Fatal Flaw
A True Story of Malice and Murder in a Small Southern Town
- The Defense - Page 126
A: Yeah.
Q: Did he have on a short-sleeved shirt, long-sleeved shirt? Do you remember, sir?
A: I don't remember what type of shirt he had on, but I believe it was long sleeves.
Q: Do you remember the color?
A: No, I don't.
Q: How about the pants? Do you remember what color pants he had on?
A: No. I don't.
Q: All you remember then—if this is a statement—that it was sort of light clothing?
A: Light-colored.
Q: Light-colored?
A: Right.
Once again Thomas told how he and Mays had gone for a ride with the man in his car. At the preliminary hearing he called the car a light-colored Cadillac, a description that did not fit Curtis Dunaway's two-tone Olds. Now: "I say it was a Cadillac because it was a big car. That's why I say it was."
Thomas continued with the now-familiar story of shooting the pistols in an orange grove, returning to the store, and pulling the master switch as the tall man ordered; and of the white man jumping over the fence and trying to coax Mays and Thomas over, and then driving to a house and parking at the garage.
Q: He pulled up into the driveway?
A: Right. There was a car and a truck there.
Q: There was a car and truck there?
A: Yeah.
Q: What order were they parked in? Was the car behind the truck, or the truck was behind the car?
A: Well, the truck was behind the car.
Q: Did you happen to notice what kind of car it was?
A: No; I didn't.
Q: Was it a light-or dark-colored car?
A: Well, I ain't paying no attention.
Q: Did you park right beside the car? Or where did you park?
A: Up alongside of the car.
Thomas said that Zeigler "messed around at some shelves" in the garage, then came back to the car with a box, which he gave to Mays. As they backed out of the driveway he ordered Mays to reload the gun, and he drove to the store.
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