
3:24:06you remember telling him
3:24:08I'm an objective event.
3:24:15>> What is
3:24:16>> Well, I was about to what I was about to
3:24:19uh ask him what he told him would make
3:24:21it very relevant. judge. I haven't got
3:24:22be able to make the statement about why
3:24:25he why he why he was doing this.
3:24:28>> Why he got into a tussle with him?
3:24:30>> Yes.
3:24:31>> Person.
3:24:31>> Yes.
3:24:32>> Go ahead.
3:24:33>> Okay.
3:24:35You said I only said that stuff about
3:24:37yellow because she was going to leave
3:24:39me. You remember telling him that?
3:24:40Little knew. Never told him that. Middle
3:24:43kn.
3:24:48That's all the questions we have. All
3:24:50right. Thanks.
3:24:52That would rather your honor.
3:24:53>> May the service be released?
3:24:56>> Yeah. No objection.
3:25:00>> Subject to recall to it.
3:25:02>> All right, Mr. Thomas, you are free to
3:25:05step down for now, but stay you and your
3:25:07attorney stay in touch with the defense
3:25:09in case you need to testify. Okay. All
3:25:12right. Thank you.
3:25:16>> And your state asked that Mr. might be
3:25:20able to be released from his previous
3:25:23swearing hand.
3:25:24>> Yes, of course.
3:25:25>> Thank you. Your honor,
3:25:28ladies and gentlemen, this is a good
3:25:29time to break for the day.
3:25:324:55
3:25:35at 9:00 a.m. tomorrow
3:25:37instruction.
3:25:42Thank you.
3:25:59Heat. Heat.
3:26:18Okay. All right. Well, Valerie, uh, let
3:26:22let me let me start let me start by
3:26:24resetting the table. I'm Tanya Eiser.
3:26:25I'm an investigative reporter here at
3:26:26Channel 8. We've got Valerie Baston, a
3:26:29local defense attorney who has joined us
3:26:31today. It's always a long day when we do
3:26:33these, but always very interesting.
3:26:36Okay. Well, we finally got Theodore
3:26:39Thomas and Jose Bedadega or aka Jose
3:26:42Bedga this afternoon and this did not go
3:26:46the way that they expected. Right.
3:26:50>> It didn't appear that way to me. Tanya.
3:26:53>> All right, Zeke, you got something?
3:26:54>> Just going to grab this real quick.
3:26:56>> Oh, okay.
3:26:57>> Oh, he's just Okay. Yeah. See, Zeke Zeke
3:27:00doesn't really like being in the shot.
3:27:01Okay. No, I didn't fall asleep, folks.
3:27:03I'm reading your comments. I did not
3:27:04fall asleep.
3:27:05>> No, we stayed away. This this was the
3:27:07part we were waiting for.
3:27:08>> No, this was the most interesting um
3:27:11testimony that we heard all day and
3:27:14frankly the entire trial. So, um to
3:27:18recap, uh you know, Jose Bedadega,
3:27:23Theodore Thomas, he had taken the fifth
3:27:25last week and they over the weekend they
3:27:28hammered out some kind of immunity deal
3:27:31to allow him to testify. And when he got
3:27:33on the stand right after lunch, it was
3:27:36very clear, very fast,
3:27:38>> very fast
3:27:39>> that he was not going to go along.
3:27:42>> No.
3:27:42>> And that that suddenly he had he said he
3:27:45lied about everything
3:27:47and you know they were pulling teeth and
3:27:51>> the state had to treat him as a hostile
3:27:52witness.
3:27:54Um and he still wasn't really
3:27:58forthcoming with anything. Um but
3:28:03watching it. His cross- examination that
3:28:07was done by attorney Toby Shook, it was
3:28:10like day and night. He was just
3:28:13answering everything Toby said, asked
3:28:15him.
3:28:16>> Mhm.
3:28:17>> Um, Right. Right. Right. Um,
3:28:21>> suddenly he found his words.
3:28:22>> Yes. Suddenly he found his words. He
3:28:24remembered things. Um,
3:28:26>> his memory got really better.
3:28:27>> Yes. Yes. And but it wasn't in favor of
3:28:31the state.
