TRANSCRIPT OF BRUCE DAVID DANIELS INTERVIEW
BY OWEN WALTERS AND GAIL EVANS.
APRIL 28th, 2000.
WALTERS: Test, test, 1, 2, 3, test, test. Mr. DANIELS I've turned on the tape recorder, okay?
DANIELS: Okay.
WALTERS: Okay. Um, Gail, did you want to put a heading on the tape?
EVANS: Today's date is April 28, 2000, and the time is 0939 hours. We are in the basement of the ********** ****** Law Enforcement Center with Bruce David Daniels. I am identifying myself as Investigator Gail Evans. Present with me is, um, Detective Owen Walters.
WALTERS: Okay. Thanks, Gail. Bruce, are you under any kind of an influence of medication now?
DANIELS: No.
WALTERS: You are not on medication?
DANIELS: I'm not on medication, no.
WALTERS: Are you under the influence in any way at present?
DANIELS: No.
WALTERS: Okay.
WALTERS: Okay, with me is Bruce Daniels, and at this time I'm getting ready to fill out a rights for, it's Bruce David Daniels?
DANIELS: Yeah.
WALTERS: Spell your last name please.
DANIELS: D-A-N-I-E-L-S
WALTERS: And your date of birth?
DANIELS: */**/**
WALTERS: Address where you reside.
DANIELS: *** **** **** ******, ************, **, *****
WALTERS: Phone.
DANIELS: **********
WALTERS: And how far did you get in education?
DANIELS: High school.
WALTERS: Okay, Bruce, this is a rights form anything that we talk about with someone, we have to advise them of
their rights, and that's all this is, okay?
DANIELS: Okay.
WALTERS: It's got your name Bruce David Daniels, your date of birth, which is ********* **, 19**, you address and phone number is *** **** **** ******, ************, **, *****, **********, your education you said is 12 years, we are at the ********** ****** Law Enforcement center that's what this room is, Today's date is April 28th, 2000 and the time is 9:40 A.M. I'm informing you that I'm Detective Owen Walters, and we are conducting an investigation of the offense of capital murder, which this is the case of your former wife, Rachel Susan Miller. The assault we will question you about was committed on or around April the 13th, 2000, before we ask you any questions you must know and understand your legal rights, therefore I warn you and advise you have the right to remain silent, do you understand that?
DANIELS: Yes.
WALTERS: Okay, I need you to put your initials there, anything you say could be used against you in court, do you understand that?
DANIELS: Yes.
WALTERS: Okay, you have the right to talk to a lawyer or advise before we ask you any questions and to have him or her with you during questioning, do you understand that?
DANIELS: Yes.
WALTERS: If you can not afford a lawyer one will be appointed for you before any questioning if you wish, and at no cost to you, do you understand that?
DANIELS: Yes.
WALTERS: Okay, if you decide to answer questions
now without a lawyer present you still have the right to stop answering anytime, you understand that?
DANIELS: Yes.
WALTERS: Okay, this bottom portion is a waiver of rights, basically what this does is allows us to talk to you, this says I have read this statement of my rights and I understand what my rights are, that's what this is, I am willing to make a statement and answer questions, that I do not want a lawyer at this time, I understand and know what I
am doing, no premises or threatens have been made to me, no pressure force have been used against me, is that true?
DANIELS: Yeah. I mean, yes.
WALTERS: Okay I need your signature right there, and then I'll witness it right here.
DANIELS: Okay.
WALTERS: I got to, I got to ask you point blank, I've got to ask you point blank Bruce, I got to ask you point blank, did you kill your former wife, Rachel Susan Miller?
DANIELS: No, I did not.
WALTERS: Did you assault your former wife in a manner that caused her death?
DANIELS: I did not cause her death, I only lost my temper and assaulted her.
WALTERS: Did you assault and beat your former wife?
DANIELS: Yes, I did.
WALTERS: Okay, I want to talk to you about that, okay? I want to hear your recollection of events on April 13th, okay?
DANIELS: Yeah.
WALTERS: Okay, good. Cause that's important. I need to know what you know, okay? If I, if you feel like I'm starting to prompt you or putting words in your mouth, please tell me. Same goes for Ms. Evans. Are we clear on that?
