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November 26, 1985
The gun that I gave to
Carla to keep for me, I got from my Bro. In- Law. He gave it to me to keep
around the House for protection. I showed this gun to my Wife and she told
me that she wanted it out of the house because our Son may somehow get
his hands on it so, I took it up to Charlie's Liquor Store and asked him
did he want to buy a gun. Jack, one of Charlie's employees had asked me
a week or so before did I know anyone who had a gun for sale. Charlie told
me no, he did not want to buy one so I left Charlie's store which is located
on 74th and Racine and went down to the liquor store owned and operated
by Nigem which is located on 69th and Racine. After arriving at Nigem's
store I bought a Drink for which I opened and began drinking it like I
would always do every evening after Work. Nigem and I were talking I told
him that 3ack told me that he might be interested in buying a gun and then
I brought the gun which was in a paper bag up and asked him how would he
like to have it in case of a stick up. During this time Nigem was coming
away from behind the counter (I guess he did not really understand whatt~
said) and suddenly grabbed the gu~by the barrel and I asked Nigern what
was he doing, and he started"~alling my name, Sonny! Sonny! The gun went
off and he ran out the door. I just stood there in the store. I believe
it was shortly after 1 arrived at the store, a Beer order arrived and during
the events that took place with Nigem and 1, the beer truck driver ran
out of the store also. Anyway! After watching Nigem waving his arms around
for a minute, I assumed he was trying to get some type of assistance, like
the Police so, I walked out of the store and went down the street to my
Parents house which is located at 68th and Racine. I stayed there for awhile
and then went over to Donna's house. Donna was not at home but Carla was
so I gave her the gun and told her whaL had happened at the store and also
told her to keep the gun for me, but not to let Donna know she had it.
Carla had shared with me that Larry (her ex-husband) had threatened her
a couple of times during the months of October and September so I told
her that, the next time Larry came over and threat
-ened her to let him
know that she had some protection
I went home and told my
wife what had happened at the store and later on that night one of the
clerks who worked for Charlie called and told me that Nigem had called
the police on me. I then called Charlie and told him that I were on my
way up to his store to talk to him about what happened at the store on
69th street. I talked to Charlie and told him what happened and he called
Nigem and told him to come to his store so that we could talk about what
took place and straighten the situation out. Nigem did not show up so Charlie
told me that he would go over to Nigem's house after he closed his store,
and talk to Nigem. I talked to Charlie the very next day and he told me
that he had talked to Nigem and everything was alright, but there was still
a police report made out with the name Sonny on it. Nigem never went to
the police station in order to clear up the records by explaining that
it was all a mistake.
December 2, 1985
Somewhere between the
hour of 6:30 am & 7:45 am I left home (1238 w. 74th St.) going to my
Job at the "Time & Life" building where I worked as a Shoe Repairman.
I used the Chgo. Transit and I arrived at my job at approx. 8:30 am. My
Employer, Mr. Thomas Chung was late getting there so I waited for him because
I needed to find out what day he wanted me to come back to work. I believe
he showed up at about 8:45 am. We talked and he told me to come to work
Wednesday the 5th of December. I used his phone in the shop to call Carla
to tell her that I would be by her house around Noon, but Carla was still
in bed sleep so, I told her Mother (Donna) that I were about to leave from
Downtown and I would be there no later than 12:00 Noon. I left the shop
at approx. 9:30 or 9:45 am.
At approx. 10:00 or 10:15
am I got off the Bus at Randolph & Michigan and walked south to Adams
& Wabash which is where U.S. Shoe Repair is located for which is a
company I used to work for which is where Harold Anderson worked. Harold
and I talked for awhile, but not for very long because he had to go back
to work so I left about 45 minutes after arriving. I caught the CTA "L"
south and I arrived at Donna's house around 11:30 or 11:45 am. I
walked up to their door and knocked like I would always do which is by
hitting the top of the door with the side of my fist making the door open.
The door opened and I walked in and saw Donna on the couch and her sister
lying on the floor. I thought about Carla and ran upstairs and saw her
lying on her make-shift bed with a strap around her neck. I touched her
neck to see if her pulse was still beating or if there were any signs of
life. I felt no pulse so, right away my thoughts were to leave the Apartment
because I knew that whatever had happened there and I were found there
with those bodies, I would truly take the weight because I was still on
Parole.
I then immediately left
Donna's apartment pulling the door closed behind me as I walked out. I
walked down to the corner of 75th & Wentworth, road down to 69th and
Wentworth and caught the West bound 69th St. bus.
