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Witness Interview: Allison
Gallagher
Allison Gallagher was one of Crystal and Dale Taylor's
coaches and trainers. The Taylor's stayed with the
Gallagher family when in training in Memphis from May 1996
through the time of their death. She has been interviewed
several times in the course of the homicide investigation.
Detective Nelson interviewed Ms. Gallagher on March 24 by
phone for more follow up in the abuse investigation.
N = Detective Nelson
G = Allison Gallagher
N: Thank you for speaking with me once again Ms.
Gallagher. I'd like to review some of the specific
information you may have that will shed light on the
investigation into possible sexual abuse of Crystal
Taylor.
G: Yes. I'm deeply disturbed that this issue appears to
have been very real for Crystal and that I knew nothing
about it, did nothing to help her. What can I tell you?
N: Let's review once again any possibility of abuse
occurring while Crystal was staying in your home. She had
her own room?
G: Yes she did. She and Dale both.
N: Ms. Gallagher, is there a possibility that Dale
Taylor might have been sneaking into his sister's room at
night?
G: I suppose there is a possibility. I certainly wasn't
aware of anything like that. Generally, both of them
considered their rooms off limits to the other and appeared
to respect that. Their rooms were at opposite ends of the
house and either one would have had to pass our room to get
to the other. I'm a fairly light sleeper, at least I tend
to hear unusual or out of place sounds at night, I think I'd
have realized if someone was up walking around. I don't
recall any time that happened.
N: Have you thought of anything further from a time that
Mr. or Mrs. Taylor stayed at your home when Crystal or Dale
were staying with you?
G: Yes. I did recall a few things. They may be stretching
fact, but in retrospect I think they stand out. There was
one instance where Crystal came down to breakfast and when
she saw that her father was at the table, she went back
upstairs until he left. She did seem very unwilling to be
around him and as I recall her parents left earlier than
planned on that trip. After that, for the most part, if
they came up to Memphis they'd stay at the hotel down the
street from the Ice Chalet rather than with us. At the time
I thought nothing of it.
N: Did Crystal ever confide in you that she was afraid
of anyone?
G: I know she was somewhat afraid of Dale's temper. I've
told you about his controlling mannerisms and how we had to
work with him and remind him to maintain his composure.
Crystal never told me outright that she was afraid of him,
but it was clear that when he was in bad temper she went out
of her way to avoid him or please him. She didn't stand up
to him as forcefully as I felt she should. We did talk
about that and I urged her to stand up to him. I felt if
she did he would back down, be less able to take
control.
N: What did Crystal say to you when you discussed
this?
G: She would say that she would try very hard to do that.
She told me that she knew she should stand up for herself
more, but that she found it very difficult to do. She
equated standing up for herself as a form of disloyalty I
think. As something contrary to her religious beliefs. Her
diary reflects that side of her I think. I can see her
suffering in what she wrote, she always tried so hard, too
hard maybe, to be perfect.
N: You said you had some thoughts on this issue to
share. Please go ahead.
G: First, I've been thinking that Dale may well have known
about this abuse. I tend to suspect that any sexual abuse
did come from her father and further, I think Dale knowing
about it may account for his attitude toward Crystal. He
knew she was the better and more dedicated skater, yet he
continued to act as if she were the one of the pair that
needed to focus more and work harder. I've been wondering
if perhaps he felt that way because he felt she was in some
way at fault for any abuse going on, and maybe at fault for
hurting the family. It also seems to me that his
controlling behavior might have come from seeing his
father's treatment of his sister. I have thought back over
the years to when Crystal and Dale first began skating with
us. I think that Crystal was far more timid and fearful in
the early years than later.
N: Is there anyone else at all that you can recall who
might have had an opportunity to molest Crystal?
G: No. With all the thinking about this and reviewing old
datebooks of mine and so on, I'm personally convinced that
this must have occurred within the family if it did at all.
I don't think there is much else I can tell you that would
help. My heart just aches for that poor child and how
lonely she must have felt.
N: Thank you very much, Ms. Gallagher. It's a tragic
situation for children. If you think of anything else let
me know.
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