DANIELS: Oh yeah.
WALTERS: It's very important. Umm, okay. Let's try to get some background to, uh, lead up to the events of April 13th, shall we?
DANIELS: Okay.
WALTERS: You were married when?
DANIELS: ******** **, 19**
WALTERS: How old were you when you married?
DANIELS: Twenty two, I guess.
WALTERS: How old was your wife?
DANIELS: Maybe um, nineteen, I guess. I'm not sure.
WALTERS: What kind of marriage did you have?
DANIELS: It was fine.
WALTERS: Fine?
DANIELS: Well, I mean we had fights and all but who doesn't?
WALTERS: Did these fights ever get physical?
DANIELS: Sure.
WALTERS: Was the police ever summoned to your home?
DANIELS: When we were married?
WALTERS: Yes, when you were married.
DANIELS: Yeah, that bitch kept accusing me of all sorts of shit.
WALTERS: It says in this report I have in my hand that the police were called to your residence a number of times for domestic disturbances and assaults. Is that true?
DANIELS: Yeah.
WALTERS: Why do you think she did that?
DANIELS: Because our fights got violent when she made me mad.
WALTERS: You hit her?
DANIELS: Yeah.
WALTERS: She never pressed charges did she?
DANIELS: No. She knew better than that.
WALTERS: Why would you hit her?
DANIELS: Because she was disrespectful, and never did anything fucking right and she made me lose my temper all the time.
WALTERS: Okay. I will want to come back to this at another date all right?
DANIELS: Yeah.
WALTERS: Uh, do you have children?
DANIELS: Yeah.
WALTERS: How many?
DANIELS: Two. A boy and a girl. Tyler and Caitlin.
WALTERS: Spell their first names please?
DANIELS: T-Y-L-E-R and C-A-I-T-L-I-N.
WALTERS: Were they given your last name?
DANIELS: Of course they were.
WALTERS: When did you divorce?
DANIELS: 19**.
WALTERS: Remember abouts when that year?
DANIELS: Around Christmas, I guess.
WALTERS: Okay. Was it amicable?
DANIELS: I didn't want a damn divorce.
WALTERS: You contested the divorce?
DANIELS: Yeah, but it didn't do no good. She got some fancy lawyer and I never saw her. A judge sided with her when she was absent. I forget what that's called.
WALTERS: Did that make you mad?
DANIELS: Fuck yeah.
WALTERS: Did you miss her?
DANIELS: Yeah, I wanted to make it work, you know? I loved her. Things just got out of control I guess and she took my kids. I had no idea where she ran off to or why. I provided for her and she took off one night when I came home. Bags packed, said she was leaving and walked out with the kids. I figured she would come back like always but she didn't. That was around her birthday of that year. I told her as she left I would find her. I told her.
WALTERS: So she left in May, which is when her birthday is and the divorce came through December after that? Is that right?
DANIELS: Yeah.
WALTERS: You said 19** this was?
DANIELS: Yeah.
WALTERS: Why did you tell her you would find her if she left?
DANIELS: Because I wanted her to stay.
WALTERS: Why?
DANIELS: Because she was my wife. I even went to counseling and shit to prove it could work if she came back and it won't be bad anymore like she said. I had five years to think about what made her leave. I guess she thought I lost my temper too much.
WALTERS: Okay. How did you find her?
DANIELS: On the internet.
WALTERS: Internet?
DANIELS: Yeah. You know, searches and search companies that do it for you.
WALTERS: How did you do that?
DANIELS: I know her social security number and maiden name.
WALTERS: And what did you do with the information you found?
DANIELS: I found her house and where she worked and what kind of car she had now and stuff. It's easy. So anyways, I followed her around for a while.
WALTERS: Did she know you were doing that?
DANIELS: I dunno. She was looking paranoid but I wasn't sure. Maybe she did, or maybe she didn't. Couldn't say for sure.
WALTERS: And when did you do start following her around?
DANIELS: Beginning of this month, I guess.
WALTERS: How long did you follow her?
