September 09, 2008
The time now is 1832 hours. The date is September 09, 2008. My name is Detective Terry Jones; my code number is 6354. I’m with the Louisville Metro Police Department. This interview is of Mr. Corey Avery. Last names spelling is A-v-e-r-y. Is that correct, sir?
Avery
Yes.
Jones
Okay and your date of birth?
Avery
Uh… oh yeah,
Jones
And your address?
Avery
6704…
Jones
6-7-0-4?
Avery
Yeah, Wyckof… Wyckof Court, W-y-c-k…
Jones
I’m sorry.
Avery
Wyckof Court.
Jones
Let me turn this down a little bit. I can’t… so the tape can pick it up. Okay the address again is 6704.
Page 2 of 13 Statement: Case #08-197b / Corey Avery Date: September 09, 2008
Avery
Wyckof Court.
Jones
Wyckof?
Avery
Yeah.
Jones
Spell that?
Avery
W-y-c-k.
Jones
W-y…
Jones
c-k-o-f?
Avery
Yeah.
Jones
Court?
Avery
Yeah.
Jones
And phone number?
Avery
Uh, that’s Southland High School.
Jones
Uh… just a number where you can be reached?
Avery
(Inaudible).
Jones
Uh-huh.
Avery Jones Avery Jones
Okay,
Page 3 of 13 Statement: Case #08-197b / Corey Avery Date: September 09, 2008
Avery
Yes.
Jones
Okay I’m gonna go over this real quick from this form. This statement is being tape recorded. Does it meet with your approval?
Avery
Uh-huh, yeah.
Jones
And Mrs. Avery, you’re present also; does this meet with your approval?
Avery Mrs.
Yes.
Jones
And your first name, Mrs. Avery?
Avery Mrs.
Stacy.
Jones
Stacy Avery and Corey, are you aware this interview is being taped?
Avery
Uh-huh.
Jones
O.K. Again, I’m taking a taped statement in reference to the events that occurred August 20, 2008 that occurred during the PRP Football Practice. Please describe the events on August 20, 2008 from the beginning to the end of practice?
Avery
I was, uh… well, first we had to uh… first came out, then we do those little chining stretches and then go team take off, team… then after that, we go and divide into groups your offense and line got defense. B for the bags all that stuff. And then after that, after that then you do (inaudible) and that’s called individually; we do that for awhile, and after that you go team, and that’s like a… that’s like a scrimmage after this, after the scrimmage you
Page 4 of 13 Statement: Case #08-197b / Corey Avery Date: September 09, 2008
get water and you run gassers. Jones
Okay so basically your training consisted Wednesday of—of physical training or laying over drills and plays of such as you described?
Avery
Uh-huh.
Jones
Leading up to running sprints and gassers?
Avery
Uh-huh.
Jones
Okay and what are… I’m sorry, go ahead ma’am?
Avery Mrs.
Oh no.
Jones
And what are gassers?
Avery
You run, the side—the side of the field and you run back and forth two times.
Jones
Is it width of the field or length of the field?
Avery
Width.
Jones
The width of the field?
Avery
Uh-huh.
Jones
Okay that being said uh, how many water breaks from… are the water breaks given as— as to individuals or as… as a team?
Avery
The whole… they dispense like… it’s like a tent and like the individual someone might get it first but then the whole time the whole team gets it.
Page 5 of 13 Statement: Case #08-197b / Corey Avery Date: September 09, 2008
Jones
Okay I understand. That… that uh, you’re telling me that the teams are broke… the football team is broke down in groups?
Avery
Uh-huh.
Jones
Of other teams consisting of what?
Avery
All this line… defense line, defense of “x”.
Jones
Okay so in a classified groups of team players?
Avery
Uh-huh.
Jones
And are you telling me that individual groups like that may take breaks on their… on their own?
Avery
No, it’s just… it’s all one thing just one team might take it before and it goes like a line.
Jones
So your answer will be as a team?
Avery
Uh-huh.
