POV

Crickets and frogs calling

-I was going to the Texas state police Olympics in Dallas, it was on a Sunday morning,

and I left my house about 7

00 in the morning when they called me. They just said they had a body by a cemetery in the road. And the first indication was it may have been a hit and run traffic accident. It appeared that a front end of this vehicle had got bumped canted and it appeared to be a tire mark similar to a yaw mark coming in. And I followed that the entire crime scene, thinking that it was a tire mark. What I was thinking, this is gonna be the easiest hit-and-run wreck that we'd ever worked, because we were going to be able to follow that trail all the way to the guy's house. That much of it out on that side -- that was the trail that ran approximately two miles. Uh... We got to noticing, uh, that the track that was on the road was not a rubber tire track. And it was a brown, dark substance, but it wasn't tire tracks. And, uh... The further we went, the more my heart was beating, because things weren't as I was thinking they were. When come down that hill, walking this way, to be honest with you, I didn't see those drag marks go down this little old logging road, and we started walking, and the further we walked down that road, the more evidence we found. We found the tank top and t-shirt that he was wearing, we found both of his shoes, we found his dentures, and then we found the billfold. Then that's when I knew that it wasn't going to be a hit and run accident. I knew it was a black man that was dead. Hoping that it was a black man that had killed him. Uh... But it didn't turn out that way.

Choir singing

and I left my house about 7

- Let us forge on till victory is won Yet with a steady... -I was in church, my answering service paged me. It was the Jasper Police Department, and they requested my services on the Huff Creek roadway, pick up an unidentified black male. The deputy told us that, as we go down the road the next two or three miles, we will see markings in the road -- he instructed us not to drive over any of the markings, to go around it. -At one point we even stopped. -Yeah, we stopped. -And I looked to make us... He didn't believe that it was a blood trail. I said, that's blood. And we stopped and looked. -I said, "This can't be blood." -Not this far. -"Not this far. I dunno, it doesn't --" "Yeah, that's blood." -Had it. -Blood mixed with tissue, you know, skin tissue. The rubbing of his skin, the rubbing of his skin tissue, bloody skin tissue that made that streak down that road. I guess a mile down there -- about a mile, mile and a half, you see the tracks where the draggings whipped around that curve and it tore his body way over to the side off in the ditch, and when it went off to the side in the ditch, then his head and all right across his shoulder caught that culvert -- that concrete culvert. And that decapitated his head and his right arm. -Right away, we knew -- well, I felt, and I told my father at the time, I said, "Daddy, they..." I said some white people had did it. You just had that gut feeling that it was race related.

Bell tolling

Helicopter blades whirring

Man laughing

and I left my house about 7

-Here come Ronnie, he pulled up. -Good morning. -Good morning, Ronnie. -The sun shining. I'll be ready for the fun and games today.

Chuckles

and I left my house about 7

-Turn your lights off! -...that... Don't park here, don't park here.

Sirens blaring, chirping

Bell tolling

and I left my house about 7

-You folks go in, you have to stay in the courtroom. All right? The first five that have to pass... -Good morning, this is Mike Lout for KJAS radio news, reporting live from the Jasper County courthouse. The stage is set, and 24 year old William King will go on trial for the June dragging death of James Byrd, Jr. King is the first of three men to be tried in connection with the murder that shocked east Texas and the world. -Here he comes, here he comes.

Sirens blare

and I left my house about 7

-Good morning, Miss Byrd. -Back up. -Continuing in the news at this hour, all 15 members of the Byrd family are in the courtroom today. Ronald King, the father of the defendant, Bill King, or William King, continues to be in the courthouse as well. Now, District Attorney Guy James Gray is coming to the podium. -I think we have three guys that committed this crime, not just one. -How many black jurors are there? -All the judge permitted us to say was that it was not an all-white jury. -Can you tell us, please, sir, what are your thoughts on the eve of it? -My thoughts are purely focused on the evidence and the jury. This trial is -- it's more brutal and it's more racial than you guys anticipate. It's a bad case. -We will continue throughout the day to tell you what's going on here in the trial of William King. This is Mike Lout for KJAS radio news at the Jasper County Courthouse. -Before it gets cold, you better get in here. -Oh, did you order already?

Talking over each other

and I left my house about 7

-James Byrd, Jr., spent many pleasant hours here playing music, cards, and dominoes. -And drinking thunderbird. -I thought he spent most of his time in jail. -Yeah, that's right.

Laughter

and I left my house about 7

-I still don't think, no matter what kind of person he was, that he should have died that way. -I think that it's wrong, what they done. I think it's very wrong, what they done, and I don't think there's any question that they done it. But, still, I want the defense to come out and tell who James Byrd was, and what he was. 'Cause James Byrd wasn't the pillar of the community that they've made him out to be. -I think you ought to be judged by the way you live, not the way you die. -The whole community knows how he is. -They're portraying that, like, he was a good, Christian person. -And they're naming city parks after him, and giving his family all kinds of awards and... -Money. -Money, and... -You don't think he ought to be a martyr? -No, I don't. I don't -- I don't think he ought to be put up as a role model for our children. -Too late.

Indistinct cross talk

and I left my house about 7

-Jasper... I don't think that, per capita, there's any more or less racism here than there is in an average town. No, I don't think there is.

Players shouting

and I left my house about 7

And I think if you go to any town and ask a black person if it's racist, they're going to say yes, because any -- any little problem they have with a white person -- and this is purely, horrible for me to say this, it's almost stereotypical, but almost every -- every black person is going to tell you there's racism in their town. And a lot of white people are going to say no, because they don't see it. We have our own little community, they have their own little community -- that doesn't mean that those communities can't overlap. We have our own, uh, church; they have their own church. A lot of people aren't raised to be prejudiced, but you're taught to just keep your separate distances -- hi, bye, and -- Matter of fact, my grandpa was telling me just to say hi to 'em, bye to 'em, and don't fool with 'em, stay away from 'em. You know, the associations are pretty surface level.