DANIELS: Two weeks at the most.
WALTERS: What was your purpose for following her?
DANIELS: To fucking talk to her, man. That's it. Show her I changed. Show her I want my kids. That I love her and I love my kids. Show her I was sorry.
WALTERS: Okay. So how long did you hang around the area of her residence and work?
DANIELS: I dunno. Couple a weeks like I said.
WALTERS: Why so long?
DANIELS: I dunno. Lost my nerve to talk to her I guess. I knew she wouldn't want to talk to me and I had to think of how she'd listen.
WALTERS: Did you try to contact her prior to this?
DANIELS: Yeah, but every time I found a number or something, to talk to her she'd move or change her number. I wanted my wife back and I wanted to see my kids.
WALTERS: Did you think to go through the court system?
DANIELS: Give me a break, man. A guy always gets shafted. Fathers don't have rights. I thought if I could find her I could arrange something nicely with her after I proved myself.
WALTERS: Please just answer my question. Did you try to go through the courts to see if you, uh, you can see your kids?
DANIELS: No.
WALTERS: Okay. So you said you found her home and hung around for a while, is that what you told me?
DANIELS: Yeah.
WALTERS: Okay. So now what happens?
DANIELS: Well, I just watched the house for a while, you know, and like I knew she had an alarm on the house because I hear the beeps when they leave the house, so I thought, maybe there's got to be a part of the house that isn't hooked up.
WALTERS: Was there?
DANIELS: Yeah, under the house, behind the house is a wood deck. The cat that she stole from me ran under there when it saw me so I looked under there for it and behind some piles of dirt was this little window that probably led to the basement. Nobody thinks about them kind of things.
WALTERS: Then what?
DANIELS: I crawled under the deck and through the window.
WALTERS: What about the alarm?
DANIELS: (cough) No alarm set off.
WALTERS: Okay, so you're saying at this point you are in the home, is that correct?
DANIELS: Uh huh (affirmative).
WALTERS: Where are you in the home?
DANIELS: Basement.
WALTERS: Then what happened?
DANIELS: I waited. But then I don't know how long after that I hear the alarm and a few beeps I guess someone turning off the stupid thing.
I waited more and I hear footsteps all over the fucking house, one room then another then another. Then I hear a tv on the main floor. That show Friends is on and I knew it was her cuz she always watched it.
WALTERS: Okay. Go on.
DANIELS: I'm coming up the stairs from the basement just to talk to her and I trip on a hammer on the top step and I cursed.
WALTERS: You cursed?
DANIELS: Yeah. Guess she heard me because I hear silence, then a loud gasp and then running.
WALTERS: Let's back up a second. What did you do with the hammer you tripped on?
DANIELS: I think I picked it up and put it in the kitchen on the table.
WALTERS: Okay, so you said you heard running. Who was running?
DANIELS: Rachel was.
WALTERS: Where did she run to?
DANIELS: I think up stairs.
WALTERS: Okay.
DANIELS: I figure it was up to the second floor because where I heard the tv there is a stairway to the right before the living room where the piano was. So I went up there and looked in all the rooms and didn't see nothing. Then I go to another bedroom and I see the phone is off that thing it charges on and she's probably fucking calling the cops or something. I just wanted to talk to her and I wanted to keep her away from the phone so when I found nothing, I went toward this closet and heard wheezing from in there.
WALTERS: Wheezing?
DANIELS: Yeah, Rachel has bad asthma.
WALTERS: Okay. So you said you heard wheezing. Then what happened?
DANIELS: Well, she's crouched in a ball and I'm trying to calm her down cuz I want to just talk to her but she kept screaming at me to get out and leave her alone and I just kept saying I wanna talk to you. Then she moves her hands up by her face. She kept saying for me not to kill her and I kept telling her I wasn't I just wanted to fucking talk but she kept repeating it and repeating it. I kept telling her I love her and I asked her flat out if she loves me and she said no. She said she loves that guy, I forget his name and that she loves him. She wouldn't say she still loves me and that's all I wanted to fucking hear.