Jones
Okay, on August 20th 2008, how many water breaks were you… did you take?
Avery
I take the four.
Jones
Okay and can you recall the last time you took your water break?
Avery
Today, uh…
Jones
Uh no, the day August 20, 2008?
Avery
Before gassers.
Page 6 of 13 Statement: Case #08-197b / Corey Avery Date: September 09, 2008
Jones
It was before gassers. Do you recall the time?
Avery
No, I leave at like 5:30, nothing like that but I don’t know the timeframes.
Jones
You don’t recall the time? But it was right after your water break that you ran gassers? Okay and O.K. And describe gassers to me? Uh… what is considered one, one gasser or how, one sprint; what is considered that?
Avery
You gotta do is run, you run to… you run— you run to one side line and you run back, you run again. You just run, well, you run to one sideline and come back… go to one sideline and then back… that’s one gasser.
Jones
Okay so a sideline to sideline, back to the first sideline and then back to the 2nd sideline and then back to the original sideline?
Avery
Uh-huh.
Jones
Okay and why was the team running sprints?
Avery
Uh because we wasn’t… we wasn’t hustling. We… we weren’t (inaudible). We run sprints every day but just like that day… that typical day, we ran more.
Jones
Okay you said the team was not hustling?
Avery
Uh-huh.
Jones
And uh, how many sprints did you run in your group?
Avery
All—all the team run gassers.
Page 7 of 13 Statement: Case #08-197b / Corey Avery Date: September 09, 2008
Jones
Okay how many did you run?
Avery
It was like… it was in the 30’s but (inaudible)… when I start counting.
Jones
What do you… what do you recall running?
Avery
Uh, it was like actually in the 30s.
Jones
In 30s?
Avery
In 30s.
Jones
Okay and what group were you running with?
Avery
Oh, I was one of the biggy ones so I didn’t (inaudible).
Jones
Okay, is that offensive people or defensive people?
Avery
It is all the fat people… like all the bigger people.
Jones
Okay so they have everybody broke down in a categories or you know not…
Avery
Yeah the skinny people have got to pick it.
Jones
Okay so you was running with the larger group?
Avery
Uh-huh.
Jones
How many sprints did you run before taking off your gear?
Avery
Not too many… about 20 though. Before that all the gear just…
Page 8 of 13 Statement: Case #08-197b / Corey Avery Date: September 09, 2008
Jones
Uh yeah, well, or if you can describe to me uh if you ran a certain amount and you took some equipment off, you ran another certain amount and you took some more equipment off?
Avery
About 15, I took those off and about 20-23 somewhere in there, I took the shoulder pads off and ran the rest (inaudible).
Jones
Okay, I’m sorry, can you repeat that and speak up please? You ran sprints uh how many you ran before you took your gear off?
Avery
We ran like… ran like 10-15 before we took the… when we’re at 10-15, we take (inaudible)… and we took like then in the mid20’s, took the shoulder pads off, and then from there it’s running without the shoulder pads on (inaudible).
Jones
Okay, so 10-15 with your helmet on?
Avery
Uh… un, no, at 10-15 with the helmet on.
Jones
And then uh and then 10 later or how many later after the… after you remove your helmet? How many did you run without your helmet on?
Avery
Probably about 10.
Jones
Okay and after taking off your gear, which is helmets, shoulder pads; how many did you run then?
Avery
We ran the rest of ‘em till (inaudible).
Jones
Okay and you don’t know a specific amount,
Page 9 of 13 Statement: Case #08-197b / Corey Avery Date: September 09, 2008
just to the end I’m sure, okay. Is it safe to say you don’t know? Avery
Yeah.
Jones
Okay how long you think the team was running sprints?
Avery
I guess 45 minutes to an hour.
Jones
45 minutes to an hour?
Avery
Uh-huh.
Jones
Was it timed or at your own pace?
Avery
It was timed like, but I guess—I guess all you can… you can’t make him throw us out but when you’re timed, I mean he can do it. You’re talking about like the time you get to one side?
