Friday, September 26, 1997
 
Guest:  Detective Terry Nelson and Yoknapatawpha 
County Mayor Rankin
 
Opening Remarks:
 
Yoknapawtapha County Mayor Rankin:
 
"Hello all.  How is everyone tonight?  Thank you.  
Well, I'll probably be typing slow tonight.  I hurt my 
finger in target practice last night.  First of all, I 
would like to announce our new Tip Line which is 
sponsored by my office.  If you have any comments or 
leads that can help the case, send it there.  It's on 
the order of Crime Stoppers and will probably be of 
much help because I know you people have been of great 
help in the past.  Secondly, I just want to talk about 
our law enforcement in town.  We have been getting a 
sort of bad reputation lately.  Some people are saying 
that we are not doing that great of a job.  That's 
only some people though, the rest are saying we are 
doing a great job.  Even though we had a recent 
escape, crime in our county is extremely low.  I am 
proud to be a part of Yoknapatawpha County and I am 
even more proud of our law enforcement.  Our police 
force, detectives, and prosecutors do a great job.  
They deserve a lot of respect and I for one will do 
whatever I can to make sure that they get that 
respect.  Sure, we have had some problems but we admit 
them.  We don't try to cover things up.  We try to 
look at our mistakes and never repeat them again.  How 
do you all think of the way our force is handling the 
situations that arise?"
 
(The comments were primarily along these lines:  I 
think your doing the best that you can....the only way 
you can - one step at a time....we'll see...I don't 
think we have enough info to really judge your 
performance....)
 
"Thanks.  We really do try our hardest.  Specifically 
though, I have to say a word about Sheriff Lamar.  He 
has undergone a serious misfortune lately.  Despite 
this, he still is doing a top notch job.  I think we 
all should keep him and his family in our prayers as 
they try to cope with the kidnapping.  Sheriff Lamar 
is a good man and I can't understand the people who 
would hurt his family like this.
 
I have a Council meeting to run to.  The mayor's 
office never closes.  Good night all. Let's work hard 
on this case."
 
Detective Nelson:	Thanks mayor! <applause>
 
Question & Answer session with Detective Nelson:
 
Q:  Why were the two prisoners being transported 
together?
A:  We were short handed.  A lot of officers were at 
the rebel game-crowd control.
 
Q:  Who were officers driving transport van, and since 
shorthanded, were they unaccustomed to such duty?
A:  The officers were trained and able to do those 
jobs, Deputies Schiff and Phillips.
 
Q:  What time period was the rebel game?
A:  The game was in the evening--but the crowd of 
20,000 gets here on Friday so were all busy until 
Sunday, and the drunk tank doesn't release till 
Monday.  So its a long weekend.
 
Q:  When is mayor up for re-election?
A:  Next year ---next term - 1998.
 
Q:  Is it true Ms. Tull and D were abducted?
A:  No, that's an unfortunate error.
 
Q:  Good I thought I was seeing things at first!
A:  Funny, it started as an AOL typo...but I've heard 
about it on the streets now.  They are safe, I just 
spoke with them not long ago.  We've had a hard time 
removing that text, too, eh EJ? We'll have to post 
that on the site!
 
EJ:  Whew!  You can say that again, sir.
 
Q:  What is being done to make sure the prisoners are 
transported more securely?
A:  Good question.  The department is undergoing 
review.  I think we'll look at improving vehicles and 
adding a support car to trail.  All in all, the 
departmental review will likely make some suggestions 
in personnel.  A second car would have been enough.  
Budget cuts you know.
 
Q:  Any leads on the escapees?  Any more family 
interviewed?  We all feel bad for the Lamar family, 
but is anyone investigating a political motive angle 
to Macy's kidnapping?
A:  Yes, that is being looked into but his opponent 
really has little to gain and a lot to lose.
 
Q:  What about Lamar?
A:  Wait a minute, you can't suggest that Lamar would 
kidnap his own for political gain?  He may seem sleazy 
or like a politician but he's a darn good father, and 
moral.
 
Q:  It has been suggested, and from a purely objective 
standpoint, we can't fault examining that line of 
thought.
A:  It's the Jon Benet and Susan Smith cases that make 
folk jump to those conclusions.
 
Q:  Have you gotten the autopsy result for the 
deceased officer?
A:  Yes, we'll be posting it.
 
Q:  Anything interesting?  Other than trauma from a 
car wreck? No alcohol?
A:  No signs of any injuries other than from the 
accident. No alcohol.
 
Q:  Have you seem the surveillance cameras from the 
mall?  Do they show Macy or the fugitives?
A:  The only video did not show her.
 
Q:  Are the investigations of the escape and the 
kidnapping being handled separately?  Who is in charge 
of each?
A:  We have an internal investigation looking at the 
escape, but, I am overseeing both escape and 
kidnapping.
 
Q:  How were you selected to head this case, sir?
A:  I worked here for 14 years.  Learned from the big 
guy, Armstrong, that's enough for most.
 
Q:  What kind of competition do  Mazza and Lamar have 
with each other?
A:  Excellent question.  The locals here can fill you 
in on details.  I don't want to get quoted - but - 
they feel no friendship to each other.  Accusations -
most toward the Sheriff -but they go both ways.  What 
I've heard are things like....soft on crime, shady 
business dealings, penny pinching and good ole boy 
stuff...Is what I heard.
 
Q:  How are the other rape victims?  Anything new from 
that front?
A:  The victims are doing well.  We are trying to tie 
Phelps to the other crimes, and most compelling, the 
rapes have stopped with his arrest.  I'll pass your 
concern on.  Nice to ask about the victims
 
Q:  Are you investigating both parents more? More 
about their personnel activities etc.?
A:  We have talked to dozens of associated persons.  
The mall workers at each store, and yes, her mother 
and father.
 
Q:  The mother's answers were vague regarding friends 
of hers that might know something.
A:  Yes--we always follow up.  Ahh....the idea of her 
seeing someone else.  She isn't according to her 
statements--we'll find the boyfriend-if he exists.
 
Q:  I just wondered if the van had been tampered with?
A:  No tampering or obvious mechanical catastrophe.
 
Q:  When do we use the Mayor's tip line?
A:  The Tip line is for local citizenry -- the 
Comments pages are for public suggestions and 
questions.
 
Q:  Has Phillips recovered enough to be questioned 
about the escape?
A:  No-he's not conscious--still comatose.