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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 Lamar's 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. 
 
Wednesday, November 12, 1997 
Guest:  Acting Sheriff, Taylor Sheldon 
 
Opening Remarks: 
 
Hello everybody.  Hello EJ.  How are you all tonight? 
 
Fine, sir, it was quite a somber funeral today, wasn't it? 
 
Yes, EJ, it was. We lost a fine man when we lost Lamar.  I  
can tell you all that we are going to be starting an in depth  
investigation of Lamar's death.  We will be trying to  
reconstruct all the events that led to the accident.  And we  
should have the results back from our specialists sometime  
next week. 
 
I'm essentially here tonight to answer any questions or  
concerns you all may have about Sheriff Lamar's death, but I  
would like to introduce myself to you all.  My name is Taylor  
Sheldon, I've been working with the department  
for...<smiles> oh...I guess I'm coming up on 15 years with the  
force. I was disheartened by Chuck's death, we knew each  
other pretty well after working together for all these years.  I  
was in complete support of his election, and shocked by the  
accident. 
 
Question and Answer Session: 
 
Q:  Did Aimee attend the funeral? 
A:  Yes, she was there. 
 
Q:  When will you perform the autopsy or did you already do  
it? 
A:  We have already performed the autopsy, but we will be  
trying to reconstruct the accident in order to determine if this  
was indeed a suicide. 
 
Q:  How come we haven't heard anything about you before?   
Where were you night Macy disappeared? 
A:  <smiles> I was just a Deputy working on my cases, I don't  
really do much in the way of politics, I'm afraid.  Never really  
been my cup of tea.  As for where I was when Macy  
disappeared, I was out at Sardis for the weekend fishing  
because I was off duty that weekend.  My family and I had a  
great time 'til we came back and heard about Chuck's �lil  
girl. 
 
Q:  Would you have retained your position if Mazza were  
elected? 
A:  As a Deputy?  Certainly!  I love working on the force, I  
really don't do politics.  The Board appointed me to Sheriff,  
which is probably the only way I would've ended up becoming  
Sheriff.  I was in total support of Chuck, he was a good guy. 
 
Q:  Have the note and desk been checked for fingerprints? 
A:  Yes, we dusted for prints.  Our men are working on them  
now at the crime lab. 
 
Q:  Did you notice anything different about the Sheriff's state  
of mind in the days preceding the accident? 
A:  Yes, Chuck seemed really stressed out, but I didn't think  
much of it because who wouldn't be when your �lil girl's  
missin? 
 
Q:  What were your results of the autopsy? 
A:  Well, it was determined that the cause of death was third  
degree burns from the wreckage on 90% of his body, smoke  
inhalation, and head and neck injuries. 
 
Q:  What were you scheduled for, the night Macy  
disappeared?  Before you called in or anything, that is... 
A:  I was off duty that weekend, my family and I had decided  
to take a trip out to Sardis to fish.  I wasn't called in because I  
was off duty and out of town. 
 
Q:  Sheriff, do you feel alot of heat from this audience? 
A:  No, sir, should I? 
 
Q:  Isn't that an unlikely method for a man to commit  
suicide?  Statistics wise? 
A:  Well, I knew Chuck personally, and I realize he was  
stressed, but he wasn't the type to commit suicide, I would've  
thought...which is part of the reason we plan on investigating  
the accident so thoroughly.  We don't really think it was  
suicide at this point, or at least the accident part of it. 
 
Q:  What do the phone records for Lamar show for the time  
around his death? 
A:  We are running traces on those, but we don't have the  
results back yet. 
 
Q:  What, and where, is Sardis? 
A:  Sardis is  town about 25 miles from Oxford, it's right on a  
lake...great fishing and camping spot around here.  My family  
and I love to go there. 
 
Q:  Was valium administered to the Sheriff by the  
department? 
A:  No, the Department doesn't administer meds, we just  
provide counseling if needed. 
 