Jones
Yes sir; was that considered timed or at your own pace?
Avery
Well you’re timed but set your own pace for it.
Jones
But you still have… you still have to do it at a certain…
Avery
Yeah, yeah… yes sir, yeah.
Jones
Right. You had to push yourself? Okay did you or any of your teammates ask for water breaks or try to get water during the running of sprints?
Avery
Uh not that I… like the whole side was taking off when I was standing (inaudible).
Page 10 of 13 Statement: Case #08-197b / Corey Avery Date: September 09, 2008
Jones
Okay I just want to know. Uh, did you or any of your teammates become ill during the running of sprints?
Avery
It’s typical. When your stomach or you just run, it’s typical stuff like that.
Jones
Okay and what’s considered typical?
Avery
It’s like your stomach (inaudible). Just like when you run your time.
Jones
Okay um, so you would say nothing unusual in your opinion?
Avery
Uh-huh.
Jones
Is that a um, uh… did you see Mr. Gilpin become ill, uh Max Gilpin become ill?
Avery
No that’s if I mix when I came over to get them gassers, you saw I walked off the field.
Jones
Okay so you were in a different location and— and you’re only stating what you actually physically observed? Not what someone else told you? Is that correct, okay… good, okay. During any practice this year, have you personally seen or heard of any teammates being injured or quitting the team?
Avery
(Inaudible).
Jones
And what players were those if you can recall?
Avery
(Inaudible).
Jones
Uh, yes sir, and the uh not all but I would say if
Page 11 of 13 Statement: Case #08-197b / Corey Avery Date: September 09, 2008
you just… the ones that you personally know, not from one you… not from what you heard. Just what—what I’d rather have… I’d rather have the information of what you personally know, not what someone told you? Avery
Uh, James… James Wong there and uh…
Jones
James Wong?
Avery
Yeah.
Jones
Okay, W-a-n-g, Wang?
Avery
I have—I believe it’s W-o-n-g.
Jones
W-o-n-g?
Avery
Something like that, yeah.
Jones
Okay and…
Avery
Uh, we—we had some injuries… like—like what are you talking about for real injuries, like… or the…?
Jones
Well, I’ll read the question again. During any practices this year, have you personally seen or heard of any teammates becoming injured, being injured or quitting the team?
Avery
Um… you said basically, you didn’t want people that hear anything….
Jones
Well, I mean, I’d prefer you… it’d be on your own observation but if someone told you someone quit or something like that… that’s fine but I would rater by your own observations first.
Page 12 of 13 Statement: Case #08-197b / Corey Avery Date: September 09, 2008
Avery
Well, people that quit, Dominique… Dominique Roberson quit, but he came back and then…
Jones
Dominique Roberson?
Avery
Yeah, and Chris… Chris Williamson, he quit, he came back. And then he quit with someone else but I don’t know… I don’t know the name like that. Maybe he got a nick name.
Jones
So at least two—these two.
Avery
Uh, yeah.
Jones
And obviously there was some injuries uh, with some players in which you don’t know the names of most of ‘em. You mentioned one player named Wong; correct?
Avery
Yeah.
Jones
Okay, okay, I’ll end it as this. Has anyone influenced you in any way to withhold information or change any of the facts that actually occurred during the practice?
Avery
Uh, just can’t talk to the Media. We was told not to talk to the Media.
Jones
Okay and uh, you was told not to talk to the Media?
Avery
Uh-huh.
Jones
By who?
Avery
By Coach Stinson the Head Coach.
Page 13 of 13 Statement: Case #08-197b / Corey Avery Date: September 09, 2008
Jones
Is this statement truthful?
Avery
What the whole thing?
Jones
Uh, yes sir; is this your statement; is it truthful?
Avery
Uh…
Jones
I’m sorry; yes?
Avery
Yeah, it is.
Jones
Do you have anything else to add?
Avery
Un—un.
Jones
O.K. Okay we will end the interview with Mr. Avery. The time now is 1844 hours.
END OF STATEMENT File #08-197b-jones-ie