Johnston, Geron Ply

September 9, 2008

Alright. Start time is now 1012 hours. The date is September the 9th of 2008. This is Detective Mickey Cohn, and I am present with Geron...is that right?

Cohn

How do you spell your first name?

Johnston

G-E-R-O-N.

Cohn

G-E-R-O-N. And your last name?

Johnston

Johnston.

Cohn

How do you spell that?

Johnston

J-O-H-N-S-T-O-N.

Cohn

Okay. And Geron, what's your date of birth?

Johnston Cohn

Okay. And what's your address, Geron?

Johnston

x

Cohn

Okay. And what's your home phone number?

Johnston Cohn

Do you have a cell phone number?

Page 2 of 16 Statement: Geron Johnston / Case #08197(h) September 9, 2008

Johnston Cohn Johnston

Um-hmm.

Cohn

Okay. This statement is being tape-recorded. Does this meet with your approval?

Johnston

Yes, sir.

Cohn

Okay. I am taking this statement in reference to the events on August the 20th, 2008, that occurred during the PRP football practice. Please describe for me the events on August the 20th from the beginning to the end of practice.

Johnston

Okay. Well, we got on the field and then we did our regular team take-off, got our drill thing, we got a uh, exercise in, so then went to team take-off, broke it down, then we went to our individual things. So at the team-take-off, like which is the offense on one side and defense on this side, we broke it down, and then we went to individual. And after individual, my individual group, we, we worked hard or whatever, and then we got a water and so then after that, we uh, my individual group, we went to a bud drill. And so after the bug drill, part of the defensive linemen came over with us and done the bug drill. And so then we was all just doin' the bug drill for a, like 15 or 20, 20 minutes. And so then we wasn't doin' it right, and so we was like lolli-gaggin, 'cause it was hot outside, and we was just bakin' and we was like kinda just out of it...

Page 3 of 16 Statement: Geron Johnston / Case #08197(h) September 9, 2008

Cohn

...Um-hmm...

Johnston

And so then we just uh, we just, we wasn't up to power. And so then he, Coach was like, just forget it, and he was like just uh, just go and get a water break. He said, don't even break it down, just go get a water break. And so then that's when we got a water break. And when we was comin' back, uh, we came back on the other side, one of the other coaches got mad 'cause they was, they done the drill wrong or somethin', or got, and then that's when the head coach just said go line up and everybody just lined up and stuff, so then we ran, we ran like I don't know how many gassers we ran with full equipment, it wasn't a lot...and then as it was, it was goin' up still hot, so we ran like at least six...six gassers with equipment on, and then we, we took our shoulder pads off, kept our helmets on, and then took that off and we ran with that, and then like two of 'em, after that we took our uh, shoulder pads off and we didn't have nothin' on, or our helmets and that was it. And we just ran for the rest of that day. And then like most of the people...like two people quit, I think, one threw up, one had like a asthma attack, and then the other one, which was one who fell out or had a heat stroke...

Cohn

Max?

Johnston

Yeah.

Cohn

Um-hmm.

Johnston

And we just had like a day like that. And we had to keep runnin' even though they fell out. And we was still runnin', and we was like,

Page 4 of 16 Statement: Geron Johnston / Case #08197(h) September 9, 2008

what's the point when you just seen everybody fall out? Cohn

Right. Uh, how many water breaks...how...okay. I got what you're sayin', we'll go back over that here, piece by piece.

Johnston

Okay.

Cohn

How are water breaks given out? Are they given out individually or as a team or in groups?

Johnston

As a team. It's like we get a in...like even though you're in, in...in the individual group, like when you see one get a water break, that means like after we run like the next play or the last plays, that's when we go get one. It's like we take, it's like we goin' right back after each other. Like one gets one then the other gets one.

Cohn

Okay. On August the 20th how many water breaks did you take?

Johnston

I had two.

Cohn

Two the entire practice?

Johnston

The entire practice I had three. Two was the...two was before we ran and then I had one after we ran.

Cohn

And that was at, that was at the end...

Johnston

...Yeah, that was at the end, yeah.

Cohn

...the total end of practice, that was after...

Page 5 of 16 Statement: Geron Johnston / Case #08197(h) September 9, 2008

Johnston

...that was at the end.

Cohn

Okay. So three total and the last one was after practice...

Johnston

...after practice...

Cohn

...was over, after everybody had been done. Okay. After the last water break, what did the practice consist of?

Johnston

The last water...

Cohn

The last group water break, after everybody got water...

Johnston

Uh, which one? The second one?

Cohn

Yeah.

Johnston

Oh, that's when we lined up.

Cohn

That's when you all ran the gassers?

Johnston

Yeah, 'cause before, before we even ran the gassers, we was comin' back to do our next drill and then somethin' happened on the other side of the field so then that's when the coaches said everybody line up, 'cause all the coaches had like a little talk and everybody we ain't doin' nothin', I guess...

Cohn

...Um-hmm.

Johnston

So we all had to just line up.

Cohn

Okay. And you call those gassers. Right?

Page 6 of 16 Statement: Geron Johnston / Case #08197(h) September 9, 2008

Johnston

Yes, sir.