Background chatter

and I left my house about 7

-Oh, yes, yes, yes, yes! Yes. Yes, that's it, yes. Oh, Vera, that's night, tell 'em you got it. Oh, you got it. -Everybody says it's an isolated incident -- it is not. It has been going on for quite a while. It's never been to the magnitude of what it is now. -It never will be the same again. You're always going to look over your shoulders, wondering. It happened once, it can happen again. -Well, Mr. Byrd was brutally murdered. You know, blacks didn't rage, we didn't burn things, we didn't go out and do eye-for-an-eye. Some of these children have never had to face anything like what they're facing now. You know, it's helped us kind of prioritize some things around here, like why there's only one black person working at the bank, and why there's a whole lot of black customers that they didn't know about working there. You know, it's just bringing things to light. Since...since we're on the battlefield, we're talking about all the little wars we have to do. -What you had is, you had a man dragged to death, and then you had, quote-unquote, "black leaders" and people here in Jasper just basically trying to blow it off, and, like, it's no big thing, see what I'm saying? This is the worst thing that's happened in the last 50 years in this country, in terms of black people. -Things around here has been happening like you said, it's just been swept under the rug. And we wasn't allowed to talk about it. I had a friend one time -- -So, it was basically fear. -That white folks killed, and they put him in a trunk of an old, abandoned car. This car was on the football field -- this was where they found him. It was hush-hush, you didn't talk about that. He was just dead. -You have to have a different response. I mean, in the past, if you go back in history, our response has always been, we gonna let the law handle it, God will handle it, everybody handled their problems but themselves, you know? You have a right to defend yourself. If you want people within this community to be like family, and to look out for each other, we don't want them to always have to go to Europeans to solve their problems -- they should be able to solve their own problems. You need to take care of your own business. -True, true. -May I have your attention, please? There's an outstanding civic leader, needs no introduction, we present Mr. Walter Diggles.

Applause

and I left my house about 7

-Thank you, Mr. Adams. To Mr. Canasie and to the mayor of the city and the city council, and all you students, good morning. As you very well know, in Jasper, Texas, in the past year, the focus of the world has been on our community. And you also know that each of you who live in this community and had some conversation about this historic event... -During the beginning of this tragic murder, county judge and the mayor asked me to help facilitate, because it was a crisis situation, I've been able to deal with the bankers and the, uh, the professional officials that are white at the golf course and at the country club, or -- or in the black church, or in the community center, the Boys and Girls Clubs. -First name again was? -Walter. -Walter Diggles, east Texas. -Executive director. I think Jasper has, because of the sheer facts of the black leadership, has made more progress than any other community of this size in the country. 45% black population, when you look at the leadership position in the community, you see African American doctor practice in the hospital who has a patient load as large as any in the community, both black and white, you see the only hospital in this community, that is probably one of the largest payrolls in this community, being run by an African American. There's no fluke that the mayor won, beat against two whites -- actually, three whites and one black -- he won majority without a runoff. You got two African Americans on that council that really governs this city. That's why, when you take a microscope and look at this community, and say, you know, what's in this community? How could -- how could, in the name of God, could somebody in this community, in 1998, commit a crime this bizarre? -Shawn Berry's polo boots, Bill King's outback sandals, and Lawrence Brewer's Nike tennis shoes. These guys had been in the penitentiary, they're out of touch with the real world, they're back in a mind-set that goes back to the 1920s and 1930s, and when they came out, they had in their head that the law here was like it was 50 years ago, that there was not going to be a vigorous search for the killer of a black man. Bill King was absorbed with these terrorist-type organization that exist throughout our country. You get a general idea of what he has on his body, where you have his gang affiliation -- Confederate Knights of America; his Nazi affiliation with the lightning bolts -- "Aryan Pride." One here is a little tattoo of a hanging black man that's blown up next to a klansman in a robe holding his hat, and a burning cross. Did the same thing on Brewer. But you got that triangular Klan affiliation, Confederate Knights of America, there's his patch -- Klan, burning cross, Confederate flag. Now, Shawn Berry is a little bit harder to understand.

Clears throat

and I left my house about 7

By comparison, you can see that Shawn Berry didn't have anything like the other guys, in terms of tattoos. He's got this deal over here that says "Brotherhood." We couldn't connect it with any type of organization. The night that this happened, they were actually out looking for girls. Drinking beer and looking for girls. I don't think they planned to do anything that night. It just so happened that the victim, James Byrd, was alone on a dark street -- fairly dark -- drunk, vulnerable, pretty easy target. And they picked him up. The chain was there, opportunity was there, they'd been drinking beer, they were all hyped-up -- like a pack of dogs around the heels of a deer. And they just chained him up and started dragging him. And when they turned on that Huff Creek Road, uh, there's not a doubt on anybody's mind that those guys were having fun, they were slinging that body from side to side, and just drug 'im until they killed 'im. -Y'all get over here. Y'all come here and help these people.

Journalists shouting

and I left my house about 7

-Jurors viewed pictures of the victim's mangled body this afternoon as the district attorney, Guy James Gray, told members of the Byrd family that they might want to leave the room. You could tell that they were visibly shaken, but none of them really made any expression -- they just seemed to look at the pictures in a very cold stare. They looked at every picture... -Right before my father's murder, I'd just seen him the day before. We all was at a family gathering. My cousin's, his niece, bridal shower, and he was playing with my little girl, Taylor, his only grandchild. And, uh, it's like I feel robbed, like somebody just snatched him away from the whole family, you know? Um... I don't blame any one particular race for what happened to my father; I blame three people that done it. And underneath my smile and my face, I'm very deeply hurt and affected, and -- but I'm not out to get sympathy from anyone, I just want people to be aware that this is a wake-up call for America, and it could have been me, it could have been you, it could have been Miss Cat, or anybody. It's weird because I wouldn't have any kind of remorse or any kind of.. jitters or anything, seeing them tortured the way my father was, and I never felt like that before.

Television playing in background

and I left my house about 7

-I know I couldn't sit through it. So, it's...it's hard looking at it on the television. And I know it'd be worse down in court.

Dog barking in background

and I left my house about 7

So, I just don't go. Sometime I can't... Uh... Sometime I can't look at his picture, and sometimes I... I just can't talk about it. Sometimes I can, so... That's just the way it is.

Rhythmic clapping

Voices chanting indistinctly

Choir singing indistinctly

Cheering and applause

and I left my house about 7

-I appreciate this, because often we come together, often we pray together, the Lord say we should stay together. -Amen! Again, our new path of the City of Jasper.

