Thompson, David Ply

September 09, 2008

The time is approximately 1314 hours. Speaking is Detective Timothy Hightower of the Louisville Metro Police Homicide Squad. Today’s date is Tuesday, September 09, 2008. I am currently in the parking lot of PRP High School. This will be a taped statement in regards to Case #08-197. Also present with me in my vehicle is David Thompson. David, if you would state your full name for the tape?

Thompson

David Thompson.

Hightower

Okay and David is a black male, and how old are you Thompson?

Thompson

18.

Hightower

Okay and your date of birth?

Thompson Hightower

And your home address? x

Thompson Hightower

Is that in Louisville, Kentucky?

Thompson

Yes sir.

Hightower

And what is your zip code?

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Thompson

40212.

Hightower

Your home phone number?

Thompson Hightower

And David, what are you at the school? Are you a freshman, sophomore, junior or senior?

Thompson

I’m a senior.

Hightower

Okay David, this statement is being recorded. Does this meet with your approval?

Thompson

Yes sir.

Hightower

Okay I’m taking this statement in reference to the events that occurred on Wednesday, August 20, 2008 that occurred during the PRP football practice. Please describe to me the events of that Wednesday, August 20, 2008 from the beginning of football practice to the end of football practice, David?

Thompson

Okay, we um… went out to the field, we waited till everybody got situated and their equipment on and then we uh, we warmed up and we did drills and then uh, the.. our teams and everything and then uh, I think the defensive line, they was walking because we don’t usually walk, we uh we just like jog to we’re going.

Hightower

Uh-huh.

Thompson

And he was walking and he said that we had to get on the line so that meant we had to run. And then we was running because we thought

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We usually do like uh… 6 to 8 gasers. Hightower

What are gasers?

Thompson

It’s uh… up the field, it’s up—back up—that’s one gaser.

Hightower

So how many times is that?

Thompson

Um, we did 8, so that would be like 16, I think.

Hightower

No, I mean, gaser now what makes one gaser?

Thompson

Um… um…

Hightower

How many times do you have to run the field to make one?

Thompson

Two like up, back, up, back. So it’s like 2.

Hightower

So up is one.

Thompson

No, up, back is…

Hightower

Is one?

Thompson

No, up… back, up, back is one.

Hightower

Okay, so that’s… what you’re showing me in your hands. I know we’re on tape—that’s 4 times then.

Thompson

Yes.

Hightower

Basically 4 times. Do you run the length of the field or the width of the field?

Thompson

The…

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Hightower

Like across from each other, across the benches?

Thompson

Like from side line to side line.

Hightower

Side line to side line. Okay, I gotcha. All right, go on from there. I’m sorry, go ahead.

Thompson

And then um, we was running and it was like he uh, let us take off our equipment and stuff because it was like he was getting uh, hot and stuff and—and then we—were still running and then um, he said all… all he wanted us to do was to sell out. It’s like uh, uh, to better our self to… show us what we are made of… and uh, we was—we was running and uh, (inaudible) and then he said uh, we won’t uh, start running till some—somebody decided to quit. So it was like that and that’s I remember then. We were out… it was like on our last, on our last… my last time going up and back uh, the field, and uh, Max, the boy that um… passed, he uh, he was on the ground so we helped him up—helped him up uh, off the field and we was gonna take him to the shade tree and uh, he laid back down and we tried to get him some water and then the coach and them they took him and started putting ice on him and stuff and put water on him till the ambulance came because they called the ambulance… and then uh, I went to the shade tree and the coach was talking to us and uh, we prayed and we um, we broke it down it was like everybody uh, we clapped and then we do a little yell or whatever and then we uh, say uh… do claps… do claps on five ready to go, then we all yell pride and then we all um… clear off the field and then we put everything up and left. And we left and That’s all of it.

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Hightower

O.K. How many water breaks were you given individually or as the team?

Thompson

Uh, we was given 3.

Hightower

O.K. And was that as a team or individual?

Thompson

Um, well, 2… it was 2 as a team and 1 as individual.

Hightower

O.K. How many water breaks did you take?

Thompson

I took all 3.

Hightower

All 3. After the last water break what did practice consist of? What did you do after the last water break?

Thompson

The last water break we was um, we… we was running after that last… that water break because when I said uh, the line was walking back, that’s when we was coming back from the water break. And then we um, we was running and everything and then uh, practice ended and we all after that one, we had to go under the shade tree and so…

Hightower

So after the last water break uh, did you do anything in practice? Did you practice?

Thompson

Yeah, we uh… we ran.

Hightower

We ran?

Thompson

Yes sir.

Hightower

Okay you ran. Why was the team running?

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Thompson

Uh, because the coach, I’m guessing the coach felt like we wasn’t doing the way like he was —he asked us to do because we usually… we would never walk because that’s… that’s what we used to doing, not walking. I guess they felt like they weren’t to—to walk so he had us do what we always do. He like if—if… if the rules ain’t followed then, suffer from the consequences that’s the way it used to be.

