Williams

September 10, 2008

Time now is 1124 hours. Today's date is September 10th, 2008. My name is Detective Terry Jones, my code number's #6354. This interview is of Mr. Briante Williams. It's regarding File #08-197 and we are currently at PRP High School, 5601 Greenwood Road.

Jones

Mr. uh, Williams, can you identify yourself?

Williams

Uh, yes, sir. Briante Williams, uh, birthday . And...

Jones

Address?

Williams

...which is July 16th, and my address is 4616 Greenwood Road. Phone number, which is my nu...father's number.

Jones

Okay. Okay...Sir, this statement is being taperecorded. Does it meet with your approval?

Williams

Yes.

Jones

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

Page 2 of 9 Statement: Briante Williams / Case #08197(e) September 10, 2008

Williams

From the beginning of practice, we come out and soon as we get on to the practice field, uhm, the water (inaudible) so you can feel free to water yourself down, right before we start practice, lot of us are sittin' under the shade tree. And until everyone gets out, I'm at the locker-room, once in the field ready to get practice goin', under the shade tree until they blow the whistle and call us under to meet under the goal post. And then we break down and we get in to our lines, which consist of stretching and uh, light...light jogs, just to stride and stretch your legs out...lunges and other exercises and such, and uh, after we're done stretching, uhm, we get out in to far broader line, striding, stretching it out all the way down the field and we continue to stretch some more to make sure we're very stretched out. Get ready for that. And then afterwards, we go on the water break, to water down before we actually kick things off and get in to uhm, our practicing of running and technique and the major movement that really gets you going. So after we're done watering down, after our stretches, we turn back on to the field and we go to what we call team take-off. The defense goes on one side, offense goes on the other side, and we go through our drills, uhm, running our plays. And then after that, which was about uh, ten, ten-minute period, we go back over there to the uhm, to the water fountains and we water ourselves down again, to stay hydrated, and then repeatedly the same thing back to the practice field, and we go to our position coaches, which is called individuals, that uhm, you go to the coach at the part of the field that is for your specific position-wise, that you practice on, and uhm,

Page 3 of 9 Statement: Briante Williams / Case #08197(e) September 10, 2008

the linemen were one coach, defensive guys with uh, the defensive coach, and the offenses guys with the offensive coach, which is Coach Stinson himself, and uh, we practice on our techniques in our separate positions. Uhm, that's directly for us, that fits our, our positionwise or our job, or what we have to do on the field. And then after that, which is about 15, 20 minutes that we do that, he sends us over there to uh, get water, we come back and we maintain to do the same thing for about another 15 to 20 minutes, and then we go get watered down again before we do our seven on seven drill, which consists of everybody except the linemen, which is the defensive and the offense up against each other. But uh, no contact, just, just touch, running through plays, motion. And uhm, after we do that for about uh, for about 20 minutes, he continues to uh, send us back over to the water to water ourselves down to continue to stay hydrated. And afterwards we come back and we go in to what we call is our base period, where it's 11 on 11...11 defensive guys, 11 offensive guys...no full contact, just wrapping up...not take 'em to the ground or anything like that, but still running our plays, and we do that, we have our first group go up and they go in and they do that for about ten, about ten minutes...ten or 15 minutes...and then he calls in our second group. And while the second group is rotating in, the ones, which is the first group, is free to go over to the water fountain and hydrate themselves...while the second group is in. And vice-versa. When the first group is called back in, the second group is obligated to do the same thing. Jones

I see. Okay. And is that the extent of the

Page 4 of 9 Statement: Briante Williams / Case #08197(e) September 10, 2008

practice? Uh, the daily practices? Or the prac...the practice that occurred that day? Williams

Uh, daily practices….. on a regular..

Jones

Okay. And, and on that...on, on the uh, 20th uh, after receiving your last water break, what time was that?

Williams

Uh, no specific time 'cause uh, players, we don't have the, the time on the field, just the coaches' watches, I do not know the time.

Jones

Okay. So after receiving...if you can recall your last water break, what did you, what kind of training took place after that?

Williams

Conditioning, which is our uhm, sprints, for us to stay in shape, as far as on the field-wise, and uhm, after our base period, which was what I was just talking about, we do, we water ourselves down...everybody gets to go over to the water one time, and then after we water ourselves down real good we all come over to the practice field on the sideline to get ready to go in uh, what we call is our gassers...