When I got home my wife
was doing my mother-in-laws hair. I told them that I found Donna, Carla
and Adrienn dead. My wife told me that I was lying because they had not
heard anything about it on the News. I told her, how could you have being
that I just had found them in that state. My mother-in-law asked me did
anyone see me leave their apartment and I told her I did not know. She
told me that it would be best that I did not say anything to anyone else
about it. The rest of the day all I could do was think about them lying
dead in that apartment so, I went up to the Arab store (Charlie's) and
bought a Pint of Vodka, went back home, played with my Son for awhile.
I laid down and fell asleep. I do not know what time I awakened, but I
think I awakened around 9 or 10:00 pm. I had Cordell Rush take me back
over to their house because I wanted to find out whether or not someone
else had found them, but when I got there I went up to the door, knocked,
but no one came to the door, and the door was locked.
December 2, 1985
I could not understand this because when I left earlier that day the door was not locked so, I went up to Walgreen's which is located on 75th and State St. and called the police on one of the outside pay phones. I told the dispatcher that I have a feeling that the police should be sent to 144 W. 75st. because I had talked with the occupants (my friend's) earlier that day and told them I would be by their house. The dispatcher asked me my name and asked me as well, would I stay at the apartment and wait for the police which I did. One Squad car pulled up while I was sitting in the car with Cordell. I got out of the car and went to the squad car and told the officer for which was a female officer and told her my name. I explained to her that I had called my friend's earlier that day and talked to one of them but when I arrived at their apartment no one answered the door. (I did not tell the officer that I had been into the apartment and finding their bodies). The officer and I went to the apartment and the officer rapped on the door with her night stick. The officer asked me did I know which apartment the Janitor or Manager lived in and I told her, no! The officer and I went to the apartment directly below Donna's apartment and the officer knocked on the door of that apartment and a female & male came to the door and the officer asked them had they heard any movement or noise coming from the apartment above them. They told her no, and then the officer asked them did they know who would have the Key's to the apartments in the complex, and they told the officer that the building Manager lived on the next block. The officer and I went to the mgr's. apartment and we all returned to Donna's apartment and the Mgr. tried her master key but it would not enter the lock tunnel. The Mgr. could not explain why her key did not fit the lock! A police Sgt. arrived and he and the female officer talked and afterwards he walked over to me and told me that they had no reason to gain entrance forcefully. He also told me that when they left I could knock the door down. Soon after the police left, Cordell and I left also. After arriving back at my apartment I begin looking for Donna's Brother's phone number but had no luck so I went to bed and got up the next day and went to see my Parole Officer.
I told my parole officer
that I had found my friend's dead the day before and he asked me did I
call the police and I told him yes, but I did not tell them that I had
found their dead bodies or that I had been into the apartment because I
were still on parole and I did not want the police accusing me of whatever
happened. My parole officer told me not to say anything more about it.
After leaving his office I went to my Parents house and told my step-father
that I found Donna, Carla and Adrienn dead. His response was, what! You
are lying! I said no I am not and picked up the phone and called Donna's
apartment but all the time knowing that I would not get an answer, but
to my suprise, the police answered the phone and asked me whose calling
and I told him, Sonny, a friend of Donna's. He asked me where was I and
I told him. He asked me could he come over and talk to me and I said he
could and gave him my parents address. I had changed my mind about talking
to them so, I left headed for home but changed my mind again because I
did not want to leave my step-father with the ordeal of having to confront
the police so, I went back to my parents house and when they arrived for
some strange reason I decided not to answer the door, but my step-father
did. I was upstairs but finally went to the door. The Detective asked
me would I mind going down to the station and helping them with their investigation,
and I said no, I did not mind, and then told my father that I was going
with the police and I would see him later. We arrived at Area #3 Headquarters
along with three (3) other Detective's at approx. 2 or 2:30 pm. Then we
entered an interrogation Room which I believe was located on the 2nd or
3rd floor. The first person I saw after entering this room was Larry Williams
standing up against a wall crying. I told one of the officers (Detective)
that was standing next to me that that was Carla's ex-husband. The Detectives
escorted me to a room further down the hall and the Black Detectives' that
brought me to the station left, and then Det. Rockowicz, Duffin, and Foley
entered the interrogation room. I asked Det. Rockowicz why they were not
questioning Larry Williams and he told me that he had already been questioned
and that he had an alibi. Rocky (Rockowicz) asked me questions concerning
my name and how long had I known Donna, Carla and Adrienne. I told him
ever since 1965, and that I had helped raise Carla from the age of 5 yrs.
old. I told him that Donna and I had lived together for more than Eight
(8) yrs. He asked me had I seen them that day and I told him no, but I
had talked to Donna the early morning of December 2nd. Det. Rocky
left out and then Det. Foley walked over to me and started asking me questions
which I can not recall exactly, but all of a sudden he told me that I knew
who killed those women and I had better tell them. I told him I did not
know anything and I were only there to help as much as I could.