Hightower

O.K. How many sprints did your group win… run? Did y’all run as a team or groups?

Thompson

Ran as a team.

Hightower

A team?

Thompson

But I… I really wouldn’t know I was just running.

Hightower

O.K. How many sprints did you run before you took off your gear?

Thompson

Hey, we did uh, 6 and then we took off our helmets. And then I think we did like 4 before we took off our pads. And I don’t remember the rest. We just was running.

Hightower

So you did 6, then you took off your helmet, then you did 4 and you took off your pads?

Thompson

Yes.

Hightower

And then how many you did after you took off the pads?

Thompson

Um, I really couldn’t say. I was just trying to…

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Hightower

O.K.

Thompson

Keep up with the flow.

Hightower

O.K. How long do you think the team was running sprints?

Thompson

Um, I would say like 20 minutes, I mean 25 minutes.

Hightower

20 to 25 minutes?

Thompson

Yeah.

Hightower

Do you or any of your teammates ask for water or was trying to get water during the running of the sprints?

Thompson

Uh, I don’t… people would that was just… I didn’t hear anybody ask for water but the people was crying and stuff, and…

Hightower

You say crying?

Thompson

We was crying because we was still running and they and we uh, wasn’t trying to quit the team or trying to give up but we was trying to stick through it, but that was during the game. But I myself didn’t ask for water, I was just running.

Hightower

So you didn’t ask for any water and you didn’t hear any of your teammates ask for water?

Thompson

No sir.

Hightower

O.K. Did anybody try to go get some water?

Thompson

Um, after…

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Hightower

No, when you were running the sprints?

Thompson

No.

Hightower

Now you said; I just want to make sure I understand. You said people were crying?

Thompson

Yeah.

Hightower

What do you mean by crying? What’d you mean crying; tears coming from their eyes or just uh, just crying?

Thompson

Like—like tears because like they—they didn’t want to quit, they didn’t want to give up and quit the team, but like the breathing and everything and the heat like they was trying to go through it but it was just…

Hightower

O.K. Did you or any of your teammates become ill during the running of the sprints?

Thompson

Uh, no… uh, Max, he uh… he was dehydrated and everything and uh, Antonio Calloway; he…

Hightower

Antonio Calloway.

Thompson

He had uh, he had to stop because of his breathing.

Hightower

So we got Calloway, he had to stop because of his breathing?

Thompson

Yes sir.

Hightower

And when he was running the sprints, he had to stop?

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Thompson

Yes.

Hightower

And what about you said Max?

Thompson

Max Gilpin that’s the guy who passed.

Hightower

Right.

Thompson

He had, he uh… when I came back, he was uh, bent over on the ground. We had to pick ‘em up, two, it was me uh, and this boy named Justin; we helped pick him up and we uh, started carrying him to the shade tree and then we uh, laid him back down they picked him up and took him over to the… Side A of tape ended.

Hightower

We’re now continuing to Side B in regards to the statement from David Thompson, uh, the tape ran out. The time is approximately 1325 hours. Go ahead David, you was telling me about when Max uh, you helped Max.

Thompson

Yeah.

Hightower

You and who else?

Thompson

Me and Justin Agrew.

Hightower

O.K. Now were you next to Max when he collapsed?

Thompson

Um, I was actually when he came back, I… I had started running, I did my—my set. I came back and he was on… he was on the uh, ground and we picked him up. We tried to help him um, to the shade tree because that’s where the coach told us to go. And then we laid him

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down, we tried to give him some water and then the coaches uh, told us to go on to a shade tree and we… and they took him to uh, to the water fountain and put water on him and ice on him and stuff. Hightower

O.K. So did you see Max fall or you just when you turned around you saw him he was laying down?

Thompson

When I turned around.

Hightower

He was laying down already?

Thompson

Yeah.

Hightower

Did he have on his equipment?

Thompson

No sir.

Hightower

What did he have on?

Thompson

We…. we had on our practice pants and our cleats is all we had on.

Hightower

O.K. During the practice this year have you personally seen or heard any teammates being injured?

Thompson

From… from just…

Hightower

Practice this year. Yeah.

Thompson

Uh, besides tackling, no.

Hightower

What about anybody quitting the team? Do you know anybody that quit the team this year at any time?

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Thompson

Um, due to the—to the running, David Engler, he uh, decided to quit but…

Hightower

David Engler?

Thompson

Yeah, but he uh… was let back on the team.

Hightower

O.K. Anybody else?

Thompson

Uh… not that I know of.

Hightower

You said David quit because of the uh, running?

Thompson

Yeah.

Hightower

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

Thompson

No sir.

Hightower

On Wednesday, August the 20th .

Thompson

No sir.

Hightower

Is this statement truthful?

Thompson

Yes sir.

Hightower

Do you have anything else to add to the statement that I haven’t asked you or to offer in regards to this?

Thompson

No sir.

Hightower

I’d like to end the statement. approximately 1328 hours.

The time is

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END OF STATEMENT File #08-197c-hightower-ie