3:28:32>> No,
3:28:33>> it was all, you know, very beneficial
3:28:36for yellow be, excuse me, yellow bezy's
3:28:40defense.
3:28:41>> Well, and I thought what was really
3:28:42interesting was, you know, this timeline
3:28:47that he is facing 25 years. He's been in
3:28:51administrative SEG for months and he's
3:28:54getting word that he's facing a
3:28:56potential RICO case and that's going to
3:28:58carry a life sentence and suddenly
3:29:02uh so does he have motivation to tell
3:29:05the DA what they want to hear? Um
3:29:09perhaps perhaps he did have motivation
3:29:12to not be truthful in what he was um
3:29:16telling the state what he was telling
3:29:18the government. Now, Tanya and I did
3:29:20look up over the break about his
3:29:22dismissal from that steps program, uh,
3:29:25which is sentencing. Let me
3:29:27>> Oh, I had it pulled up.
3:29:28>> I had it right here. Hold on. Let me
3:29:33sentencing to equip people for success.
3:29:36And it's just a dismissal. It's not a
3:29:39dismissal with prejudice.
3:29:40>> So, they could theoretically come back
3:29:42and file on him. they could come back on
3:29:45him because he did not do what he
3:29:48contracted to do, which was to be
3:29:50truthful in any testimony.
3:29:53>> Right. You see that happening
3:29:55potentially?
3:29:56>> It's possible it could happen. I mean,
3:29:58here he was looking at 25 years to maybe
3:30:01even a life sentence
3:30:04and he got a dismissal on all that. I
3:30:07mean, I know very few people that get
3:30:09dismissals from the feds,
3:30:10>> right? Yeah. Yeah, I don't I I was kind
3:30:12of shocked because I had never heard of
3:30:14that program.
3:30:15>> I hadn't either. I was like, what is
3:30:16this program?
3:30:17>> So, this must be some kind of deferred
3:30:18adjudication I mean deferredution
3:30:21program.
3:30:22So, I'm like I didn't know they had it.
3:30:24I maybe they I had never heard of it,
3:30:27but it but but you know basically 72
3:30:29hours after this is what Toby pointed
3:30:31out that 72 hours after he had you know
3:30:34given his uh interview with the feds and
3:30:38apparently detailed a whole bunch of
3:30:40different stuff he gets accepted into
3:30:42this program.
3:30:42>> Right. Right. Is that a coincidence?
3:30:45that it, you know,
3:30:46>> now Tanya, some things I found
3:30:48interesting um in his cross-examination
3:30:51with with Attorney Shook was the fact
3:30:54that he, you know, the trap house that
3:30:56they were talking about, Jerry's Trap
3:30:58House, Yellow Beey wasn't affiliated
3:31:01with that,
3:31:02>> right?
3:31:02>> Um,
3:31:05and
3:31:07the question that Toby was asking him
3:31:11about the cell phones,
3:31:13>> right? And would it if his cell phone if
3:31:16yellow bees cell phone was pinging out
3:31:20in where Colin County? Mhm.
3:31:23>> So that's leading me to believe that the
3:31:26defense must have some cell phone
3:31:28records and a cell phone expert that
3:31:30they may be introducing here to testify
3:31:34that um the things that Kiwan was not
3:31:38excuse me not Kiwan that Jose Bodega was
3:31:41talking about what he told the feds what
3:31:44he told the DA's office it's not true
3:31:48>> right
3:31:48>> and the cell phone would back that up.
3:31:51It is all very interesting and
3:31:53fascinating
3:31:55and this clearly
3:31:58clearly did not go the way that
3:32:01prosecutors anticipated. They seems like
3:32:04they thought they had cut this deal,
3:32:06this immunity deal, and they were going
3:32:08to get him in there. Now, it wasn't to
3:32:09say that they weren't still going to
3:32:11have problems on on cross-examination,
3:32:15>> but they were thinking that they had
3:32:16something hammered. It seems like I mean
3:32:18I've not talked to them but it seems
3:32:19like they thought that they had
3:32:21something hammered out
3:32:23and then they didn't
3:32:24>> and then they didn't
3:32:25>> and that's a that's a real that's a real
3:32:28problem for them because right now we
3:32:31are we have now completed five days of a
3:32:33trial
3:32:35and
3:32:36so far I have not seen
3:32:40um I just have I you know I are you
3:32:44seeing it so far five days
3:32:48No, I'm not. And I'm not on anybody's
3:32:51side on this, but just, you know, a
3:32:54legal observer, but
3:32:56>> I I'm not seeing it. Um, I don't know
3:33:01who else the state's going to call.
