Affidavit of Dexter Coffin
STATE OF VIRGINIA )
)ss.
COUNTY OF ALBEMARLE)
I, Dexter Coffin, having been duly sworn, hereby say:
1. My name is Dexter Coffin. I presently live in Charlottesville, Virginia.
In 1978, I was incarcerated at the Palm Beach County Jail with Richard Kondian.
2. A certain cell block at the Palm Beach County Jail was known as
"The Captain's Cell." It was named for Captain Jack Donnelly who had a
reputation for trying to get information about the important cases of the
inmates at the jail. It was common knowledge that anyone housed in
the Captain's Cell either had information in which the state and police
were interested or were there to help Captain Donnelly obtain this information.
3. Richard Kondian and I were both placed in the Captain's Cell.
Captain Donnelly pulled me aside soon after I arrived at the jail and told
me he wanted my help getting information from Richard Kondian.
From that point on, we had daily meetings in which I briefed
the state on anything that Richard Kondian revealed to me about
the murder of James Alessi.
4. It turned out that Richard Kondian did end up confiding in me and
asking for my advice quite a bit. Actually, many of the inmates asked
for my advice because they felt that I understood the law. In seeking
advice, Rick would tell me a lot about what happened on the night that the
victim was killed. Rick clearly stated to me many times that
he killed James Alessi or "that fag," as Rick would
call him. Rick specifically told me that he beat the shit
out of him and killed him", by hitting him over the head. He was
talking about how he he killed James Alessi and he never
mentioned anything about Paul Scott helping him.
5. In my daily meetings with Captain Donnelly and the representatives
of the state, I would divulge to them whatever I had learned
from Rick. I repeatedly informed them that Rick said that he
was responsible for killing James Alessi.
6. Richard Kondian was a very confrontational man. He was extremely demanding.
Even though I am much bigger than Rick, he would not hesitate to get
very aggressive with me. He was really pushy with the other inmates,
even if they were a lot bigger. He was very self-centered and
would interrupt my reading or watching
TV and insist that I do what he wanted to do. usually, what he
wanted was to discuss his case.
7. It was important to Rick for everyone to know hat he was very
manly and strong. Since the other inmates had heard that Rick had a sexual
relationship with the victim, Rick would try to act real tough
and say insulting things about "fags." He was always referring to the victim
this way and trying to defend the idea that he was sexually involved with the victim.
8. When Rick talked to me about the night he killed James Alessi, he said that he went over there because
he knew he could get drugs from the victim. Rick said he went over there because he had a shortage
of drugs.
9. Though I had daily meeting s with the state and told them
numerous time that Rick was confession to me, they never asked me to sign
to such a statement or to make this statement in public.
I they had asked me to give this information to anyone at all, I
would have done it.
Further affiant sayeth naught.
Dexter Coffin
Sworn to and subscribed to before me this 11th day of August, 1994
Provided proper identification
NOTARY PUBLIC, STATE OF FLORIDA