Q:  Who had prescriptions for the valium: the Sheriff,  
Caroline, Aimee? Other? 
A:  Just the Sheriff as far as we know. 
 
Q:  Did Sheriff Lamar receive counseling through the  
Department? 
A:  Yes, he did, in conjunction to Macy's disappearance, but  
it wasn't mandatory.  He requested it. 
 
Q:  If you didn't administer the valium, then who did? 
A:  His private physician prescribed it. 
 
Q:  Have any nearby rivers been dragged to check for bodies? 
A:  No but that is an excellent question...Can I ask you what  
you have in mind? 
A:  Any lakes or rivers may have (hope not) been used to hide  
Macy's body. 
 
Q:  Will you be investigating the  
Chambeau/Gilbert/Mazza/Sheriff/Aimee connections? 
A:  Yes, we most certainly will. 
 
Q:  Has Aimee been allowed to leave town? 
A:  We can't detain her, if she wants to move, which I have  
an understanding that she does.  The only way we could make  
her stay in Oxford is if she were under arrest.  There are no  
charges against, Ms. Harberson. 
 
Q:  If you are not into politics, why do you think the board  
appointed you over someone else? 
A:  I suppose they appointed me because of all my years on  
the force.  I guess experience really counted in all of this...I  
know the law that had me appointed in the first place was to  
guarantee that someone with experience would take the place  
of the elected Sheriff under the circumstances of death. 
 
Q:  Have you been in contact with the FBI about the case? 
A:  Yes, I have...via the crime lab of course.  There isn't any  
official involvement of the FBI n the case. 
 
Q:  Were you appointed at an open meeting or a backroom  
meeting? 
A:  It was an open board meeting. 
 
Q:  Has anyone....approached you yet implying that they  
want, um...favorable treatment? 
A:  No, but I really haven't even settled into the job yet.  So I  
can't see why anyone would want any favors from me. 
 
Q:  Did you have anything to do with the missing daughter? 
A:  I'm sorry do you mean did I know her or was I involved  
with her disappearance?  I did know Macy, watched her grow  
up quite a bit over the years...but as far as involvement...the  
only involvement I had was in the investigation to get Macy  
back to her family. 
 
Friday, November 14, 1997 
Guest:  Detective Terrence Nelson 
 
Question and Answer Session: 
 
Q:  Can you tell us anything about the accident and the car  
Detective? 
A:   I can tell you about it.  We sent the vehicle into Jackson  
for tests.  We want to see if any sign of foul play exists.   
Looking for paint, non-crash related damage, mechanical  
failure, plus doing a search of the interior. 
 
Q:  Any news on the comatose deputy? 
A:  Yes, he is doing better, less swelling.  Recovery is  
possible. 
 
Q:  Is anyone comparing the Sheriff's accident with the  
transport van accident? 
A:  Yes, we are examining the two incidents. 
 
Q:  Was there any evidence of sabotage found in the  
preliminary investigation of the car? 
A:  No evidence of sabotage.  The brakes and steering were  
functional. 
 
Q:  Was the Sheriff heading toward or away from Oxford,  
north or south? 
A:  He was leaving town, south. 
 
Q:  Who hired Aimee?  Does she still have a job?  Has she  
left town? 
A:  She still works for the city.  She was hired by a placement  
service.  The Sheriff was not involved in her hiring. 
 
Q:  Does Sheriff Lamar know anybody who lives in the  
direction he was heading? 
A:  Yes, plenty of people live out there. 
 
Q:  According to records, eyeglasses were in glove box.  If  
Lamar wore glasses, why would he not be wearing them? 
A:  He didn't need them to drive, although some might have  
argued that point.  I rarely saw him wear them. 
 
Q:  Who were Aimee's references, and what was her prior  
job? 
A:  I don't know her references.  She worked briefly for a law  
firm here, Tollison, I think. 
 