WALTERS: Okay..(inaudible)..so--
DANIELS: I welled up with anger and I dragged her out of the closet. I was getting pissed off that she didn't respect me enough to talk to me face to face she had to like be on a closet floor. And the more she screamed and squirmed the stronger I had to hold her. I kept saying tell me you love me, damn it tell me you love me. We can work it out but you gotta listen to me damn it.
WALTERS: Okay. So what did she do now?
DANIELS: She was crying.
WALTERS: All right, um, and then you had some, well, let's get back to the crying. When did she start crying?
DANIELS: Oh I don't know, I suppose before I found her there in the closet. I don't know.
WALTERS: Before?
DANIELS: Hmm hmm (affirmative).
WALTERS: Okay, that's accurate? The tape can't hear you shake your head.
DANIELS: Oh yeah.
WALTERS: Okay, great, thanks. Umm, did you threaten her?
DANIELS: No, I think it was just a, no, I don't know what it was. Just, ``Shut up and listen damn it,'' or something.
WALTERS: Okay.
DANIELS: Or, ``Let me just talk to you,'' or something like that.
WALTERS: Okay. Can you remember what she said when you said something along the lines of you wanted to talk to her?
DANIELS: Yeah, hmm hmm (affirmative). ``Why are you doing this, and-''
WALTERS: Yeah, so she questioned your, your actions?
DANIELS: Yeah.
WALTERS: Okay, did you ever answer that question?
DANIELS: Not really. Not, no. I mean I wanted to talk to her. But she knew that.
WALTERS: Okay, because umm, it, it, it-
DANIELS: Don't make no sense.
WALTERS: Yeah. Umm so you went there not intending to kill her?
DANIELS: I don't know. No, I just wanted to talk to her. I did not kill her. I hurt her, yes, but I swear I did not kill her.
WALTERS: Okay. This is why we are asking you questions and clarifying your answers, to find out what happened.
DANIELS: I don't know. I umm-
WALTERS: Okay. So-
DANIELS: Yeah, that's really, I don't know, it's kinda mind-boggling. I don't know what to say.
WALTERS: All right. Okay. Umm, if you think of it, don't be bashful, just-
DANIELS: Okay.
WALTERS: -you know, jump right in and let us know. Uh, so you're in the house, you tell her to shut up, and you, and you don't, you just, you don't remember exactly what was said there, Okay. Umm, but did you threaten to harm her, or uh, what happened there?
DANIELS: No, yeah, it could have been stronger. Yeah, it was probably just a, just, ``Don't move and shut the fuck up and listen-''
WALTERS: Okay. Did you tell her that if she cooperated she wouldn't get hurt? Now I know I'm putting words in your mouth-
DANIELS: No, I-
WALTERS: -but did you ever say that?
DANIELS: No, I didn't.
WALTERS: Okay, all right. So she asked you why you were doing this?
DANIELS: Yeah.
WALTERS: Okay, what did you tell her?
DANIELS: I said I just wanted to talk to her.
WALTERS: And um, do you remember if Rachel responded to you? Did she say anything to you?
DANIELS: Umm, something like, ``Please don't do this'' or something.
WALTERS: Okay, was she saying it or was she yelling it?
DANIELS: She raised her voice but didn't yell it.
WALTERS: Okay. Wa-, was she fighting you at this time?
DANIELS: Yeah, she was tryin'. And I kept wailing on her to make her stop but she wouldn't.
WALTERS: Tell me what you mean by wailing.
DANIELS: I kept punching her with my fists a bunch of times.
WALTERS: Where did you punch her?
DANIELS: Her head, face around that area.
WALTERS: Okay. Could you tell how she felt?
DANIELS: Oh yeah.
WALTERS: Was there something in her voice that led you to believe how she felt?
DANIELS: Well yeah.
WALTERS: How do you think she felt?
DANIELS: Oh scared, I'm sure. I'm sure.
WALTERS: Okay, so you said you dragged her out of the closet-
DANIELS: Yeah. Then I got her to the bed and I was trying to get her clothes off--
WALTERS: Why did you do that?
DANIELS: To make love to my wife. I know she still loved me and if she didn't want to say it she could show me.