Applause

and I left my house about 7

-It's certainly a joy for me tonight to welcome you to our church on behalf of the members St. Patrick's parish family. As we continue to work together with one voice to build unity in this community, so let us continue to sing together with one voice, to show everyone who doubts that we're united and always striving to end prejudice in our midst. -Amen. -We welcome you and thank you for coming. - He's an on time, God, yes, he is Well, he may not -- May not come when you want him But he'll be there right on time He's an on-time, God, yes, he is Well, he's on time He's on time, oh, yes, on time He's on time, he's on time -The black community and the white community has made a very real effort to speak to one another, perhaps, more than we ever did; to make eye contact, to be more concerned, I think, than we ever were before. And, um, I think that's having an impact, that...I think the white community feels we have to do that because a tragedy happened in the black community, and I think the black community feels that -- that -- that healing has to take place if it's necessary. I think the white people do need to sometimes bend over backwards to help heal those wounds, because apparently they're feeling wounds that we're not feeling. That's why I think taking down the cemetery fence was so important. There's several old fences up there separating family plots. But then when I walked out there one day, I realized, it went the length of the cemetery -- that couldn't be a family. And so I asked someone, and they said, well, that's where the black people are buried. I was determined to bring that up to the spirituality committee to see if other people felt the way I did, and, um, I talked to Reverend Kenneth Lyons, who I just greatly respect. I asked him if taking that fence down could be our first priority. -This is the, uh... place where James was buried. As you can see, he was buried on the black side of the cemetery. And you can still see the tree line that divided the white part from the black cemetery. I didn't know it would be the way it is, but it makes the whole thing look like it was never a separate part. Like it always just one cemetery. And now the fence is down, it brings great consolation. In knowing that a barrier has been taken down, and, uh... Jasper is... moving toward oneness. And Jasper is moving toward greatness. -It might be a little nappy. -I just learned it was a free graveyard. Did you know that? -Well, my question is, they took the fence down, What does that really prove? If a black person died now, would they just drive around to the back and bury a black person? Or will they come to the front, and you still be buried at the front fence gate if you wanted to. -All of us were born during segregated times, and we have to fight all our life against racism and segregation. And then you die, and you're buried in a segregated graveyard. I just think that was the biggest slap on the face. I just was not aware. I just was not aware of that. And I saw some people's hearts changing. I saw some real sincere Caucasian people who were weeping just like me. They were crying. They were embarrassed. But now, that's not speaking for the whole community. -I got a lot of tattoos in prison. Every tattoo I have has to do with my heritage, some kind of way Irish and Norse and the vikings. I was in the Aryan Circle, and I still am. This is the Celtic cross, this is typically what the skin's used -- the skin has used to identify who they are. Along the side of my arms is "White Power." It's what I believe in -- "White Power" says everything "White Pride" says, as well as " -- you." A lot of white people are still with a guilt complex that they owe somebody something, and the black people can play that. Not all black people, not all white people, but that -- that does happen a lot. And I would be willing to bet my job and all the money that I could possibly make next year that I could go into that cemetery where that prayer vigil is going on, and I could look at these people, and I could identify them and know who they are, and I could meet them at a club, I could meet them at a cafe, or at a diner, or at a church, and talk about black people, you know what I mean? And, uh, and then -- and then -- and then I find out that they're raised exactly like me. That they don't really want to be around 'em, that they really -- that they're okay, they're afraid of 'em, they are, they have a guilt thing about 'em, they feel like they may owe 'em something, they don't like that feeling. So, they'd rather be away from 'em. But when this thing kicks off, they run out there and they join this prayer vigil, and they're holding hands, and saying we're getting along, and it's really not true, it's all fake. -Good afternoon, this is Mike Lout for KJAS radio news. One of the most important witnesses testified in the case this morning, Tommy J. Brown, a forensic pathologist, testified that James Byrd, Jr. was alive while he was dragged behind the truck. Brown also told jurors that Byrd's elbows were ground down to the bone, indicating that he was attempting to roll himself back and forth to reduce his pain as he was being dragged. -It hurts... because all the time we was thinking that the man was already dead before he was drug. Now, we find out that he was conscious, and it hurts. I mean, that was real cruel. That's something you wouldn't do to a dog. You got so many people that's angry, hurt, and after reading this paper, there are going to be a lot of people that are hurt and want to hurt because of this. -Okay, one, two, three, four, five, you hear that? -Miss Taylor? -Miss Taylor. -Miss Taylor? -What do you think of the notion that your brother was alive, according to the prosecutors, at the time of his death? -What do I think of it? There's no word to even describe that feeling. Can I say. I've personally felt pain all the way down to the deepest part of my heart. I could imagine what it was like to have your body strapped and chained and dragged. -Would you be upset if he doesn't get the death penalty? -I wouldn't use the word "upset," okay? -What word would you use? -No comment. That's it, right? Thank you. Grief is a personal thing. No one can ever know the inner pain that we feel, the sleepless night, not even being able to look at James's picture, having to deal with, uh, talking to our children about hatred and what hatred leads to. We're not a public family, and we had no desire to be thrust into that situation. -And the issue here is this race -- this racial killing here, not his char-- moral character, or anything related to that -- it's the way he died. And we knew he had problems, and we were the first ones that said he had problems, but we still love him the same, we treated him the same, we loved each other as a big, happy family. But... -I think, significant, also, um, was looking at King, and realizing that this young man has such deep-seated hate that even at this late date, with death staring him in the face, he still has no remorse. And that kind of helped me to put him into perspective, also.

Dog barking

Man groans

and I left my house about 7

-That was a good picture of him.

Chuckles

and I left my house about 7

That's me and Bill into the court. He was just the kind of youngster that I was exceptionally proud to take him anywhere. But he was nice and polite, that made daddy's chest swell out, I enjoyed that. God, that was a few years ago. I don't know... A lot of memories in one of these things. That's Bill on his brother-in-law's tractor -- my brother-in-law's tractor. 'Course, a daddy always grabs anything he can, and... It doesn't reduce Bill's culpability in the whole thing, but... Just the fact that he might not have been driving makes me feel a little better, you know, even though... Not gonna say it doesn't reduce the culpability of the whole thing, you know, in the whole thing. But...I don't know. A daddy's grabbing anything. -You think that, um, Bill King should get the death penalty? -Yes, I do. I'm glad I'm not up there to... to vote for it, but... -I really don't think it's going to matter to the community, as long as justice is served -- -I think, for the black community, not necessarily for the Byrd family, but for some of the others. -Kind of like this, almost cliche now, we're sending a message. Have you ever noticed how everybody, every time something happens, "we're sending a message"? What message are you sending? -But if he gets -- he gets life without the possibility of parole, I think a lot of people will be happy with that. That's the way I feel about it. -We continue to wait here at the Jasper County Courthouse,

where it's right before 11

00. Wait on the verdict -- it could, um, you know, people have said, some say it will be short, some say it'll be long. But one thing that I can tell you is that no one knows but that jury of 12 people -- they are the only ones that can decide whether or not he should die or he should live. -Lord, as we come, we as thee to keep our nation, keep our cities, keep our school. -There it goes. -Foreman, has the jury reached its verdict? If you'd pass it to the bailiff, please, sir. Mr. King, would you stand up, please, sir? I'm going to pronounce the verdict at this time. "We, the jury, find the defendant guilty of the offense of capital murder --" -Guilty! Guilty! -Yay! -Guilty. -Thank you, Jesus. -Well, ladies and gentlemen, you just heard it. William King will get death in the death chamber, the lethal injection in the state prison at Huntsville. The jury answering yes to the first two questions, indicating that William King will be executed.