Cohn

And a gasser is, is runnin' from one sideline to the other sideline twice?

Johnston

You, yeah, you go uh, forth back, forth back 1, forth back, forth back 2.

Cohn

Okay. And why was the team runnin' gassers at this point?

Johnston

I guess because we wasn't up to power and the coaches didn't like what they see that day. They saw at that time at that moment.

Cohn

So would it be fair to say and if it's not, correct me. But would it be fair to say that it would be the coaches weren't approvin' of your all's effort and then they wanted you...

Johnston

...to work even harder.

Cohn

...work harder?

Johnston

Even harder. Yeah.

Cohn

And it was kind of a punishment thing?

Johnston

It's not like a punishment, but it's because we was lackin', but it was so, so hot...

Cohn

...Right...

Johnston

...and then we, we needed water, but it was like if, it was just at that moment we just didn't feel like doin' nothin' for real, and so then that's when they had got mad.

Page 7 of 16 Statement: Geron Johnston / Case #08197(h) September 9, 2008

Cohn

Okay. And so that's when they made you start runnin' the sprints.

Johnston

Yes.

Cohn

'Cause they were mad at you.

Johnston

Yes.

Cohn

For not, in their eyes, you weren't givin' 100%...

Johnston

...Yeah...

Cohn

...but you all were tired.

Johnston

Yeah, exactly.

Cohn

Okay. How many sprints, now there's groups. Right? Is there, is there a, like a heavy group and a light group?

Johnston

Uh-huh.

Cohn

Did they break the, it down?

Johnston

Uh-huh. They broke it down, the big guys and the little guys.

Cohn

Okay. So were you in the little guy group?

Johnston

Yeah, it's like when like from all the little guys from like receivers just like the little ones...all the way up to varsity, the little ones, like the receivers running backs and all them, quarterbacks...like ven like uh, uh...uh, uh...uh, corners and all that, you all run but like the

Page 8 of 16 Statement: Geron Johnston / Case #08197(h) September 9, 2008

heavy weight linemen and all that, they the second group. Cohn

Okay. And there's two groups. Right?

Johnston

Uh-huh.

Cohn

How many sprints or gassers did your group, the little guys run?

Johnston

Uh, I really didn't keep a count, but I know we ran a lot, and like uh, I guess it had to be like, I'd say like 15 or 16, because we ran 'em back and forth, yeah 15 to 16 gassers.

Cohn

Okay. And that's actually, you're runnin' that twice...

Johnston

...Yeah...

Cohn

...with each gasser.

Johnston

Yeah. Yeah, you've got...

Cohn

So that would actually be 30 or 32 trips across the field. Right? Or trips and back.

Johnston

Yeah. Exactly. Okay.

Cohn

'Cause they was broken in two. How many sprint, and you told me this before, but I'm just gonna ask you again...how many sprints did you run before takin' off your gear?

Johnston

Uh, I'd say like five.

Cohn

And after takin' off gear?

Page 9 of 16 Statement: Geron Johnston / Case #08197(h) September 9, 2008

Johnston

Uh, like after we took off we ran like nine.

Cohn

And how long do you think the team was runnin' the sprints or the gassers?

Johnston

How, oh. We ran, we ran it for like, I'd say, for me, it felt like 45 minutes 'cause it was, it was the whole practice, so it had to be a hour and like 15 minute we ran, or just like 45 minutes, 'cause it was a long time. We ran 'cause we wasn't even in the middle of practice yet.

Cohn

Umm.

Johnston

Then that's when we just started runnin'. And we ran for the rest of the day.

Cohn

So if you had to guess on it, how long do you think it was? You say 45 minutes to an hour and 15, somewhere in between there?

Johnston

I'd say just 45 minutes to an hour.

Cohn

Okay. And that is, so if you got...I'm just tryin' to figure out if I understand this. You got two groups of guys. So you got the little guys, they'll line up, they'll run the gasser, and so they'll go once, back, once, back, and...

Johnston

...and then...

Cohn

...and then the big guys come in...

Johnston

Yeah. and then they do it.

Cohn

...and so the little guys are kinda standin' behind them, they do their once back, once back, they come back, and then the little guys

Page 10 of 16 Statement: Geron Johnston / Case #08197(h) September 9, 2008

get back up there and do it again. Johnston

Yeah. Yeah, that's right.

Cohn

How long do you think it takes, I mean, how long does it take for one gasser, per group? I mean obviously (inaudible)...

Johnston

...Well, mo, most of the time, he try to get us in like, like the amount of minutes how we should be runnin' to like 45 seconds, somethin' like that...or however the little stopwatch does...he want us back at 45...like for the little guys it's 45, and for the big guys it's like 60 or so...that's how much in that time because he counts down as we get back, to where y'all should be, be pickin' it up...like 32, 33...so that's how it was.

Cohn

Okay. So you got the little guys, you'll be, you'll run across, that'll take you about 45 seconds to do the whole thing. Right?

Johnston

Um-hmm.

Cohn

Come back, the big guys, they'll do theirs, so you got like a 60-second break, almost... 'Cause you're just standin' there. Right?

Johnston

Yeah.