WALTERS: I see. So what was she doing now?
DANIELS: She was squirming and scratching at me and shit.
WALTERS: Now we noticed some scratches on your arms and face when you were booked. Did that have anything to do with this?
DANIELS: Oh, I dunno, maybe.
WALTERS: Okay.
DANIELS: Maybe not, I dunno.
WALTERS: You, um, are aware that the scrapings from under her fingernails we got have been sent to the crime lab and we expect the results soon?
DANIELS: Yeah.
WALTERS: All right. Um, so you said that she was squirming and scratching at you?
DANIELS: Yeah. She kept fucking squirming so I found some neckties on a pile of laundry and reached down with one hand and held her down by putting my knee on her neck and the other one on her stomach and tied her hands together. She kept trying to say shit and the more she talked the more pissed off I got.
WALTERS: What was she saying?
DANIELS: I don't know, my knee was on her neck and it muffled her a little. Just a couple stuff I heard clear.
WALTERS: Like what?
DANIELS: Just shit man, I dunno. She wanted me to stop, she's married now, shit like that.
WALTERS: So now what happens?
DANIELS: I think I choked her now.
WALTERS: Okay, can you explain how you choked her?
DANIELS: Oh from the front, I just started choking her. You know, to shut her up.
WALTERS: From the front? Okay. So where were you and where was she at this, ah, point?
DANIELS: She was on her back on the bed and I was on top of her choking her.
WALTERS: Now did, now how did you do that, with your hands or with your arm or, ah, did you use a tool of any kind?
DANIELS: No, I used an electrical cord.
WALTERS: An electrical cord from what?
DANIELS: A lamp.
WALTERS: Okay. And what was she doing while you were choking her?
DANIELS: Mmm ... was kicking I think or something.
WALTERS: Kicking? Was she trying to kick you?
DANIELS: Yeah.
WALTERS: She was. So she was trying to get free of you?
DANIELS: Right.
WALTERS: Is that why we found bruises on your body when we booked you, because she kicked you?
DANIELS: Yeah.
WALTERS: Okay. So what happens now?
DANIELS: Well, I held the cord around her neck for I don't know how long, half a minute, I guess. I was so mad I didn't realize my own strength. All this blood was spouting from her neck so I let it go.
WALTERS: So you released the cord when you saw how much blood you drew. Is that right?
DANIELS: Yeah. (cough) Then I stuffed a sock in her mouth to shut her up and she still wouldn't keep still and tried to kick me and shit so I tied her feet too.
WALTERS: With what?
DANIELS: Her own shoe laces on her shoes.
WALTERS: Do you remember what kind of shoe laces?
DANIELS: Nah.
WALTERS: So now what did you do?
DANIELS: I made love to her.
WALTERS: So you're saying at this point that you had sexual intercourse with Rachel?
DANIELS: I made love to her.
WALTERS: I see. So now what happened?
DANIELS: She still wouldn't fucking say she loved me so I smacked her.
WALTERS: What do you mean by smacked?
DANIELS: I hit her.
WALTERS: Where did you strike her?
DANIELS: Everywhere.
WALTERS: Specifically, please. For the record.
DANIELS: Face, stomach, head. Other places I guess.
WALTERS: What did you strike her with?
DANIELS: My fists.
WALTERS: Was she still bound with the neckties and shoelaces?
DANIELS: Yeah.
WALTERS: Okay. Then what?
DANIELS: I dunno man, I just lost it. I couldn't stop. I kept hitting her and hitting her and she kept bleeding and I didn't give a fuck what she said anymore. She made me so fucking mad and I had five years of pent up rage that she left a good marriage and took my kids.
WALTERS: Okay. So where are you in the home now, are you in the bedroom still?
DANIELS: Most of the time, most of that was on the bed after I made love to her and then she got knocked off the bed and part of it was in the doorway. When I was hitting her and kicking her she ended up near the door.
WALTERS: What is your estimate of the length from the bed to the bedroom door?
DANIELS: I dunno. Maybe fifteen feet or so.
WALTERS: You said fifteen?
DANIELS: Yeah.