December 3rd.
Det. Foley told me that
I was lying and he began shouting at me, cursing at me and his spit was
flying in my face. He continued shouting and spitting in my face and telling
me that I knew who killed those women. Det. Pocky returned with a smile
on his face and asked me what was wrong and I told him what Det. Foley
said to me and then Det. Foley came over to me again, and I told Det. Rocky
to tell him to stay away from me. Det. Rocky told me not to pay any attention
to him. I stated to Rocky; I thought I was there to help out as best I
could with their investigation! Rocky went back to asking me questions
such as where did I work, was I married and how many Kid's did I have.
3 or 4:00 pm same day
Rocky left the room but returned shortly. I told Rocky that I were suppose to have met Carla the morning of Dec. 2nd because she had called me the night before, Dec. 1st telling me that she had the $75.00 she owed me and told me that I could come pick it up that same night but I told her I could not make it because my wife, Arlene was under the impression that I were seeing Donna on the side and my going going to pick up the money that night would enhance Arlene's suspicion so I told Carla that I would stop by her house after I returned from downtown the following day. Det Rocky left out of the room. It was almost an hour before he returned but during his address Det. Duffin had been telling me if I knew anything about the murders I should tell what I know. Det. Rocky returned and Det. Duffin left. Rocky begin asking me how long I had been married and I told him since 1983. He asked me how old were my children and I told him that I have a daughter 22 years of age and a son 2 years of age. He told me that he had kids and that his father was in the hospital or his father had been in hospital with cancer or some type of illness and how he would go and be by his fathers bedside. He said he was proud of his father and asked me would not I want my son to be proud of me and then he said, my son would be proud of me if I tell him who killed those women. I told him I could not tell him what I did not know. I asked Rocky could I call my lawyer and he told me that I did not need a lawyer cause I were not under arrest. I asked Rocky when I would be allowed to go home and he told me someone would be there to get me shortly.
Late evening, Dec. 3rd
Rocky left the room and
then Detective Duffin entered. I asked him about what Rocky had told
me and he told me that a paddy wagon was on its way there, and I asked
him, a paddy wagon for who ? He said for me. He told me I was
going to be taken to the Seventh District lock - up !
I did not leave area
number 3 till 11:30 PM or so and then I was taken to the 7th Dist Stn.
where I asked to make a phone call. I called Sheldon Banks (an attorney).
I told him where I was and he asked me, had I told the police anything,
I told him no ! He told me not to tell them anything and asked whether
or not they had placed me under arrest. I told him that I were not
sure but they did not let me go home. He told me to contact him the
next day or have my wife contact him so he would know how he would get
paid. No food the whole day, the sandwich they gave me was cold and
it was made up of a very thick piece of bologna for which I could not eat.
It was apparant that I were up under arrest or being detained for further
questioning and this thought made it impossible for me to go to sleep.
I was never told by Rocky that I was under arrest and I was never told
that I could leave whenever I wanted to !!!
December 4th.
At approximately 6:30
AM an officer at Dist 7 came to my cell, opened it, and told me to come
out. I asked him where I was going and he told me that
two (2) detectives from Area #3
were there to pick me
up. They handcuffed me and we arrived at area #3 at approx 7:45 Am.
They took me to a small
room and handcuffed me to the wall where I remained until Rocky showed
up which was at 8:30 AM. He took me upstairs to the same room I was
in the previous day during the early evening of December 3rd.
I asked him why were I not taken home last night. He told me he had
more questions to ask me. He then told me that during the night he
thought about checking on incidents that occurred in the surrounding area
of 69th Street. He said he had checked with different districts,
and came up with a police report that had the name Sonny on it !
