AFFIDAVIT OF TERRANCE SIMPSON
RACINE COUNTY
STATE OF WISCONSIN
1, Terrance Simpson, being first duly sworn and under oath, state the following:
1. I make this affidavit on personal knowledge.
2. Investigator Soderberg of the Racine Police Department coerced my statements to the police in the above-captioned matter.
3. I lied when I testified at the trial of Christopher Berry that Mr. Berry and Terry Jackson pushed me up onto the roof of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Youth Center just prior to the shooting of Darnell Williford.
4. 1 lied when I testified that Mr. Berry provided me with the gun that I used to shoot Darnell Williford
5. At the time I shot Darnell Williford- I was alone on the roof of the Youth Center. . Mr. Berry never asked or ordered me to shoot Mr. Williford.
Dated this 27 of April 2001
AFFIDAVIT OF TERRENCE SIMPSON
State of Wisconsin
County of Racine
Terrence Simpson, being first sworn, deposes and states:
1. I testified on behalf of the People of Wisconsin at Terry Jackson's trial for the shooting of Darnell Williford, which resulted in Mr. Jackson's conviction for Party to the Crime of First Degree Intentional Homicide.
2. On April 29, 1991,1 shot Darnell Williford at the Martin Luther King Center in Racine, Wisconsin.
3. On April 26, 1991,1 was at Dennis Yarber's home in Racine, Wisconsin, along with Chris Berry, Quincy Williams and Darnell Williford. While I saw cocaine sitting on the table, and I saw Darnell Williford snatch the cocaine and flee the residence. At that point, I saw Chris Berry chase after Darnell Williford with a shotgun and a dog, but Darnell was able to escape without any further confrontation.
4. Terry Jackson was not present at Dennis Yarber's house during the dope-snatching incident, but he arrived at the house later in the aftertoon. Terry Jackson did not accompany Chris Berry while chasing Darnell Williford after the cocaine-snatching incident.
5. Terry Jackson actively tried to persuade Chris Berry not to involve me in any attempt to retaliate against Darnell Williford for the dope-snatching incident. During the days before the shooting, I heard Terry Jackson tell Chris Berry that he should take care of his own business and not get me involved. I also heard Terry Jackson tell Chris Berry to do his own work. I think that Terry Jackson was trying to look out for me by telling Chris not to get me involved.
6. On April 29, 1991. the day of the shooting, I started walking to the Martin Luther King Center with Chris Berry, Quincy Williams and Tavares Woods. We were going to the Center because we knew that Darnell Williford would be there, and we wanted to confront him about the dope-snatching incident. On our way to the Center, we stopped at Terry Jackson's house to try to persuade him to come with us to the Center, but Terry did not want to come along and get involved. Terry refused to get out of his bed and come to the Center with us, so we decided to leave and go to the Center without him. However, Terry eventually left his house, caught up with us, and followed us to the Center. . ' ' .'; '
7. I believe that Terry Jackson was aware that there might be a confrontation with Darnel Williford at the Center, but Terry repeatedly told Chris Berry that he wanted nothing to do with it.
8. I believe that Terry Jackson thought that there was going to be a fight with Darnell Williford, but I do not think he suspected that Chris or I would shoot Darnel while at the Center.
9. I alone decided that I would shoot Darnell Williford. Since I was only 11 years old at the time, I knew that I would not be prosecuted as an adult if I were charged with murder.
10. At Terry Jackson's trial, I testified that Terry Jackson and Chris Berry hit me.
11. At Terry Jackson's trial, I testified that Terry Jackson and Chris Berry helped me onto the roof of the Center so that I could shoot Darnell Williford. This testimony was not accurate. In fact, I climbed onto the roof myself, without any assistance from Terry Jackson or Claris Berry. '
12. At Terry Jackson's trial, 1 testified that Chris Berry and Terry Jackson were on the roof with me directly before I shot Darnell Williford. This is not accurate. Terry and Chris were not on the roof on the day of the shooting, and I was on the roof by myself when the shooting took place. It was my idea to get onto the roof and shoot Darnell Williford.
13. At Terry Jackson's trial, I testified that, while on the roof, Chris Berry put a gun to my head and threatened to shoot me if I did not shoot Darnell Williford. That testimony was not accurate. Chris Berry never threatened to shoot me if I did not shoot Darnell.
14. At Terry Jackson's trial, I testified that Chris Berry gave me the gun that I used to shoot Darnell Williford while Chris, Terry and I were on the roof together. This is inaccurate. The gun that I used to shoot Darnell Williford was under my sole possession since the days before the dope-snatching incident on April 26, 1991.
15. At Terry Jackson's trial, I testified that I did not think that Terry Jackson And Chris Berry had gotten off the roof directly after I shot Darnell Williford. In fact, however, I recall seeing Terry Jackson standing on the ground near the front door of the Center at that time. Furthermore, I recall seeing Chris Berry standing across the street from the Center directly after I shot Darnell Williford.
16. After I shot Darnell Williford, I hid the gun and fled the scene. I called my mother, who suggested that I turn myself into the police. Once I got home, my mother called the police. I was taken to the police station for questioning shortly afterward.
17. Detective Soderberg questioned me at the police station. Originally, I told the detective that no one else was involved with the shooting of Darnell Williford, but he insisted that others had to be involved. Detective Soderberg repeatedly told me that I could not have done the shooting without the assistance of others. Because of his insistence that others were responsible, I originally lied to Detective Soderberg. I made up false names and told him that they made me do it.
18. At some point during the questioning, however. Detective Soderberg left the room and my mother told me to start telling the truth, so I admitted that the made-up were not involved with the shooting. Because I was young and impressionable, 1 began telling Detective Soderberg what! thought he wanted to hear, even though I realize that I was still not telling the truth.
19. Although I originally refused to testify at Terry Jackson's trial, the District Attorney threatened to move me far away from my mother if I did not cooperate and testify, i cvenlually relented under the pressure of the District Attorney's threats. During Terry Jackson's trial, I testified according to what I thought the District Attorney and the Detectives wanted to hear.
20. I was never charged with the commission of any crime as a result of my shooting Darnell Williford, but I am currently serving a prison sentence for a conviction based on an unrelated incident. I am scheduled to be released from prison in January 2001.
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