Woman shouting

where it's right before 11

-Thought you could get away with it, but you didn't! -Do you have anything to say to the Byrd family? -Yes, sir, I -- -Bye! -Bye! Justice was served! Justice was served! You feel it? Praise the Lord! Justice was served. -Hey, hey. -No, I'm sorry, they're going right over here. -The sentencing that came in, the verdict, we were very pleased with it. It's the first time in, like, 400 years that a white man has ever been sentenced to death for killing a black man, we are very proud. We've always been down, so we look like things are finally looking up for the black community. And I'll tell anybody anywhere, I'm very proud today to be a resident of Jasper. -In June of this year, we spoke to the world about a tragic incident in Jasper County, and we told you that we were going to seek justice in this particular case, and we're very proud of the district attorney, we're very proud of the law enforcement officials, and we're proud of the people that live in this community, and we're proud of you all who are coming and reporting exactly what we have in this particular community. -Job well done. -Give me a hug.

Zydeco music playing

where it's right before 11

-Come on.

Child shouting

Man laughs

where it's right before 11

-I think the community is glad of the verdict because it was stated that Bill King had in mind to -- this was the place they had in mind to bomb. So, I think the people in this community is, you know, kind of relieved now. Many people in the community are saying this is the worst place in Jasper, the worst community, but we don't feel that way, we just feel like we want to change lives, we want to do what we can to help people. I've been pastoring almost 15 years. And this area, to my left. is going to be the cafeteria part of it. And over here to the right is the pastor study. And we're going to have a floor above this one, so we're going to have a balcony and some upstairs classroom. So, we're going with a second level. And, you know, I feel that, as a minister, with everything that's happened, we need to start being more involved in the community -- not just preach to our congregation, but to be more involved in the community. -The most important thing for me in this whole thing was, when they laid everything out on the table, were open and honest with me, and I saw that they were as determined as ever to make this case, I didn't have any problems with the black and white deal, because I knew then that there was not going to be anything covered under, there was not going to be anything swept under the rug, like it was 30 years ago. That's pretty good. This guy starts off, "Dear Walter Diggles, Negroes in the U.S. are 14 times more likely to commit murder than whites in the U.S." I mean, he starts his letter, you know, with something that automatically lets you know that he's probably a racist, you know, that he has problems with blacks. You know, and you don't -- you don't -- you don't really -- This letter's not signed whether it's a white or black person, but you pick it up and you read it and you say, absolutely, this is a white racist. You know? And, of course, I'll turn it over to the FBI so they'll just know that kind of person exists out there. But it... it's got a lot of people out in the world like that. You know, I really got into golf because kind of in my business associates were mostly golfers, and I find myself, uh, needing to take care of some business, and they were all going to the golf course. Eventually I said, well, heck, I might as well go ahead and pick up a club and play. And I can think about that old boy that wrote that letter, and you kind of think that maybe that'd be his head down there, and you say, let's see if you can hit it. Ah, man, that was a good hit ball.

Chuckles

where it's right before 11

There's still problems in this country with the perception of blacks that you and I are not going to be able to just erase, because we can't control the heart of somebody else. We can't change a white man's heart, how they feel and think about us. We can expose it, like we did with Bill King. We can show what that does and how people do really believe that way in 1999. But you can't necessarily change it -- you live with it. -You know, I'm amazed at how easily offended people have become. Well, I don't mind to tell you that I was raised with the word "nigger," but it had no negative connotation in my life. I was raised to respect people by age, not by color. When the word "nigger" was used, it was just used as -- to describe a black person. I didn't even know it was a... an unacceptable word, or, shall we say, politically incorrect. Until somebody said, well, you're not supposed to say nigger, you're supposed to say "negro." Well, I've never learned to say the word that way. Or "African American." -Never really said it to the face. You know, it was always, you know, you and I'd be talking, we'd say something about "that nigger," you know, something, and, well, if I say it now around my children, which are, I mean, they're young adults, "Whoo," you know, "you used the N-word, you're not supposed to do that." But it wasn't meant derogatory. -There's blacks and whites, and there's Mexicans, and they all play together at our school, so there's really nobody racist. I mean... -Take your hand away.

Laughing

where it's right before 11

-Everybody gets along? -Yeah, there's two or three black girls in our class, and we're all friends with 'em, and... There's a little Mexican boy in the class beside us, and we're friends with him, so... -And in my house, and our children, we never let the word "nigger" be used. Once we had children, we didn't say it and didn't use it, because it was offensive. I still haven't come to grips, or been able to understand it. Of course, like some of the other things that have changed since I was a teenager, I guess, or a child, that I don't understand. -Praise God, yo, going off the air. And keep that dial tuned at 107.3 till next Sunday morning. I love you, God bless you, God keep you, praise the lord. -Hey, gal. -How are you? -See, you was worried about having enough music, but you had plenty. -I had plenty. -We'll see you up there then. -God bless you, God keep you. Love you, God bless you, praise the lord. See you later. -Okay, y'all take it easy. Oh, okay, good deal. -We bring you a cup. -Appreciate you. -Appreciate -- I love you. -Love you, we'll see you later. -All right. -You know, all this stuff about healing, if I have to hear "healing" one more time... I ain't treat nobody different. And do they -- do you treat anybody different? I don't treat anybody different -- -I don't think I do, no. I'm a little more conscious of it. -I am, too, but I don't think I treat nobody any different, I think think they treat me... -Think I'm a lot more conscious. That's the way -- that's the way races are in Jasper. You know, it's -- it's a... it's a, uh, "get along" kind of thing, you know? -Now, let me tell you about the rebel flag. I used to have one on my car years ago. But the rebel flag, to me, it was -- it was purely that. You know, a lot of young white boys, the rebel flag means just what it says -- "Rebel," like, "I don't take no...off nobody," you know, "I'm wild," you know. You know what I'm saying? And I'm sure a hell of a lot of those people didn't like black people at all, but a lot of 'em just did. It's just a... you know, like... You know, "kick ass," in other words. They didn't really... associate it with -- Well, it is part of the Confederacy, but, I mean, you know, that's all in the past. -But they view it that way. In a way, it really is. You know? It doesn't matter what -- what the people who have 'em think about it, whether it's a symbol of their heritage or -- inheritage, as somebody around here calls it. -The blacks are taking it real personal, but I don't -- I don't remember all these years them taking it personal. You know? Maybe they did and they just never told us that.