WALTERS: Let me get this right. You estimate you hit her and kicked her for a length of fifteen feet?
DANIELS: Yeah.
WALTERS: Okay, so you are at the doorway now in the bedroom. That leads to where?
DANIELS: The hallway.
WALTERS: So what happens at this point?
DANIELS: She sort of inched away using her stomach and arms sort of like army guy style so I hit her a few times more and pushed her down the stairs when we got there.
WALTERS: Where did she land?
DANIELS: I don't follow.
WALTERS: I mean, did she fall the entire length or part way, or what?
DANIELS: Oh, most of the way, except two steps or something like that. She landed on her side.
WALTERS: Which side?
DANIELS: Right, I think.
WALTERS: Okay. Now what?
DANIELS: Part of her back was exposed from her shirt coming up and I bit her.
WALTERS: You bit her on the back?
DANIELS: Yeah on her back near her side.
WALTERS: Why did you bite her?
DANIELS: I dunno why. I was mad, I guess.
WALTERS: Then what did you do?
DANIELS: The phone rang and it was that new husband guy saying he'd be late coming home.
WALTERS: How do you know that?
DANIELS: Machine volume was all the way up.
WALTERS: Okay, so what happens after the phone rang?
DANIELS: (cough) Um, I think I took her into the family room at the bottom of the steps.
WALTERS: To the right or the left of the stairs?
DANIELS: Left.
WALTERS: Okay.
DANIELS: So like when you go in there is a couch so I picked her up by her waist and threw her on it and made love to her again.
WALTERS: You made love to her again?
DANIELS: Yeah because I saw all the blood and I felt bad she made me do that because she wouldn't say she loved me or give me my kids so to let her know I was sorry, I made love to her real nice, real loving you know?
WALTERS: Okay. Was she still bound hands and feet?
DANIELS: Yeah, the whole time.
WALTERS: Okay.
DANIELS: But she kept crying so I kept hitting her in her mouth to shut her the hell up. When I hit her she fell off the couch but couldn't go anywhere because she was tied up so she did that army guy style thing again. So I grab and drag her into the next room which was the kitchen and she's still crying and trying to talk but all this blood kept coming out of her mouth instead and I said are you trying to tell me you love me and she kept spitting blood, she wouldn't nod or nothing so I grab a wrench near the sink and pounded on her head--
WALTERS: Where on the head?
DANIELS: The back.
WALTERS: How many times?
DANIELS: I dunno. A few times maybe.
WALTERS: Then what?
DANIELS: She stopped making noises after I hit her a few times, so I stand her up and lean her against the fridge and smashed the back of her head where I hit her with the wrench into the fridge till I got tired. Blood was fucking everywhere man. I was like holy shit, how much blood do people got in them?
WALTERS: Okay. Did you stop at that point? When you got tired?
DANIELS: Yeah.
WALTERS: What happens now?
DANIELS: Um, I don't know if it was just out of guilt or something or whatever, feeling stupid she made me do that to her but I stopped and she slumped to the floor.
WALTERS: Okay. Any idea of the amount of time-frame that's involved there? Remember at all?
DANIELS: Ah, no I think ah, ah, hour maybe from the time I found her upstairs. Maybe hour and a half. Not sure.
WALTERS: Okay. Okay, after that you stop, what do you do?
DANIELS: The phone rang.
WALTERS: Do you know who it was?
DANIELS: Yeah, the volume was up on the answering machine. I forget his name but the husband guy called again said he was gonna leave and be home in an hour, hour and a half depending on traffic and that he loves her.
WALTERS: Okay, so now what happens?
DANIELS: Well, she made a noise from her throat and kept shaking her head no. I kept telling her to shut the fuck up but she kept making those annoying sounds in her throat and she kept trying to wiggle away again so I dragged her to the other steps which was where I came from when I came up to talk to her and saw that hammer I dropped on the table so I take that and hit her in the chest and the metal part broke off. Then I see a screwdriver and I put it up to her neck but I lost my nerve. So she was just laying there.
WALTERS: So wait, with the screwdriver, were you intending to kill her, harm her, what?