He told me he wanted to talk to me about that, and then asked me was I
hungry and I told him,
yes ! I told him that I had not eaten since the morning of Dec. 3rd. He
asked me did I eat anything at the 7th district lock-up and I told him
that they gave me a thick bologna sandwich which I could not eat. He sent
out and bought a couple of sandwiches, one for him and one for me, and
as soon as I finished eating he then asked me did I know anything about
the attempt robbery of the Liquor Store on 69th and Pacine. I told him,
no! The he said, you do go by the name, Sonny, right! I told him that is
my nickname but I am not the only Sonny in that neighborhood because I
know of a few more guy's with the name or nickname, Sonny! I told him I
know a Sonny Cooper, Sonny Jerry and a Sonny Webb, but he said that the
description fitted me. I then told him that I wanted to call and talk to
my lawyer because I had talked to him the night before and he told me to
call him as soon as I got to wherever you took me. He once again told me
that I did not need an attorney as I were not under arrest. He begin asking
me questions and I told him I did not want to talk to him anymore. He then
askedme where were I Nov. 26th but I did~not answer him. I told him once
again that I wanted to talk to my lawyer, and once again he told me I did
not need one, and I said why not! I told him that he was asking me questions
that are making me believe that he was trying to involve me. I then asked
him could I call my parents because my mother was in hospital with Cancer
and I wanted to let her know not to worry about me. he said I could call
so, Detective Duffin took me to another room and asked me my parents phone
number. I were hoping that with luck, I would be able to dial the number
myself because I would have definitely called Sheldon Banks. Since he dialed
the number I were hoping that I could catch one of my brothers at my parents
house so that I could get him to call Mr. Banks for me or call my wife.My
step-father answered the phone for whom is blind so, I had no reason to
ask him oto call anyone for me because he was unable to find their phone
numbers, plus, he did not know my mother-in-laws _ phone number. Det. Duff
in remained with me during my conversation with my father. When I returned
to the interrogation room where Rocky was, he asked me were I ready to
talk to him.
Rocky then asked me how
long had I lived around 69th and Pacine, and I told him, at least 16 yrs.
I told him I wanted to call my wife and he told me I could call her later.
Rocky told me that there was someone at the liquor store talking to the
owner and told me I would be put in a line-up. Betwen the hrs. of 12:noon
and 1:30pm Det. Ptak entered the interrogation room (Rocky had left) and
told me that he had been at the store on 69th St. and dug a bullet out
of a Cooler door, took it to the Lab. at 111th and State and that he had
also gone to the Morgue took the bullets that came from the victim's and
found that they matched the bullets that he took from the cooler. He took
some Photo's out of the folder he had with him and laid the photo's on
the table, shoved them towards me and told me to look at what I did, and
told me I killed those people and then he took his Gun from its holster
and told me that he could "blow" my brains out and he would be a Hero!
I just set there looking at him.
December 4th
Rocky returned and asked me did I want to talk to him, and I told him I wanted to call a lawyer (Sheldon Banks) because, I did not like the way they were making me the full focus of their investigation. I requested the opportunity to call a lawyer again, and once again he told me that I did not need a lawyer at this time. Det. Ptak left the room and once again Rocky told me I would be put in a line-up, and asked me did I have a problem with that! I told him, no, because I have not done anything! He then left the room and Det. Duff in came in and handcuffed me to the wall where I remained for at least an hr. oh two. All that time I was alone in the room and when I needed to go to the Men's room I could not. The door to the room was closed so, the more I called out expressing the fact that I needed to use the men's room, the longer it seemed to have taken for someone to respond to my calling even though I had pulled a mobile chalk board to me and used it to hit on the door.
Rocky, Duffin and Ptak entered the room and told me I were to be put in a line-up so they took me downstairs and four (4) other guy's and I stood side by side. Rocky and Duff in escorted me back upstairs and Rocky told me that I was the only one picked out of the line-up. I then told him I wanted to talk to my wife. My wife was finally brought to the station and they allowed me to talk to her for a few minutes. After my wife was escorted out of the room, Det. Vallandigham told me that it would take $500,000 for me to get out of this. Rocky returned and told me I had a nice wife, and she was too nice of a woman to have a husband like me. My Rights were read to me at about 3:00pm. It was now 4:30 or 5:pm. Ptak told me to take everything out of my pockets and he took my telephone book and looked through it and saw the name, Donna written down with $50.00 next to her name. I never got my phone book back! They asked me was that the same Donna, and I told them no! Rocky told me that I could talk to them because they have an I.D. on me.
