Death Before Dishonor

Liya

[10 minutes later in Interrogation Room 3. Liya is standing by the two way mirror, when
Det. Jenson walks in]
Det. Jenson: Have a seat.
Liya: [walks over to the table and sits down] Where your partner at? I ain't see nobody behind
there.
Det. Jenson: You're not supposed to. [walks over to the table and places a large folder on the
table]
Liya: What's that?
Det. Jenson: The case that's building up against you and your friends.
Liya: Oh. It's some bullshit then.
Det. Jenson: Killing a man is bullshit now?
Liya: It is when me and my friends are charged with the murder.
Det. Jenson: Would you like to see the crime scene photos? Or is there nothing like seeing it
first hand?
Liya: I ain't seen nothing first hand, but naw, I don't want to see the pictures.
Det. Jenson: You don't get a choice, just like that man you killed didn't have a choice.
[opens the folder and lays the crime scene photos out on the table]
Liya: [looks at the pictures and shrugs her shoulders]
Det. Jenson: Does seeing it in print bring up some regret?
Liya: Regret for what?
Det. Jenson: Regret for murdering a man with a family.
Liya: I can't have regret for something I didn't do.
Det. Jenson: So, on Tuesday, March 15th, you were doing what?
Liya: I was—
Det. Jenson: Let me guess. You were watching T.V., right?
Liya: Yeah, I was. How you know?
Det. Jenson: 'Cause I've gotten the same bullshit alibi from two of your friends.
Liya: Oh, then you know we're telling the truth.
Det. Jenson: Maybe they're telling the truth, but you? I don't know about you.
Liya: Why?
Det. Jenson: Because you've been lying since the first day we talked to you.
Liya: No, I haven't.
Det. Jenson: Another lie. You told my partner you didn't know Ramon, Renee, Jamal, or
Brandon.
Liya: No, I didn't. You ain't tell me why you needed to know, so I ain't tell you I knew them.
Det. Jenson: Okay.
Liya: What?
Det. Jenson: [yelling] I am sick and tired of hearing all the bullshit! Now if you cooperate we can
help you!
Liya: Glad you got that off your chest. I don't need your help, because I didn't do anything.
Det. Jenson: Six eyewitnesses say different. I have reports saying they seen you leaving the
crime scene.
Liya: So, you saying if I was seen leaving a store, that means I went in and bought something?
Det. Jenson: What?
Liya: You said they saw me leaving the crime scene, right?
Det. Jenson: Yes.
Liya: That's like saying you seen me leaving a store. You can see me leaving, but that wouldn't
mean I went in and bought something. So, them seeing me leave, doesn't mean I went in
and killed somebody.
Det. Jenson: So you admit you were at the crime scene?
Liya: No. I was just using that as an example.
Det. Jenson: So, killing a man was an example of what?
Liya: I wouldn't know. I've never killed a man.
Det. Jenson: [sits down across from Liya] Look, I'm going to be honest with you. Right now it's
not looking good for you and your friends. We've got several eyewitnesses who've
placed you six at the scene of the crime. So far your alibis are very, very weak.
They wouldn't stand a chance if the six of you went to court.
Liya: Our alibis might be weak, but they're the truth.
Det. Jenson: Do you actually think that you could get twelve jurors to believe you, when you
can't even convince me?
Liya: People believe what they want to believe. If the truth doesn't convince them, then—
Det. Jenson: Then you're convicted of first- degree murder and you're sentenced to life or the
death penalty. Just tell me it was your friends, and you just watched. Things will go
a lot easier for you.
Liya: I can't do that.
Det. Jenson: Can't or won't?
Liya: Both. I can't tell you it was my people, because it wasn't. And even if it was them I
wouldn't say nothing.
Det. Jenson: Did you even know David Lee Rhoden?
Liya: Nope.
Det. Jenson: So, you just seen him one day and decided to kill him?
Liya: No, I didn't kill anyone.
Det. Jenson: Then how do you explain the eyewitness?
Liya: I can't. How you know it was me they seen anyway?
Det. Jenson: Because they described your tattoo perfectly.
Liya: My tattoo?
Det. Jenson: Yes.
Liya: What time was he murdered?
Det. Jenson: Between eight and 8:15.
Liya: And they seen my tattoo? [laughs]
Det. Jenson: What do you find funny?
Liya: [laughing] My tattoo is on my back, and if it was between eight and 8:15 and they seen me
leaving, they couldn't have seen my tattoo.
Det. Jenson: What?
Liya: Unless I wore a backless shirt like this one, when I supposedly killed him, and a bright ass
light was over me; they couldn't have seen my tattoo.
Det. Jenson: You tattoo is on your back?
Liya: You were there when they took pictures of it, you should know. But for the third time, yes,
my tattoo is on my back.
Det. Jenson: [flips through the papers in the folder, reading some, placing them back in the
folder] You're right.