DANIELS: No, I was mad at the husband guy so I put it down. I had thoughts of killing him though because he stole my wife. Thought came and went quick.
WALTERS: You thought about killing Kurt Miller, her husband?
DANIELS: Yeah, for a second or so maybe. It was just that anger took over and I wasn't thinking good.
WALTERS: Were you going to wait for him to come home or what was your plan?
DANIELS: I dunno. It was a fleeting thought, I guess.
WALTER: Okay. So did you leave or what happened then?
DANIELS: No. I stayed still. I felt bad again so I made love to her again but all this blood was coming from her vagina so I stopped.
WALTERS: Did you know that Rachel was pregnant?
DANIELS: Huh?
WALTERS: Did you know that Rachel was pregnant?
DANIELS: No shit?
WALTERS: Did you know she was pregnant, yes or no?
DANIELS: I thought she was lying.
WALTERS: Okay. So what happens now?
DANIELS: Nothing. I left. I couldn't look at her anymore and I figure if this new guy she got came home and I was there, I better get a fucking good start.
WALTERS: You left to go where?
DANIELS: Anywhere. Home. I dunno. I didn't think that far. I got in my car and drove Route ** to go home.
WALTERS: What kind of vehicle do you own?
DANIELS: **** ****** *******.
WALTERS: What color?
DANIELS: Like a dark bluish, grayish color.
WALTERS: That was the vehicle we found you in at the time of your arrest?
DANIELS: Yeah.
WALTERS: What were you going to do when you got to where you were going if we hadn't found you?
DANIELS: I didn't know.
WALTERS: It's a long drive back isn't it?
DANIELS: Yeah, but I had to go far away because I ain't dumb man. Nobody would believe me that I went to just fucking talk to her and that I just lost my temper. I found out when I got arrested in these parts that she died for some reason.
WALTERS: No idea why?
DANIELS: Dude, it wasn't me. She was alive breathing and making noise when I left. She was alive man, I'm telling you. I didn't kill her.
WALTERS: I see. Gail, have you any questions for Mr. Daniels here? I think I'm finished here.
EVANS: Yes, I do. Mr. Daniels, are you comfortable, would you like a drink of water or something?
DANIELS: No.
EVANS: I understand. (laugh) Um, anyway, basically it's just, ah, some sort of detail questions, okay, and of course, ah, I do appreciate your cooperation and I, I, ah, I can't tell you how much, we appreciate, and I know that the, the, ah, Rachel's family's going to be really thankful that, that you did this, um, and I, I, and I, I really believe that, y-your family will probably be very grateful as well, OK? I know that may sound like bull to you, but-
DANIELS: Something like that.
EVANS: I, I, I mean it.
DANIELS: I know.
EVANS: Ah, okay, so, ah-
DANIELS: Basically I think they are hating my guts too.
EVANS: Um, all right. Um, now I understand from what you just told us that, ah, that you wanted simply to talk to your ex wife. Is that right?
DANIELS: Yeah, just to talk.
EVANS: But she didn't want to talk to you, is that, ah, right?
DANIELS: Right.
EVANS: So, ah, let me, ah, get this right. You broke into her house to just talk to her and no other reason?
DANIELS: Yeah.
EVANS: What was your need to talk to her? You were divorced, a judge saw grounds to do so, so why not, ah, just let it, ah, go?
DANIELS: So what, she can't fucking take time to hear me say I was sorry and I love her and I felt bad?
EVANS: I see. Mr. Daniels, Well let me ask you this. I told you that my purpose was to ask detail questions. Now, do you remember how you were dressed that night? I know sounds like a dumb question, but some-we have to ask obvious questions sometimes-
DANIELS: Well
EVANS: -for the record.
DANIELS: I-I had some, some jeans on.
EVANS: Okay.
DANIELS: Shoes.
EVANS: What kind of shoes?
DANIELS: Oh sneakers.
EVANS: They were sneakers?
DANIELS: Yeah.
EVANS: Do you remember what make they were?
DANIELS: Yeah, they were (cough) Nike brand.
EVANS: Okay, now what, do you remember what your, um, your, your shirt was?
DANIELS: I had a blue and white striped shirt, button down.
