Roberson, Jacob Ply

September 9, 2008

This is Detective Arnold, Louisville Metro Police. This is a continuation into investigation, Case #08197. The time is now 11:19 am. The date is September 9, 2008. This, uh, is Detective Arnold, and currently with me is Jacob.

Arnold

Jacob, if you would, uh, give me your full name and spell your last name for me.

Roberson

Jacob J. Roberson.

Arnold

What's the middle initial?

Roberson

Uh, J.

Arnold

J.? Okay. And spell Roberson. R-O-B…

Roberson

…e-r-s-o-n.

Arnold

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

Roberson Arnold

Okay. And your home address?

Roberson

x

Arnold

Spell that for me.

Page 2 of 10 Statement: Jacob J. Roberson / Case #08197(J) Date: September 9, 2008

Roberson

x

Arnold

x

Roberson

x

Arnold

x

Roberson

x

Arnold Roberson Arnold

x

Roberson

Yes sir.

Arnold

Okay. I'm taking this statement in reference to the events that occurred on August 20, 2008 the events that occurred during a PRP football practice. . If you could, Jacob, and take your time doin' this, but describe for me the events that occurred on the 20th of August from the beginning of practice 'til the end of practice.

Roberson

Uh, it was… We started off with stretchin' and our other workout. We had about a normal practice for about I would say 45 minutes to an hour.

Arnold

Okay.

Roberson

And then we started slackin' off, so he made us run.

Arnold

Now when you say slackin' off, is that the whole team, or just one group, or what?

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

Page 3 of 10 Statement: Jacob J. Roberson / Case #08197(J) Date: September 9, 2008

Roberson

The whole team. Just walkin' and talkin' and…

Arnold

Okay. Is that… Do you, do you agree with that?

Roberson

Uh, yes sir.

Arnold

Okay. that?

Roberson

He made us run.

Arnold

He, meaning who?

Roberson

Coach Stinson.

Arnold

Okay.

Roberson

I mean, we had, we had three water breaks before he made us run, and then we had a water break right after he made us run. So that's four for the day.

Arnold

Okay. Well, we'll get to that in a minute. But, uh, so he made you run. What did he say before you guys had to run?

Roberson

He told us if… He said if you wanta keep, uh, slackin' off and stuff, you don't wanta act as a team, then we can just run until we start actin' like a team.

Arnold

Okay. And it ended up getting' people motivated to do the right things, or…

Roberson

Yes sir.

Arnold

Okay. Uh, when you guys take water breaks in a normal practice, how, how are they given?

Okay.

And so what happened after

Page 4 of 10 Statement: Jacob J. Roberson / Case #08197(J) Date: September 9, 2008

Each individually, to a individual group, or the whole team, or what? Roberson

Uh, individual groups. We usually go like linemen, then defensive backs and offense, offensive backs.

Arnold

Okay. On that day, how many water breaks did you take?

Roberson

Four. Four.

Arnold

After the last water break you took, that you remember taking, what, what did practice consist of after that?

Roberson

Uh, it was basically over. He sat down talked to us. Told us again why he made us run. And told us if we weren't, didn't wanta act like a team, and, then we could just run until we started actin' like a team.

Arnold

Okay. And I think we've already answered this, but, uh, essentially, why, why was the team running sprints? Is it 'cause y'all were slacking off?

Roberson

Yes sir.

Arnold

Okay. And that was as a team?

Roberson

Yes sir.

Arnold

Uh, what kind of group do you run sprints in?

Roberson

Linemen.

Arnold

Linemen? Okay. And how many sprints did your group run?

Page 5 of 10 Statement: Jacob J. Roberson / Case #08197(J) Date: September 9, 2008

Roberson

Uh, between, uh, about five or six.

Arnold

Now, what does a sprint consist of?

Roberson

Well, we run gassers. We run four back and forth, 50 yards.

Arnold

Okay. So you run up back, up back, sideline to sideline?

Roberson

Yes sir.

Arnold

Okay. And since you ran five or six total that day?

Roberson

Yes sir. Oh, no, no, no. Not that day total. We ran 12 that day.

Arnold

Okay. Now, that leads into the other question. How many did you run before you took off some gear?

Roberson

Uh, I would have to say, seven.

Arnold

Okay. Then how many more after you took off some gear?

Roberson

Uh, five.

Arnold

Okay. Now, when you took off gear, what did you take off? Your helmet and what else? Or just your helmet?

Roberson

Our shoulder pads.

Arnold

Helmet and shoulder pads?

Roberson

Yes sir.

Page 6 of 10 Statement: Jacob J. Roberson / Case #08197(J) Date: September 9, 2008

Arnold

How long do you think it was total that you guys ran sprints? Can you give me an estimate?