Drumming, spectators cheer, blows whistle

Band playing

Horn honking

where it's right before 11

-You're listening to live coverage of the 53rd Rodeo Parade, folks. It is the 53rd annual Jasper Lions Club Rodeo Parade, in full fashion. Anywhere that you look, you can see horses and, of course, the colors of the Texas flag and the United States flag being flown very proudly here today. Now, remember, 53rd Jasper Lions Club Rodeo Parade officially kicking off, without a doubt, the biggest week of the year here in Jasper. And if you're one of those folks that's getting in your car now and you're headed home, just take a little extra time. This is Mike Lout reporting. -So, what's going on? -Well, there's been a whole lot happening since I last seen you. Got -- I ended up getting married this, um -- not this week, not this past week -- this past weekend, what am I thinking? It is, and it hadn't been another weekend yet. And...well... I got promoted at my job. And things are going pretty good. Things have been real good. Christina has some children from, you know, a previous marriage, and... I've never had children before. Well, they're not my children, my children, you know, but... They're still fun to be around.

Children speaking

where it's right before 11

As far as thoughts on the upcoming trial, I don't think about the upcoming trial. You don't see most people talking about it like they did the other. I think it's because it's moved to another town. Honestly, I think me, just like everybody else around here, I -- I -- if you were to go ask people on the street, name the three people who were involved in the... in the Byrd incident, other than Byrd, you know -- the three white guys -- and they'll name two. I don't know anything about Brewer. -And good morning. Well, the trial of

Lawrence Russell Brewer began shortly after 9

00 this morning in the Brazos County Courthouse here in Bryan. Jasper County sheriff Billy Rowles testified that it was his belief that Brewer pulled Byrd's pants down before they tied the chain around his leg. -Russell Brewer was older than King, he was the exalted cyclops, he was the leader of his white supremacist gang in prison. He took King under his wing and taught him these things, and was there standing beside him when it was done. Can I go back to work? -Thanks, sheriff. -Thank you for talking. -Sheriff Billy Rowles. Sheriff, in your mind here today, how did everything go? -I think it went really good, Mike, and I'm missing Jasper, Texas. They love you over there more than they do here. -Have you had much communication there today? -Yeah, everything's going smooth at home, I'm checking in every morning and every evening, and the chief and Captain Carter and the staff there, they're keeping us cool. -Thank you, sheriff. This is Mike Lout reporting live for KJAS radio news. -Here back at home,

it's 24 minutes after 1

00... -We've been busy! Oh, we've been busy! We've been so busy. You know, they wouldn't let us have Martin Luther King birthday because they have some days to make up. So, instead of taking the rodeo day, which is not a national holiday, which is just for the white people -- black folk don't care about the rodeo day -- plus,

rodeo don't start till 5

00, so, why can't they go to school then get off? Why can't they take that day? -You'd think that we have been insulted enough as a race. We've been through...so much. I mean... The construction on the schools has not been completed when it was time for the kids to start back to school. So, in order to make up those days, they're making Christmas vacation short, Thanksgiving days, you know, they're taking various days. Okay, you're done. But the one day they didn't touch was Jasper's Rodeo Day. So, the rodeo comes to town and people just shut down.

Parade doesn't start till 5

00 in the evening.

The rodeo doesn't start till 7

00. But they're out all day -- so why don't they go to school on that day? The state president of the NAACP has authorized us to boycott the dance, and that's what we're going to do. They -- if they say it's a school day, we're just going to encourage all blacks -- whites, too -- don't go. Just don't go, 'cause... It's not right. They can come up with another day.

Bell tolling

The rodeo doesn't start till 7

-...thank all of y'all for coming. We're here this evening because of pressing problem -- Martin Luther King, Jr., holiday has been deleted from the Jasper Independent School list of holidays that are being taken this coming school term. -Want to be sure that we are able to look at what we're talking about, and I'm trying to explain to you how the calendar came to be. Now, if you have questions of me, I'll be glad to attempt to answer. Thank you. Yes, sir? -We need you all to go back and come up with some alternative. I'm speaking for a lot of people. We want that day off, no matter what it takes, if we have to let our kids go to school on Sunday. We don't care -- we don't care what it takes, we want you all to go back to the school board and say "we need to come up with an alternative, another alternative, that we can have that day." We need to lose a Christmas holiday, fine. We need to lose a spring break -- whatever we need to do -- if we need to lose the day before Thanksgiving -- that's how important that day means to us. It means a lot to all of us. And there may be two blacks on the school board, but I promise you they didn't represent us.

Applause

Woman speaking

The rodeo doesn't start till 7

-I'll be honest with you, you know, Martin Luther King holiday really doesn't do that much for me. But then again, I never was -- I never had to sit in the back of a bus, you know what I'm saying? With white people up front. And it has a special significance for them. And to mess with that would have been like, you know, I don't know what, but they shouldn't have messed with it. They should have left it alone. And --

Gospel playing

The rodeo doesn't start till 7

I don't know why in the world they did that. I guess it was just an oversight, but I don't think they'll do it again.

Laughs

The rodeo doesn't start till 7

-I don't really know exactly what was going through their mind. I think they're doing what they normally do -- throw things out, and if we don't respond to it, then...nothing goes. They had nothing to lose if we just sit back and didn't say anything. They would have -- they would have never brought it up. I was really outspoken about that because it's really sensitive to a lot of blacks in this area. We fought so hard to get that day, and now you're going to take it back again. And with Jasper being the way it is, and all the things that has happened, I don't think they were trying very hard to try to heal the -- heal the city. Are we okay? -Yeah, I'm doing fine. -Good. -

Inaudible

The rodeo doesn't start till 7

-Okay.