EVANS: OK. Like a dress shirt, buttons, collar, or what?
DANIELS: Yeah, dress shirt.
EVANS: Okay. Um, tell me about your, ah, family. Mother and father alive?
DANIELS: Yeah.
EVANS: Brothers and sisters?
DANIELS: Yeah, I got a brother and two sisters.
EVANS: And you said you have two children, right?
DANIELS: Yeah.
EVANS: Mr. Daniels, have you told anybody else what you've told us here today? Does anybody outside this room know what, what we know about, um, you, assaulting Rachel-
DANIELS: No.
EVANS: No family, friends?
DANIELS: No.
EVANS: So you told no one before you talked to us here about what you did to Rachel and that she died? Nobody?
DANIELS: I didn't kill her so why would I tell anyone that?
EVANS: Mr. Daniels, have you shared this information with anybody- that you, ah, assaulted or injured her on April 13 of this year, or haven't you?
DANIELS: No I didn't.
EVANS: Did you share with anyone that she died two days ago?
DANIELS: No, I only found out when I got arrested. That's what I've been trying to tell you people. She was not dead when I left so that means I did not kill her. Lock me up for beating her up because I lost my temper but I didn't kill her so I did not murder her and won't tell anyone that. You, family, friends, nobody. Okay? I didn't fucking kill her.
EVANS: Okay, Mr. Daniels. I hear you and it is on record as you saying you did not kill her. I understand.
DANIELS: Good.
EVANS: Last, ah, question, about, ah, family, friends, ah, did you have any accomplices?
DANIELS: No.
EVANS: This is, this is going sound like a dumb question, but I have to ask. Umm, cause in some ways it sounds like you didn't work too hard to cover your tracks after assaulting her. Were you, were you worried about being found out by the police at all? Or did you just put it out of your mind that you had just hurt your ex-wife?
DANIELS: I don't know.
EVANS: That wasn't a challenge, I'm just really curious.
DANIELS: I, I don't know.
EVANS: Okay. All right. Okay. Don't know? Can't say?
DANIELS: I don't know what to say. You know, I really don't know.
EVANS: Okay. Sure. And, and, like I said, none of my questions are meant to be challenging, because there's really two things going on here to be quite honest with you, okay? Umm, I've spent the last 20 years taking confessions when people are cooperative, and the other thing that happens during a, a confession with someone like yourself, is school is in session. Okay. You know what I mean?
DANIELS: Yeah.
EVANS: Okay, I'm learning from you. All right? Um, and so, that, a lot of my questions about why you think about certain things, or um, or what were you thinking at certain times, uh, will help me do my job, all right? If you can answer-
DANIELS: Yeah.
EVANS: -truthfully, Okay?
DANIELS: No, I under-, no, I'm here to answer and I'm doing okay with it-
EVANS: Okay good.
DANIELS: I don't know what I can tell ya. I- didn't kill her. I should be guilty of hurting her but she was alive that whole time and I know it can be backed up that she was with evidence.
EVANS: All right, Okay. Well, if you think of the answers later on. You know, if you think more about this and if you think of the answers later on, I'd still want to know what you have to say on the matter and what you remember.
DANIELS: Okay.
EVANS: I really would. And uh, and I can't think of a whole lot else that I need to ask you. Maybe Detective Walters has some more ideas?
WALTERS: Umm, I have no further questions for him.
EVANS: I don't either.
WALTERS: All right. This tape is entered, is, uh, ending at 2 in-
EVANS: Oh, wait, hold on, before you shut off the tape, Is the anything you want say that you think is important to make it into the record?
DANIELS: No, except what I have been telling you. I did not kill her so I shouldn't be charged with murder. Only assault. I didn't kill her.
WALTERS: All right. We have that on record here. Is there anything else you would like to add right now?
DANIELS: No.
EVANS: You have the right Mr. Daniels to add anything at a future date.
DANIELS: I know.
WALTERS: I'm finished. Gail?
EVANS: I'm done too. And the time is 1456 and the tape is being turned off.
Where Next?
(Next) Bruce Daniels Changes His Plea to Guilty
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