Q:  Did you find anything about either accident to be  
suspicious, aside from the coincidence? 
A:  Sheriff Lamar knew the road and would have been hard- 
pressed to have an accident.  It would seem more likely to be  
intentional or assisted by a second party. 
 
Q:  What is the role of the FBI? 
A:  The FBI is still assisting in the abduction, although with  
less resources than when Pierce was involved. 
 
Q:  Has the white car that hit the mailbox been found?  If yes,  
who is the owner of this vehicle? 
A:  The car has not been found.  Mailbox smashing is a High  
School activity.  We had a juvenile in a white car arrested  
earlier for the same thing. 
 
Q:  The theory was presented that perhaps Macy had an  
accident at the Mall and might have wandered off suffering  
from amnesia. 
A:  I won't discount that theory.  There was construction in  
the restroom area.  However, it is not a theory we are  
pursuing at this time.  Thanks. 
 
Q:  You said there was construction going on in the rest room  
area.  What kind of construction? 
A:  Carpet and sheetrock installation outside the restrooms. 
 
Q:  Please check the mall blueprints.  Could there be a hidden  
room? 
A:  There are many hidden rooms.  The mall is pretty vacant,  
they wall over the empty stores to make it look less empty. 
 
Q:  Did any of these people use Tollison's office:   Mazza,  
Chambeau, Gilbert, C. Lamar, C. Blanchard? 
A:  I don't know.  Its a subject that can best be broached  
informally, I'll put out some feelers.  Thanks. 
 
Q:  Who was supposed to pick up Caroline from the hospital  
on the night Sheriff Lamar died? 
A:  Her ride didn't come I took her home. 
 
Q:  Do you know who was supposed to be her ride? 
A:  I didn't ask.  She was upset enough.  Maybe a boyfriend  
who didn't want to be known. 
 
Q:  Did you say Caroline Blanchard had a boyfriend?  If yes  
who is he and is this a new development? 
A:  I don't know about any boyfriend.  I merely suggested that  
could be a cause.  Its a small town and no one has seen her  
out with a man. 
 
Q:  You wouldn't happen to be seeing Caroline on a personal  
basis would you Detective? 
A:  No.  Not at all. 
 
Q:  Just where does Pea Ridge Road lead?  Another town or a  
"noteworthy" site? 
A:  Pea Ridge veers off to the city dumps. 
 
Q:  Were there any breakouts between Macy's disappearance  
and Sheriff Lamar's death?  Except for Ed and Tony. 
A:  No way.  No breakouts. 
 
Q:  Has Kelly Wagner been interviewed regarding Aimee's  
alibi? 
A:  Yes, it'll be available. 
 
Q:  What was the name of the farm that Gilbert bought, that  
went defunct? 
A:  I'm not sure which you are referring to.  He's owned a  
few...the Shegog place and the Kullman place--at least. 
 
Q:  Aimee said she would "use anyone" to get ahead in her  
job, do you feel she had that kind of control over Lamar? 
A:  She was young and he was old.  Of course. 
 
Q:  What were the Sheriff's drinking habits? 
A:  He liked to drink a beer.  No more than any grown man.   
Not a nightly drinker. 
 
Q:  So...is it safe to assume that it was totally out of character  
for Lamar to have had a .5 blood alcohol level? 
A:  Yes.  Out of character for him to drive in that condition. 
 
Q:  Since Lamar had been getting tough on crime and had  
"dried up" Oxford, wouldn't it seem more likely he was  
murdered for that reason than suicide? 
A:  Drug dealers that turn to murder.  Possible. 
 
Q:  Is the dump off Pea Ridge also a landfill? 
A:  Not yet, but when its full, it will probably be.  Its pretty  
out there, there is a lake nearby. 
 
Q:  Has there ever been a case previous to this one involving  
the Sheriff? 
A:  Any other dead Sheriffs?  No. 
 
Q:  Are there any magnolias near the dump? 
A:  Lots of magnolias and pine trees.
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