News theme playing

The rodeo doesn't start till 7

-And good afternoon, our top story today is in Bryan at the Brazos County Courthouse where KJAS news director is at right now. Mike? -Thank you, Shannon. After deliberating for almost four hours, a jury found 32 year old Lawrence Russell Brewer, the second man to be tried in connection with the death of James Byrd, Jr., guilty this afternoon of capital murder. Lawrence Russell Brewer will die by lethal injection in the death house at the state prison in Huntsville. And, uh, that is the end of the trial of Lawrence Russell Brewer. This is Mike Lout reporting live for KJAS radio news. -Typical Saturday. You know, it's reassuring that in two of these cases, you've got a death sentence -- two death sentences. That's historic, because never before has a Klan member been sentenced to death for the death of a black man. I don't run away from responsibility and the opportunity to be of service when asked. This is me at the trial, talking to the Byrd -- this is his daughter. And, then, of course, these are the ones at the trial, where Jesse Jackson was there, or at home when he came in. That's the funeral. There, this is all the Byrd family. But anyway, you know, most people in East Texas now, they're very, very aware of the fact that there's a race problem in this country. And they're very, very aware of the fact that that issue is a focal point in this community all around, you know, because of the Byrd murder. So it's something that now that they can't sweep under the rug and say that we don't have a problem. It's something that they have to face up with, especially here in this community. This is the last trial. It's gonna be a little different than the other trials. I mean, he's got a lot of family, a lot of friends, a lot of associates here in the community.

Door closes

The rodeo doesn't start till 7

-I waited a long time for the trial to start. Over the past year and a half, I've been to visitation I can't count how many times. I haven't been allowed in the courtroom. In the past two trials, I've had to be there, but I wasn't allowed in. So I'm kind of hoping that with this being my brother, you know, on trial that they'll let me in. But at the same time, I'm scared to death, because there's the possibility that it's not gonna turn out the way I want it, the possibility that it's not gonna turn out the way that my family or my friends, Shawn's friends, family. -I also think that being at the wrong place at the wrong time doesn't necessarily mean you're guilty of doing the crime. I mean, I've seen things happen. I've been around for a few years. I've seen things happen. Just 'cause I saw it happen doesn't mean I did it. -The people that just know Shawn and were around him, you know, in and out, from time to time or whatever, have enough information about Shawn to know that he's not like that. And then you have the people that he worked with, that were with him and had contact with him day in and day out -- black, white, Hispanic, whatever they might be. And they say the same thing. And I'm scared to death of the last day of trial, when they give, you know, their answer, when they make their decision, and that judge opens that piece of paper and announces what it's gonna be. It's scary as hell to me. I guess that's just something that I'll have to deal with when it comes.

Bell tolling

Indistinct conversations

The rodeo doesn't start till 7

-

Speaks indistinctly

The rodeo doesn't start till 7

-Good morning.

Laughs

The rodeo doesn't start till 7

-

Speaks indistinctly

The rodeo doesn't start till 7

-Do you have any comments, Mr. Berry? -Mr. Berry, did you kill James Byrd Jr.? -How involved were you in Byrd's death? -This the main one to us. I believe that all the residents of Jasper, this is the one that's really concerned. Since Shawn is a homeboy, this is the one that really concerned people most, you know? See how the verdict gonna take. I know it's very important in the first two trials, but this is real important, just to see how the outcome gonna be. -I wish that the world knew Shawn the way we do. I know that's not possible. We're doing our best to show the world what kind of person that he is. I just wish that they could see his innocence like we do.

Bell tolling

The rodeo doesn't start till 7

-Good morning, Steve. I'm going for a cup of coffee.

Groans

The rodeo doesn't start till 7

...the White House. Well, good morning. -As far as I know Shawn, as far as being, like, a racist like that, he never was that I knew of. You know, he has his prejudices like everybody else has prejudices. -Well, his girlfriend on the radio on Lout's show there a while ago, I heard her say that he's got several black friends that are even gonna testify for him, so -- -They have character witnesses, yeah. -Of course, nobody really knows what the truth is, except, you know, three of them that's still living knows exactly what happened. -Yeah. -I don't know. I just feel uneasy about this particular one more so than the other ones. I didn't think that this trial was gonna, you know, affect me more than the other ones, you know, even though I can't imagine what the Byrd family is experiencing. And to learn that the so-called "good old boy" was the one driving the truck, it was just new to me. That was just more punishment to the heart.

Indistinct conversations

The rodeo doesn't start till 7

-He's not afraid of these other guys. He's actually in control. It's his truck. He's there. I believe there's substantial evidence he was driving the truck. I know there was on the way out there, and I believe there is on the way back, dragging him. He's got blood on him. I believe we've established under the law of parties that he was an active participant in the crime. -

Clears throat

The rodeo doesn't start till 7

-Anything else? -Thank you very much. -District attorney Guy James Gray. Now we have defense attorney Lum Hawthorne, Shawn Berry's attorney. -Well, what they have here is a murder looking for a motive as far as Shawn Berry is concerned. He's not a racist. He's not a hateful person. They're searching around, trying to figure out how are they gonna explain to this jury that he's guilty of this. They proved that Shawn Berry was present, which is something that we've already admitted. We told him all along that he was present. But mere presence alone doesn't make him guilty. They haven't proved that he participated.

Camera shutter clicks

The rodeo doesn't start till 7

Okay, thank you very much. -The defense attorney, Lum Hawthorne. And now we have Mary Verrette, the sister of James Byrd Jr. -What do you think he could have done to stop it? -Shawn Berry could have made a difference. He could have made a significant difference that night. And no matter how he come up with these stories... you know, I don't believe in this kind of thing. But you sit there and let someone be dragged to death, it's no person in this world with any kind of humanity could sit there and not do something. It's just inhumane. But now they want mercy shown to them. And I say to people, if you want mercy, you first show yourself to be merciful. And no mercy was shown to James Jr. that night. Thank you.

Car engine starts

The rodeo doesn't start till 7

-Who is he talking about? -He's talking about King. -This is what Shawn Berry believed in, that King was full of hot air. -Mm-hmm. -He also said that Berry believed that Lawrence Brewer was just full of hot air, they would never do a thing to hurt anyone. So, then, why, all of a sudden, you out there on Huff Creek Road, and they say, "Get back," instead of helping you, all of a sudden, you're just so afraid, you can't move... -Mm-hmm. -...if they just a bunch of blowhards. -Mm-hmm. -Yeah. And they had rehearsed somewhat the lie. You know, it's like, you know, a liar, he can lie so good, he believes his own -- -

Laughs

The rodeo doesn't start till 7

-That's right. That's true. -And we believe that the jury is gonna be able to see through those lies. -We hope so. -I hope so. -Check back with you later. -Okay. -Bye. -Thanks a lot. -Okay. -Hmm?