Jones

...Um-hmm...

Williams

...our sprints and our conditioning, which is our running. So...

Jones

Okay.

Williams

...we do that for that day...that day, that particular day, we did that for about 30 to 35 minutes...

Page 5 of 9 Statement: Briante Williams / Case #08197(e) September 10, 2008

Jones

Okay.

Williams

...about 35 minutes, that we conditioned that day and uhm, after we got done with our conditioning process, we went back and watered ourselves down after practice, like we always do...

Jones

...Okay...

Williams

...we feel free to do that, to try addressing that.

Jones

Okay. Uh, I've got a few questions to ask of you. Uh, how are water breaks given? Individually or as a team?

Williams

Uh, as a team. Uh, individual groups...

Jones

...Okay...

Williams

...but not as individual, not individually as players.

Jones

Okay.

Williams

Individually as the group that you're in (inaudible) groups...

Jones

...As you describe the groups that are broke down.

Williams

Yes. Yes...

Jones

...from the team. Okay. On august 20th, 2008, how many water breaks did you take?

Williams

Took about five or six water breaks.

Page 6 of 9 Statement: Briante Williams / Case #08197(e) September 10, 2008

Jones

Okay. Af...after the last water break, what did the practice consist of?

Williams

After the last water break it consist of conditioning and then you can feel free, which, after conditioning, the practice is over with and you can go, feel free to get water afterwards.

Jones

And were you uh, the conditioning you describe is running the sprints, or the gassers?

Williams

...Yes.

Jones

Okay. Uh, why was the team running uh, sprints?

Williams

To stay conditioned.

Jones

Okay.

Williams

And in shape.

Jones

How many sprints did your group run?

Williams

Altogether we ran about 10 to 12 sprints.

Jones

Okay. And what group were you in?

Williams

Uh, the smaller, smaller size players, which are, we have two groups...we have the smaller guys, which are everybody that plays a certain position besides the linemens and the bigger guys are for the more heavier set...

Jones

Okay.

Williams

Bigger, taller guys. All the big guys.

Page 7 of 9 Statement: Briante Williams / Case #08197(e) September 10, 2008

Jones

How many sprints did you run before taking off your gear?

Williams

About six gassers...five to six gassers before we took off our gear.

Jones

Okay. And after, how many did you run after taking off your gear?

Williams

Two or three gassers after taking off our gear.

Jones

Okay. And that's helmet and shoulder pads?

Williams

Helmet and shoulder pads.

Jones

Okay. 'Cause you did a sequence...helmet...

Williams

Shoulder pads came off first, then we ran uh, ran with our just helmets and pants on and our cleats and then after uhm, that, after that gasser, or two of those, we take everything off, and we just have on our pants and our cleats. So (inaudible)...

Jones

So, and bear-chested.

Williams

Yeah, bear-chested.

Jones

Okay.

Williams

Sometimes bear-chested.

Jones

How long, how long do you think the team was running sprints?

Williams

About 30 to 35 minutes.

Jones

Okay. Did you or any of your teammates ask

Page 8 of 9 Statement: Briante Williams / Case #08197(e) September 10, 2008

for water breaks or try to get water during the running of the sprints? Williams

Yes. Some did, some few did.

Jones

Okay. And those were who?

Williams

Uh, Brendon Dunn, David Englert, then uh, Chris, which we call uh, "Stick". I don't know his last name, but "Stick" is what we call him, that's his nickname on the football team.

Jones

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

Williams

Uhm, no, just Antonio Calloway and Max Gilpin, the two that were, the fell down that day, that were, received hospital treatment.

Jones

And both of which were doing the end of the sprints drills or...

Williams

...End of the sprint drills.

Jones

Okay. During any practice this year have you personally seen or heard of any teammates being injured or quitting the team?

Williams

Uh, no.

Jones

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

Williams

No, sir.

Jones

Is this statement truthful?

Page 9 of 9 Statement: Briante Williams / Case #08197(e) September 10, 2008

Williams

Yes.

Jones

Do you have anything else to add?

Williams

No.

Jones

Okay. With no further questions for uh, Mr. Williams, we will conclude the tape. Time now is 1134 hours.

END OF STATEMENT File #08197ejones-ks