3:33:03Maybe those individuals will help tie up
3:33:07some loose ends. But you know what I was
3:33:10sitting here wondering about and um some
3:33:13of the viewers about perjury charges
3:33:16being filed against um Jose Bodega and
3:33:20you know just regular perjury is a
3:33:21misdemeanor but there is aggravated
3:33:23perjury which is a thirdderee felony and
3:33:27maybe what he has done here today rises
3:33:31to the level of aggravated perjury.
3:33:34>> Could be. Of course, I think he's got
3:33:36bigger problems than aggravated perjury
3:33:38potentially. He has a lot a lot of
3:33:39potential bigger problems.
3:33:42>> Go back on that deal,
3:33:44>> right?
3:33:44>> Yeah.
3:33:45>> But yeah, he's got some issues on his
3:33:47hands. And someone's asking me, how do
3:33:48you think, and I'll ask you this,
3:33:50Valerie, how do you think the state
3:33:51turns this around?
3:33:55>> It's going to be hard.
3:33:57And that's why I said I I don't know who
3:33:59else. You know, we were talking about
3:34:00this, Tanya, about Detective Barnes's
3:34:02testimony, but all he can do is just
3:34:05show the evidence that he's he gathered.
3:34:08>> Mhm.
3:34:09>> He's not a fact witness really. I mean,
3:34:11he can't say, "Yes, I saw this and I saw
3:34:13that. I looked at the FL cameras and we
3:34:16saw this." Um,
3:34:19>> I mean, because ideally what you'd want
3:34:20him to do is come in and and essentially
3:34:23um back up what we got in this testimony
3:34:27today if we had gotten the testimony
3:34:29that the state had anticipated and that
3:34:31clearly just didn't happen. So, I I
3:34:34don't know. Well, I you know, normally
3:34:37when you're 5 days in on a trial, you
3:34:39have a pretty solid sense of where
3:34:41things are headed
3:34:42>> and you have a feeling of, okay, they're
3:34:45getting there and we just really haven't
3:34:47seen that yet. So, I I don't know. I I
3:34:49find it it could again, we could we
3:34:52could have a surprise witness, but I
3:34:54also think that if they'd had that, we
3:34:57would have saw it in Kiwan White, right?
3:35:00If they had something,
3:35:03they would still had to turn it over to
3:35:04the pro the defense.
3:35:05>> Yeah, they would have. But I I don't
3:35:06know necessarily with that one because
3:35:10they had Kiwan on so many other things.
3:35:12>> Yeah, they had Kiwan dead to right for
3:35:14sure. So, okay. Well, folks, we are
3:35:17going to wrap it up for the today. Is
3:35:19there anything else you want to add,
3:35:20Valerie?
3:35:21>> No, that's that's it. Just have a great
3:35:23week. Go vote.
3:35:25>> Go vote if you haven't done it.
3:35:27>> Um voting is tomorrow. Tomorrow election
3:35:29day is tomorrow.
3:35:30>> Uh so tomorrow we will uh stream the
3:35:33trial. We won't have it anchored um like
3:35:36we have been having it just because um
3:35:38everybody is pretty much involved in
3:35:40election coverage around here. We we
3:35:43will be back on Wednesday with myself
3:35:46and a legal expert. And uh we really
3:35:48want to thank you guys for joining us
3:35:50and we'll wait and see what happens

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This page contains the full transcript of Rapper Jose Bodega takes the stand as a hostile witness in Yella Beezy trial | FULL TESTIMONY by WFAA, generated from the public captions YouTube serves with the video. The transcript has 27,742 words across 4,714 segments, with the original timestamps preserved so you can click any line to jump to that moment in the embedded player.

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