Friday, August 11, 2006 --10:13a.m.
The witness was identified as the victim's ex-girlfriend. She was interviewed at her home by members of the Yoknapatawpha County Sheriff's Department. The interview was recorded on a portable audio tape recorder with the witness's knowledge and consent.
SM= Det. Sam Murphy
TA= Det. Ted Armstrong
YB= Yvonne Bremer
SM: Thank you for letting us barge into your home today.
YB: Oh, it's not a problem. I'm sorry you guys had to drive all the way up here.
TA: We're always happy for an excuse to get to Memphis. It's nice to get out of Oxford.
SM: Can you please state your name and address, please?
YB: Yvonne Bremer Faber and I live at14563 Lotus Lane in Germantown, Tennessee.
SM: And what was your relationship with Jamie Washington?
YB: We went out a while in college.
SM: What was he like?
YB: He was pretty smart and had a good sense of humor.
SM: When did you guys meet?
YB: We met in late '97. Late in the fall and then stopped seeing each other in the early spring of '98. We met one day while waiting for the Turner Center to open. I was sitting on the steps and he just started talking to me.
SM: What types of things did you two do together?
YB: Just the usual stuff. We saw some movies. Went out to the Gin and Proud Larry's. We'd go to a basketball game now and then. Nothing out of the ordinary.
SM: How seriously did Jamie take his school work?
YB: As I said, he was fairly smart. So he did pretty well in school. But he told me after he got hurt playing football, he got much more serious about school. He went to the Career Center a lot and really studied hard.
TA: How did this new-found focus on school affect his football career?
YB: He definitely relaxed as far as football was concerned. He knew he wasn't going to play professionally so I guess he figured, why kill myself? He knew his career wasn't going beyond college so he wanted to focus on things that would stick with him after school.
SM: How did that affect his teammates?
YB: They didn't like it one bit. Coach Tunney has them all brainwashed. They're just a cult. And when one person starts having second thoughts, they all get really weird.
TA: What did you think of Coach Tunney?
YB: I thought he was an arrogant, self-centered maniac. Completely nuts.
SM: Did Jamie share that opinion?
YB: I doubt he would have come right out and said it, but yeah, I think he really soured on the coach over time.
TA: How did Jamie's neglect of football affect your relationship?
YB: I don't know what you mean?
TA: Did you resent the fact that Jamie wasn't a football star any longer?
YB: If you're trying to find out if I was a football groupie, then you're wrong. I couldn't stand those spoiled idiots.
SM: Sound like you really didn't like the football team in general.
YB: Do you realize that when I was on the fencing team that we would go to tournaments and sleep six girls in one hotel room. A hotel room that we paid for out of our own pockets? I understand that football is a big time sport and that they generate lots of money for the school, but it's just ridiculous. If a kid gets hurt playing football, then they ought to get him taken care of. But if he gets a cold? He still gets the best treatment in town, all free of charge, while all the other students in the school just deal with it.
TA: So you think the football players had it easy?
YB: Absolutely.
TA: Even with all the hours of practice and weight lifting and everything on top of going to class?
YB: Look, most students have to do things other than just go to class. Even at a school as wealthy as Ole Miss. So, when I had friends who were washing dishes in some greasy spoon restaurant in order to pay the bills to go to school, why should I feel sorry for some gorilla who gets a free ride for playing a sport? Don't forget that this sport is supposedly what they love to do. I can guarantee you that if I could get school paid for by fencing or I could get school paid for by waiting tables, I would chose the sport I love.
SM: So if I understand it correctly, fencing is a club sport at Ole Miss?
YB: Yes.
SM: What exactly does that mean?
YB: The school only gives you about a thousand dollars total for the whole team for the entire season. Coaches, if you have any, are volunteers. We pay for our own equipment and our travel. The school's support is almost non-existent.
TA: We've heard Jamie helped you pay for some of your equipment and other expenses, is that true?
YB: Well, yes he did. I didn't ask him to though. It made me uncomfortable if you must know. He said he was happy to do it but... I don't know... it felt like a form of control.
TA: Is that why you two broke-up?
YB: Well, it's hard to call it a break up. We never were very serious. It was just casual dating.
SM: Okay, then, why did you two stop casually dating?
YB: You move on. I mean, you don't marry every guy you date. You go out with someone for a while and then move on. Hugh was still in the picture somewhat and Jamie and I just stopped seeing each other.
TA: Do you know where Jamie got the money from to spend on you?
YB: No I don't. I asked him how he could afford it and he just shrugged and said, "you let me worry about that."
SM: When was the last time you saw him?
YB: I think it was around the end of March.
SM: Did you have any contact with him after that?
YB: No.
TA: Did he tell you about being in any kind of trouble?
YB: No.
SM: Did you think he might have been hurt or something was wrong when he disappeared?
YB: Not really. I told you, we weren't that serious. I don't mean to sound callous. It's a tragedy what happened to him. But it's not like he was the love of my life and I knew where he was and what he was doing every second of the day. He was a guy I hung out with in college. That's it.
SM: Was there anybody else at all? Did you ever casually date someone else? Go to the movies or anything?
YB: Well no not really. I mean yes I did go the movies and out with friends of course, but apart from Jamie and Hugh not in a dating sense.
TA: Did you know Chris Zimmer?
YB: Yes unfortunately. I never understood what Jamie saw in him as a friend. He gave me the creeps.
TA: Why? What did he do?
YB: Zimmer didn't really have to do anything. I mean it's not like he insulted me to my face or anything. If I saw him with Jamie though I always felt uncomfortable. One time I was talking with Jamie, just arranging to see him later and Zimmer was there. He was looking away from Jamie but I could see his face and he was sneering. Jamie said Chris felt awkward around girls but I could just sense something more, like he really didn't like me.
TA: Where is Hugh?
YB: We're not living together at the moment. He lives down near Mud Island.
SM: Are you getting a divorce?
YB: I doubt it. Hugh and I have been together since high school. We certainly have our problems but we always work them out.
SM: Did you know of anyone who was angry with Jamie?
YB: I don't know. I'm sure there were some football players who resented him. And one of my teammates, Tina Page, got pissed off at him one night and threw a drink in his face.
TA: Why?
YB: She was pretty outspoken about the inequalities of male sports and female sports. They got into an argument about Title IX and she got mad and chunked her wine at him. That's hardly the type of thing that you kill someone over, though.
SM: Okay. Can you think of anything else that would help us?
YB: No, I can't. I'm certainly glad to help but as I've said, it's not like we were that serious. I don't have a lot of information.
TA: Is Hugh likely to be back sometime, maybe we should talk to him?
YB: I really don't think Hugh can tell you anything about Jamie. They didn't know each other.
TA: Well we'll probably ask him anyway.
YB: Please, I'd rather you didn't, look they didn't know each other but Hugh didn't like it when I dated Jamie. He doesn't even like hearing his name.
TA: I'm sorry Yvonne but we're going to speak to him.
SM: Thanks for your time.
Interview ends 11:20a.m