Roberson

Probably 35 minutes.

Arnold

35 minutes? Is that longer than usual? Less than usual? Or…

Roberson

About 15 minutes longer than usual.

Arnold

That's 'cause he was mad 'cause you guys were slackin' off?

Roberson

Yes sir.

Arnold

Did any of your teammates ask for water, uh, during, during the time you guys were runnin' these gasures?

Roberson

No.

Arnold

Nobody did?

Roberson

No sir.

Arnold

Okay. So no one… Was anybody denied a water break that you know of?

Roberson

Uh, no sir.

Arnold

Alright. Uh, who get, who, did you get ill during any of this stuff? Throw up or get sic? Cramp up or anything?

Roberson

No sir.

Arnold

Did anybody, any of your teammates become

Page 7 of 10 Statement: Jacob J. Roberson / Case #08197(J) Date: September 9, 2008

ill during the practice? During the sprints? Roberson

Um, just Max and Calloway.

Arnold

Calloway?

Roberson

Yes sir.

Arnold

Which one got sick first?

Roberson

Uh…

Arnold

Do you remember?

Roberson

They had to 'ave got sick right around the same time. It couldn't 'ave been that long 'cause…

Arnold

Okay. When, when was, when was this?

Roberson

It was towards the very… Well, it was at the very end of us runnin' sprints.

Arnold

Okay. Okay. So you guys are runnin' gassers. At the end, towards the end, a couple guys get sick. Did you see anybody else prior to that throwin' up, crampin' up, walkin' in the field, quitting, anything like that?

Roberson

Uh, no sir.

Arnold

Okay. During any of the practices, uh, earlier in the year, or since then, actually, have you seen or personally, uh, seen or heard any of your teammates being injured or quitting the team? Anybody that's quit, quitted, quit the team or…

Roberson

Uh…

Page 8 of 10 Statement: Jacob J. Roberson / Case #08197(J) Date: September 9, 2008

Arnold

…that's been injured enough to take care of?

Roberson

No sir.

Arnold

What normally happens when somebody gets injured?

Roberson

Uh, the coach let's 'em sit down, and… I mean, if it's like a body part, he'll, has 'em put ice on it.

Arnold

Okay. And is that pretty standard?

Roberson

Yes sir.

Arnold

Okay. Has anybody influenced you, uh, in any way to withhold information or change any of the facts that occurred during that practice?

Roberson

No sir.

Arnold

Nobody else talked to you about anything?

Roberson

No sir.

Arnold

Everything you're telling me is truthful?

Roberson

Yes sir.

Arnold

Uh, when Max got sick, do you know what happened to him? Did he fall down? Did he just start throwin' up? Do you recall, or do you know?

Roberson

He just collapsed.

Arnold

Just collapsed?

Roberson

Yes sir.

Page 9 of 10 Statement: Jacob J. Roberson / Case #08197(J) Date: September 9, 2008

Arnold

Okay. What about Antonio? Same thing? Or Calloway?

Roberson

Yes sir. He collapsed, too.

Arnold

Okay. Did you see anybody take him away to the hospital or anything?

Roberson

Uh, they carried Max off the field, and Calloway.

Arnold

Okay.

Roberson

And, uh, Calloway did eventually get up under his own power.

Arnold

Did he? Okay. Good.

Roberson

And then, uh, an ambulance did come and get Max.

Arnold

An ambulance did come and get Max? Okay.

Roberson

Yes sir.

Arnold

What about when you guys got done, uh, and Coach Stinson, uh, was he with Max and Calloway, or was he with you guys, the rest of the team?

Roberson

He was with the rest of the team.

Arnold

Okay. And what happened at that point? What did you guys do? Where did y'all go?

Roberson

WE, uh, we, when… Yeah. WE went and took a knee. That's whenever he talked to us. And then we cleaned out the rest of the field,

Page 10 of 10 Statement: Jacob J. Roberson / Case #08197(J) Date: September 9, 2008

and we went, uh, to the locker room. Arnold

Now, you said you went and got a knee. Is that when they were, they were treating or taking care of Max and calloway?

Roberson

Yes sir.

Arnold

Did anybody at that point wanta go get a drink, or were they denied a chance to get a drink?

Roberson

Uh, we had a drink right after we ran, uh, finished runnin' our sprints.

Arnold

Everybody did?

Roberson

Yes sir.

Arnold

Everybody was allowed to?

Roberson

Yes sir.

Arnold

Okay. Anything else you can think of, uh, Jacob, that's important or that you wanta add?

Roberson

No sir.

Arnold

Okay. Well then now, the time is now 11:28, and that will conclude this interview.

End of Statement File #08197harnold-jj