Cohn

And then you get back and then you run yours, they got a 45-second so you're really, you're really runnin' you're runnin' a lot in a 45minute to an hour span, with not gettin' you're not gettin' much of a break. Right? you're just kinda waitin' for the other guys.

Johnston

Yeah, it's like, like well, for the linemen, it

Page 11 of 16 Statement: Geron Johnston / Case #08197(h) September 9, 2008

takes, I got there a minute, it took them so long so we got a even bigger break because they was, they was just goin' slow. Cohn

...They were takin' their time.

Johnston

Yeah. They started even just walkin', most of 'em.

Cohn

Okay. Did you or any of your teammates ask for water breaks or try to get water during the running of the sprints?

Johnston

Uh, no. Me and all my teammates, they was just like, can we stop, because one coach let one of the kids stop 'cause he was runnin' hard so we just all kept runnin'. It wasn't the fact that at that time, it wasn't the fact that we was thirsty but we, like we was hot, gettin' cottonmouth after a minute 'cause our mouth was gettin' real dry, throat was gettin' real dry, no saliva was comin'. So then that's when we was, we need some water, but we didn't say it but uh, that’s how.

Cohn

Okay. But you didn't, you didn't ask or specifically remember hearing any of the other players ask the coach if they could stop and get a water break. Or do ya?

Johnston

No, sir.

Cohn

Okay. But you were kinda talkin' amongst each other that way?

Johnston

Yeah.

Cohn

Okay.

Did you or any of your teammates

Page 12 of 16 Statement: Geron Johnston / Case #08197(h) September 9, 2008

become ill during the running of sprints? Johnston

Yes, sir.

Cohn

Who was that?

Johnston

Uh, one of the kids threw up.

Cohn

Do you know who that was?

Johnston

No, sir.

Cohn

Okay. And you know when, when in the, was that during the gassers?

Johnston

Yes, sir.

Cohn

Was that towards the beginning, the end...

Johnston

Yeah, toward the like middle end, and we just had, just our pads, not nothin', we didn't have our helmet or our shoulder pads on.

Cohn

So you didn't have...was that fully undressed? I mean just your shorts...

Johnston

Yeah, fully undressed. Just, we had pants on.

Cohn

No pads.

Johnston

Yeah.

Cohn

You had your, your pants on but no...

Johnston

...Yeah, much...yeah...

Cohn

...You'd already taken everything else off.

Page 13 of 16 Statement: Geron Johnston / Case #08197(h) September 9, 2008

Johnston

Yeah. Yes, sir. Took our uppers off.

Cohn

Okay. Did you see anybody else become ill?

Johnston

No, sir.

Cohn

Did you see anybody else quit?

Johnston

I only seen the, I only seen one person quit, but they said it was two people that quit.

Cohn

Who'd you see quit?

Johnston

I don't know his name.

Cohn

What'd he do when he quit?

Johnston

He uh, well, after he got back from the gasser, he was like, he was like, I ain't runnin' no more. So, and then the coach was like, well, we got one down and he said well, he quit, he took off his equipment, and he left.

Cohn

You don't know who that was?

Johnston

No, sir.

Cohn

You know what he looked like? Is he a white guy or a black guy?

Johnston

White guy.

Cohn

And then the first guy that threw up, do you know what he looked like?

Johnston

First guy that threw up?

Page 14 of 16 Statement: Geron Johnston / Case #08197(h) September 9, 2008

Cohn

Yeah.

Johnston

A white guy.

Cohn

He was a white guy, too?

Johnston

Yes, sir.

Cohn

You have any idea what group they're in?

Johnston

No, sir, I guess they're in the...

Cohn

...They the young guys or are they upper class...

Johnston

No, they upper class.

Cohn

Okay. And uh, during any of the practices this year, have you personally seen or heard of any timmate...teammates being injured or quitting the team?

Johnston

Has anybody quit in the team?

Cohn

Yeah.

Johnston

Yes.

Cohn

For what reasons? Do you know?

Johnston

Just because they didn't like what the coaches was doin' and how we went about stuff 'cause they wasn't gettin' in. That's like their personal business...

Cohn

...Yeah...

Johnston

...like they wasn't gettin' in or nothin'.

Page 15 of 16 Statement: Geron Johnston / Case #08197(h) September 9, 2008

Cohn

Did you see or hear of anybody quitting because they got hurt?

Johnston

No, sir.

Cohn

Okay. Has anyone influenced you in any way to withhold information or change any of the facts that have actually occurred during the practice?

Johnston

No, sir.

Cohn

None of the coaches or teachers or...

Johnston

...No, sir...

Cohn

...anybody that's come to you and asked you to say certain things or alter...

Johnston

...said just tell, tell the truth.

Cohn

Okay. that's good. statement truthful?

Johnston

Yes, sir.

Cohn

And do you have anything else to add? Do you have anything, you know...I know this tape recorder can seem and it seems kinda formal, but do you have anything that you wanna tell me that you think we should know or anything else that you'd like to add?

Johnston

No, sir.

Cohn

Okay. The end time is now 10:26.

That's good.

Is this

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END OF STATEMENT File #08197hcohn-ks