I went ahead and told him that I found the bodies late morning December 2nd around 11:30am and that I did not call the police because I was still on parole. He asked me the position the bodies were in and I told him. He asked me did I know how they died. I told him I did not know whether or not they were dead when I found them. I told him I believed they were dead because I could not feel Carla's pulse. I told him Donna was lying back over the arm of the sofa and Adrienne was lying at the foot of the sofa on the floor and Carla was lying on a makeshift bed. He asked me had she been raped and without paying as much attention as I should have to his question, I told him, no! He asked me had I touched anything and I told him, only the door knob while getting out of there as fast as I could. Rocky asked me why did I go over to their house and I told him, I already told you where I had gone and returned from that morning and the time I got to the apartment. Ptak entered the room and told me I was under arrest and pulled out a card and read me my rights. They left the room and a Black officer came in and set down in a chair across from me and he just stared at me. He soon said to me, Nigger you know who killed those women and he should kick my M.F.A. Rocky returned and the Black Det. told him: "Rocky, we should just kick his a**and make him confess like we used to do!" Rocky just smiled and told me not to pay him any attention. ( the earlier part of the same day when Rocky asked me about my kid's, I did tell him that my wife and I were in the stages of separating and that I was afraid that I would lose my Son). Rocky told me that the State's Attorney would be there shortly to talk to me.
December 4th 8:00pm
States attorney Gerber
arrived and told me that he was working with the police department and
that he were not there to assist me in any way. He asked me was I hungry
and did I want anything to smoke. I told him, yes, because I had not eaten
since that morning. He asked me did I want to talk to him. I told him that
I wanted to talk to my lawyer because I had not been able to call him,
and I could not call my lawyer because my lawyers business card had been
taken away from the night of Dec. 3rd and was never given back to me, even
when I continued to ask the detectives for it. I told him I did not want
to talk to anyone until after I talked to my lawyer and my wife. He left
the room came back and told me he sent someone to pick up my wife and bring
her there so I could talk to her. I asked him what about my being able
to talk to my lawyer? He told me that his understanding is that l talked
to my lawyer already while locked up at the 7th district. He spoke on what
I had told Rocky and asked me was all that I told him true? I told him
the best that I remembered. He asked me did I own a gun and I told him
that I used to own a P-38. He pulled out a bullet or two and told me it/they
were found in my apartment for which the officers whom went to my apartment
found. l told him the bullet/s was only one of a few I had left after selling
the gun I had, and I told him that I used the bullets that were left, I
used the gunpowder from them to feed to my dog's. Approximately 45
minutes had passed so I asked Gerber had my wife arrived yet. He got up
and walked out the door and returned shortly and told me that she was there
but an officer was typing up an arrest report on her for concealing a Homicide.
I told him she had nothing to do with anything. He told me that she knew
of the murders but failed to report what she knew to the police. He told
me that if I go over everything with him he would stop the officer from
filling out the report. I talked to him and told him things like;
a guy by the name of Joe Jones and Charles Battles were the ones who did
the killings. Gerber then told Det. Duffin to go and get the Mug
Shot book.
(I knew of no such person
by the name of Joe Jones) I told Gerber that I had done time with Eddie
Jones awhile back. Duffin put the book in front of me and I just started
looking through it and then Duff in pointed to a guy he said was Charles
Battles, whom I have never seen before, and I said, yes, thats the guy,
and then Duffin told us that Charles Battles was a hit man for Fluky.
They must have gone out looking for all the Charles Battles because, the
police went by the house of the Charles Battles I knew because they told
me he told them that he know me.
December 4th 9-10:00pm
I told Gerber, now that I have talked to him, could I see my wife and he told me after I talk to the Court Reporter. He then leaned back towards the door and pretented to be telling someone to hold off on the report on my wife. At this time I were putting together things I knew they wanted to hear, giving them nothing but lies. When the court reporter arrived I told Gerber that I was tired and could things wait until tomorrow to give my statement to the court reporter, and he told me, no! He told me if I wanted to talk to my wife I would have to give my statement first. He begin asking me questions and all I did was tell him yes that's the way it happened, and no, that's not the way it happened. I told him that I met Eddie Jones and Charles Battles that morning at the Pool Hall, knowing that the pool hall did not open until 1:00pm. I told him Eddie or Charles had a Blue Van and I gave the gun to one of them and told them to come go with me to help me collect $5000.00 that a woman had that belonged to me. No such van, no such conversation. I had been up all night the previous night, all that day. It was close to 10:30pm.
I told Gerber nothing
that was true, but I guess I made it sound good enough for them to believe.
When it was all over, I had signed my life away. Gerber finally told
me what I knew already which was, my wife never came down to the station.
He walked out the door and told the Shift Commander; let's get out of here
before Wiley changes his mind.
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