Dog barking

The rodeo doesn't start till 7

-On Friday, prosecutors showed jurors this photograph of Berry with his former roommate, John William King... -You're in there, too. -...two men Byrd's family members believe deserve the same fate. -I don't see why he would not get the same thing the other ones, because it was three people involved, and they all did their part in killing James Jr. Everybody couldn't drive. Everybody couldn't... -Call him "son," mother... like you always do. -...but each one did their individual part to make sure that James Byrd Jr. would die. -I don't know who she is. I don't have anything against her. But she obviously has something against us, and it pisses me off. Now, I don't agree with the way James Byrd Jr. died. -No, yeah. -No. -No man, not even an animal, should suffer like that. -That's right, that's right. And I feel sorry for all of them, but that's not the...point. The point is he got in that truck, he was drunk already, and you know -- And like I am right now. I've been drinking beer all night. If I walked outside the side of the road and somebody pulled up and said, "Hey! What's going on?" I was like, "... What's up, man?" They go, "Got a whole cooler full of beer here. You want to go ride?" -"...yeah." I'm getting in. -Hell yeah. -I'm in there. Bill King -- he saw an opportunity, and he took...advantage, and that's the end of story. -And, then, Shawn didn't know nothing about it. They sat in the back of that truck, and they planned that...out, and when they got out in a secluded area where nobody would know -- there's no houses. There ain't no streetlights. -

Coughs

The rodeo doesn't start till 7

-They said, "This is it right here. Nobody will know." And they knocked on that...window, and they got Shawn to stop that truck. That's my brother driving that...truck.

Electric guitar plays

The rodeo doesn't start till 7

-And I don't like it. -Good morning from KJAS. After an overnight low of 45, right now we only have 46 degrees, no wind at this time. Murder defendant Shawn Berry is expected to take the stand today in what could be the last day of testimony before jurors deliberate a verdict in this case. Berry's defense attorney, Lum Hawthorne, said yesterday that he only plans to call two or three more witnesses and the defendant himself in the trial once again, which is continuing in the Jasper County courthouse. -Morning.

Indistinct conversations

The rodeo doesn't start till 7

-Morning. -Shawn Berry is the worst of the bunch, and I still say it, because he was driving the car, and he didn't have to do him that way. He had them zigzagging across the road. -It wasn't enough that they spray-painted him. It wasn't enough that they beat him. It wasn't enough that they dragged him. He had them zigzagging across the road like that. It was inhuman. And Shawn Berry have no heart, and he have no emotions to sit there to enjoy something like that. They have to be a sick, cruel person to enjoy somebody suffering. -Thank you. -They said that if I were to turn them in that there would be a way that they could find me. It doesn't matter what prison you and I would be in. And they still made it clear that I'd be going to prison with them if I turned them in, because I was there.

Tape rewinding

The rodeo doesn't start till 7

-Would you have run or done something, or would you have just stood there? -I would have left. -That's what I'm saying. I'd have got the hell out of there or something. If I was a juror, I'd have to see more. I mean, to me, whether it's right or wrong, morally, I think the guy is -- you know, I've got big problems with him not -- he didn't come to the cops. He didn't run off, you know? You know, the average person or somebody, I just think anybody was there and that kind of crap started going down, they'd get the hell out of there or do something. Hell, if I'd have seen him tie that man to the back of that truck and drag him like that, I'd probably run like hell. I probably wouldn't have stopped until I got to Port Arthur or somewhere, you know? That'd scare the...out of me. -What'd you think of the testimony? -I didn't hear all of it. The main stuff I heard was facts about him growing up and where he lived and who he lived with, and when he actually got into the actual day of June 7, -I didn't hear any of that. -Did you purposely leave or -- -Yeah, yeah, because I didn't want to make Shawn feel uncomfortable, you know, if I was sitting there, looking him eye to eye or whatever. I just wanted, you know, to be able to speak without feeling nervous, any more than he was already. -You know, I want to ask you a question, sweetie. -Okay. -Why was he associated with these type of people? -I guess when Shawn and Bill's friendship actually first started, Bill didn't act like that. He pretty much gave you whatever he had if he felt like you needed it. -Why did he stop and pick up this black man when he knows that the people that he was riding with didn't like black? Why would he offer him a ride? Why didn't he just let him walk? -Shawn has testified that -- and we all know that Bill was at the theater a lot. Shawn was managing the Jasper cinema. Bill never showed any problem with any black people or any other people up there. -Those tattoos. -The tattoos. -That was a symbol that he didn't like black people, those tattoos. -The tattoos were bad. We don't agree with him. I personally don't agree with them. I wouldn't have them on my body. -I have a lot of pity for him, but do you realize if he don't get the death penalty, he goes to prison... -He's gonna die anyway. -...he's gonna die anyway, or he's gonna be tortured. Do you realize this? -I do realize this. -You know, everybody wanted answers. But I see now we're not gonna get the answers that we want. We're not gonna get them. We're gonna only get lies. I mean, I figured Berry would at least tell the truth. And he's telling us that he gave Byrd a ride. If I'm with two of my friends and they are my friends, I know whether they like black or white. So if they're ride with me, why would I stop and pick up a white person when I know that they hate whites? Why would I do that?

Dog barks

The rodeo doesn't start till 7

-After hearing just over five days of testimony, a jury of seven women and five men have began to deliberate a verdict. The jury is now faced with the task of deciding whether 24-year-old Berry is guilty of capital murder, guilty of plain murder, or not guilty at all. This is Mike Lout for KJAS Radio News. -Shawn Berry -- I don't want to really insult anybody in town, but I used to have a little bit of sympathy for Shawn Berry until I saw his little thing on TV and heard about it, you know, saying that he was threatened to do all this, you know? But he's lying. Well, he's gonna die, I mean, you know, so I guess anybody who's about to die will say anything they can to prevent that. But, you know, pointing his finger at his "friends," sniveling about how he was threatened and coerced to do this... shows me what kind of character he has.

Insects chirping, indistinct conversations

The rodeo doesn't start till 7

-Buddy, we'll be to you in about 60 seconds.

