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 Monday, November 10, 1997
         
         
Guest:  Harold Mazza 
 
Opening Remarks: 
 
Good evening everyone, I'd like to start off the evening with  
my condolences to the Lamar family.  It is a great loss, and  
I'm sorry it happened.  Even though the race made it look like  
Chuck and I were often at odds, we really did respect each  
other quite a bit.  I spoke with Caroline the other evening to  
express my sincere grief over the whole situation, and she is  
terribly grief-stricken over Chuck's death. 
 
I'd also like to state that I still believe that there was some  
tampering with the election process, and I would still like to  
see an investigation into the whole process.  I'd also like to  
state that the law keeping me from office now seems unfair to  
the people of Oxford because I feel that they should have the  
right to choose who should take Lamar¹s place.  However, I  
do think that if it is not possible to have another election for  
Sheriff, then you will most definitely see me running next  
year. 
 
Can I take any questions you may have? 
 
Question and Answer Session: 
 
Q:  What, specifically, leads you to believe there was  
tampering at the polls, especially considering that Lamar was  
a well-known incumbent, while you, in your words, "came out  
of nowhere?" 
A:  That is a very good question.  I believe that there was  
more funding for Lamar's campaign than were on the books.   
He was very close with a local developer, Mr. Gilbert, who  
has quite a bit of power in this area.  I feel that there may  
have been some under the table dealings in which Gilbert  
may have swayed some of his friends to vote against me.  But  
these are just ideas, really. 
 
Q:  I just want to add on to that question, What hard proof do  
you have of scandal in the polls?
A:  No, I don't really, but the race was very close and I feel  
that maybe there was something going on.  I just feel that  
things weren't tabulated correctly. 
 
Q:  I'm wondering...can it be said that Gilbert is Lamar's  
equivalent to your Reed Chambeau? 
A:  <smiles> Gilbert is a much more powerful developer in  
this area.  Most of the major land developments are done by  
Gilbert.  As a matter of fact, I believe he recently bought a  
farm that went defunct.  But unfortunately I don't really know  
much more than that.  I've met the man once or twice at  
parties and such, but I'm afraid I don't know him very well. 
 
Q:  Can you confirm the rumor that a Wal Mart is being built  
right near the spot where Sheriff Lamar died? 
A:  Hmmm...the Wal Mart is supposed to go up off of  
Highway 7, but the actual site of where the Wal Mart is going  
to be built is about 5 or 6 miles up the road.  So I wouldn't say  
the site is all that close.  Besides he was heading towards  
Taylor which is the opposite direction from the Wal Mart site. 
 
Q:  What would Gilbert have to gain by Lamar's re-election?   
This was a sheriff's race, not town council or zoning board,  
etc.? 
A:  That I'm not sure of, like I said, I feel there were some  
dealings that we are all unaware of.  Besides, zoning is a big  
thing right now because we just passed laws that now require  
codes and inspections. 
 
Q:  Mister Mazza, what are the steps you are taking in this  
scandal investigation? 
A:  Well, I'm just asking that it be investigated.  The race was  
too close and there is something I don't like about how it all  
was handled.  I think that there is more going on here than  
people are saying.  So I'm just pushing for an investigation. 
 
Q:  Is the closeness of the race the only thing you find  
suspicious? 
A:  No, not really. I went to speak with some of the people in  
this town about my view points and standings on matters  
during the course of the election.  There was a contingent of  
people that wouldn't even let me in their doors and most of  
them were friends of Gilbert's.  I just find it odd that these  
people were all friends of Gilbert's and he was so close to  
Lamar.  There weren't even willing to speak with me. 
 
Q:  Did Chambeau discuss your campaign with Lamar? 
A:  I don't really know.  I know Chambeau, but I don't know  
if he had any discussions with Lamar about our election or  
not. 
 
Q:  I know you are upset about not getting the position, but  
how do you think this new Sheriff is going to work out? 
A:  Well, clearly I feel that he knows the job, but I don't feel it  
is fair to the people in this district that they have no say on  
whether he becomes Sheriff or not.  I feel that there should be  
another election to represent people. 
 
Q:  How is the Sheriff's office set up?  Is the Deputy like a  
vice-sheriff, or are there several deputies, all of whom hold  
the same level of importance? 
A:  The latter, every officer is a sworn deputy here. 
 
Q:  How were the votes tabulated, and by whom? 
A:  The votes are tabulated through the County Board of  
Election Supervisors.  All of the people on the Board are  
appointed by the Mayor.  And poll watchers from the State  
Board of Elections help. 
 
Q:  Any word on Macy yet, was Lamar involved? 
A:  Well, I can't say for sure, I don't really know, but when I  
spoke to Caroline she seemed really adamant about Ms.  
Harberson playing a role in Macy's disappearance.  She also  
seemed to feel that Ms. Harberson 'drove' Chuck to his death.   
<shaking his head> But I don't really know. 
 
Q:  Are you going to take a hand in this whole Lamar case? 
A:  You mean Macy's disappearance, I presume?  Yes, I plan  
to help out in any way that I can. 
 
Q:  Do you have a private practice or work for the DA? 
A:  I run a private practice.  I take cases from all over the  
state, and I have been known to do cases for the DA under a  
contract basis. 
 
Q:  Mr. Mazza, have you been to New York recently, visiting  
any other "Sons of Italy" groups, perhaps? (2 1/2 mos) 
A:  No, I haven't. 
 
Q:  Have you and Lamar ever worked on a case together, or  
had hands in the same case? 
A:  I've prosecuted some of his arrests, sure.  But worked with  
him personally?  No, I haven't.  I only help on the trial end of  
it, not the arrest end of it. 
 
Q:  Have you investigated suspicious suicides?  Is it unusual  
for a man to wear a seatbelt *and* drive into a field, rather  
into a wall or other solid object? 
A:  I have never investigated any suicides.  Although that is  
an interesting point, but I think that the Department has ruled  
it a suicide, haven't they?  I don't know what to tell you.  I  
hadn't really thought about it. I mean, he was really stressed  
about the election, Macy, his divorce, and all the bad  
publicity.  I've seen people go down the dark road, so I guess I  
hadn't thought anything suspicious about all this because the  
Department had told me it was suicide. 
 
Q:  Why would Sheriff Lamar choose this method of suicide  
when he could just shoot himself? 
A:  <looks baffled> I'm not really sure. 
 
Q:  You would think that he would want to live to find his  
daughter.  I know if my daughter was missing, I would do  
anything to find her.  Suicide wouldn't be in the picture. 
A:  Well, I think it was more than that.  I think the statement  
I heard he had made in his letter about lying if he continued  
may have had something to do with the elections.  But then I  
don't really understand any of this.  I just thought he was a  
rather distraught man, under a lot of stress. I hadn't thought it  
was really all that suspicious. 
 
Q:  Mr. Mazza, what can you add about Mr. Gilbert, for  
instance, business partners? 
A:  Do you mean if he has any business partners?  Well, to be  
honest, I don't really know Gilbert that well.  I know that he  
has quite a lot of power and pull in this area.  He's a major  
player in the development around here, but other than that, I  
really don't know much about the man. 
 
Q:  What can you tell me about Maggioni's? 
A:  It's a really nice restaurant.  It's where the Son's of Italy  
run most of their functions.  It was a nice night, though it ran  
a little longer than it was supposed to have.
      

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