Camera shutter clicks

Car engine starts

The rodeo doesn't start till 7

-I got one. You take anyway. -Ooh. -Well, nothing much surprises me with a jury. I've been doing this a long time. And I'm speculating. They may be wrestling with guilt/innocence, they may be wrestling with capital versus murder, or they may be wrestling, trying to legal terms in the charge. You just don't know. You don't have any idea of what a jury does. -What's up? What you want to say? -I don't know exactly how to put it. I feel bad about what happened to James Byrd. I feel bad for the family. I wish there was something I could do. I wish that there was some way that I could replace -- you know, if I could take myself and replace James Byrd for the family so they could have their -- What did they call him? Son? What they testified the other day? -- They could have him back or whatever or take the pain away or whatever, I would. -Okay. Okay, based on what you're telling me... -Mm-hmm.

Keys clacking

The rodeo doesn't start till 7

-Is that right? -That makes it look like -- -Let me tell you something about that. If you don't want this, Louis Berry, to say nothing but "I'm just sorry for what happened --" -Mm-hmm. That sounds bad. If I were to say that I was sorry for their loss and I wish there was something we could do to bring him back -- say sorry for their loss makes it sound kind of punkish to me. "Sorry about it," you know, "Sorry about that" -- that's not good to say. Incident has occurred, and wish I could do something, you know, to stop the pain or some-- See? I'm not good with all that. I don't know exactly -- -You are. You're doing fine.

Indistinct conversations

Dog barks

The rodeo doesn't start till 7

-

Speaks indistinctly

The rodeo doesn't start till 7

There's different reporters and other people. -Berry says he didn't take part in the crime, but admits he failed to stop it. Prosecutors say that story just doesn't jive with the evidence. The lone alternate juror, who was released when the panel began deliberating, told reporters today he thought Berry is lying and would have voted to convict him and condemn him. -There's nothing to worry about. Okay? Get ready. Go. -For several weeks, I've wanted to say something to the members of the Byrd family and others who have been touched by this tragic incident. Even though I don't really know what to say or how to say it, I just felt that something should be said. I'm deeply sorry by what has happened and feel sorry that this tragic event has occurred. I wish there was something that I could do to stop the hurt and pain for all the families involved. I recently heard through the news media that some people wondered why my family had not approached the Byrd family. The truth is that I don't know what to say or how to say it. I only wish that I could have been with my brother on that night. I sincerely believe that I could have helped him prevent what happened. I believe he was simply by himself and outnumbered by people who had already made up their mind. All I know is that I don't want people to believe that my family does not care, 'cause it's not true. We do. -...force, and both left her penniless. -Do you say to yourself, "Why is this happening to me? I mean, as if I haven't been through enough"? -Oh, I thought I'd gone through enough. -I mean, it doesn't seem that you should have... -I want to get some food. -Okay.

Dog barking

Indistinct conversations

The rodeo doesn't start till 7

-Clara was saying last night was a real tough time. -It was a very tough night for me. I think today is gonna be very hard. I haven't slept at all last night. I could just visualize what my brother went through, and I just wish I had heard him. I wish somebody had heard him and somebody would have had the decency to come to his aid. And that didn't happen. And I guess I will forever hear his cries in the dark, and not either one of them had the decency to say nothing. Thank you. -Thank you. Thanks. Appreciate it.

Bell tolling

Indistinct conversations

The rodeo doesn't start till 7

-They're fighting for his life now. Participation is when the jury is gonna have... -And good afternoon. This is Mike Lout for KJAS Radio News. Ladies and gentlemen, we may have a verdict. -Has the jury reached a verdict? Pass it to the bailiff, please. Based on the jury's verdict, it is the judgment of this court that you, Shawn Allen Berry, are guilty of the offense of capital murder. And based further on the jury's verdict on the punishment phase, it's the order of this court that you're hereby sentenced to life in prison. You will be transferred to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice Institutional Division. -What was it? -Huh? -What was it? -He got life. -I didn't think they was gonna convict him. -I didn't either. I'm just being honest with you. I mean, but they got him -- murder capital. I mean, that's the worst -- just like... -Guys, I have a question, your reaction to the verdict? -My only reaction is pleased. They stayed with the facts, and was very pleased with it. There was a day and a time in this country when cops and jurors ignored facts in racial cases and let other factors influence them, and today is about as positive a message as you can get that that time no longer exists. Facts are facts, and they stayed with the facts. -Here he comes. -Here he is. Here he is right here. Here he comes.

Indistinct conversations

The rodeo doesn't start till 7

-Shawn -- -Shawn, we love you! -Shawn, at least you got better than Byrd. I know that's right.

Scoffs

The rodeo doesn't start till 7

-

Shouts indistinctly

Indistinct conversations

The rodeo doesn't start till 7

-So that's the way it goes here. It is none other than November 18 of 1999, and this is Mike Lout reporting for KJAS on the northwest corner of the Jasper County Courthouse. And once again, the flag's still flying. Good night. -Mom, I've got to go... -Wash your hands. -Hey, I need a towel. I need a towel. -Honey! I need a towel. -

Laughs

The rodeo doesn't start till 7

-I've changed my views partially in one way and completely in another. Hey, I don't want to have anything to do with the Aryan Circle or the Aryan Brotherhood or the gangs. I don't want to have anything to do with it, okay? The second thing is is, though, my views about mingling with people of other races... -

Babbling

The rodeo doesn't start till 7

-No. -...I don't believe in intermarriage. Other than that, I don't have a problem. Eating dinner, going to the ballpark... hanging out -- actually, I tried to give a guy a job a while back who happened to be Puerto Rican. He was a black Puerto Rican. He's got a real good conversation and... I'm gonna try to give him a job if I can. Bottom line is is you got to treat all people the way you want to be treated. You know what I mean? That's what I do now. I used to not do that. But, then again, I grew up in prison, too, where that don't happen. So, it only took a year, though, to really realize the difference.

Piano plays

The rodeo doesn't start till 7

-We talked about how happy -- she never told me. I'm the worried one. She never told me she was sick. -Yeah, yeah. -If she just only would have told me. When my sister died, it really wasn't a question about whether to put her on the white side or the black side. We were putting her with other family members. -We thank you for giving strength where strength is needed. And, God, we ask that you will forever be with them, forever guide them, forever comfort them. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. -Amen. -I mean, if she was the very first one in the family that ever died, you know, then maybe she would have been put on the other side. And I guess it's just tradition, you know? The white is on one side. The black is on another one. So I guess it's just a tradition. The fence really could have stayed up. It wasn't hurting anything. But coming together -- that's what we need. - I want Jesus To hold me -Yeah.

"I Stepped Out" plays

The rodeo doesn't start till 7

- I gave up This world To follow Jesus -Yes, I did.