PAGE COUNT OF 50 PAGES 502 1 FIR. ANDERSON: Yes, sir. C MR. FERG17SOM: How many? I MR. APJDERSOIJt- One bo:?. MR. FERGUSQN: And w%at aTe is your son? <. MR. A?JDERSOM: Nineteen. 218. FERGUSON: Does your wife work outsiCe o? the home? MR. ANDERSON: NO, sir. 3 M3. FERGUSON: Now, you said you hadn't heard or read anything about the cases; have you seen any accounts of it on the T.V. or news? 4 3 12 MR.-ANDERSON: NO, sir, not at all. Yhen did you first find out what the 4 13 l1R. FERGUSOR: 4 14 cases were that you were coming here to try? 1 II I 15 MR. ANDERSON: Monday when I got here. 16 MR. FERGUSQN: When you got here Monday? . -. I:rh',a. 17 AXDERSON: Yes, sir. - +. .. 18 MR. FERGUSOi?: Has anybody flscussed the case with you 19 since Plonday? * -. 20 llR. ANDERSON: No, sir. a. 21 MR. FERGUOON: All.right, sir. NOW, you understand 22 the defendants have pleaded not guilty? 23 MR. ANDERSON: That's right. I MR. FERGUSON: Are you able to presune them innocent ! 24 : I 25 of the charges against them? i: --- L MRS. SYLVIA P. EDWARDS OFFICIAL SUPERIOR COURT REPORTLll WHITEVILLL, NORTH CAROLINA 28471 ! - - -__ --- .__-- ..- -. --,..- --"*m'.-,. I - I 1 beyond a reasonable doubt, and if the state doesn't do that he 50' I1 is entitled to a verdict of not guilty. Do you understand t\at? >In. AIIDrRSON : That ' s riqht . XR. FEITGUSQFI: Do yo3 believe in that ~rincivle? PI?. I\-T TDETS O?J : (NO A~~s!'E?:!Wim. ) MR. FE9GUSC)M: Now, if durincj the trial of t5is c3sr4 I 7 /Iany of the defendants decided to present no evidence, to ~rsscnt 8 no witnesses, would you hold that aqainst them? s 9 MR. LVDERSCIN: NO, sir, MR. FERGUSON: If sone presented evidence and otllers I didn't, would you hold that against those v7ho didn't? l1 II I MR. ANDERSON : (NO AE!S'sER I-!EARD .) l2 11 I MR. FERGUSON: I'm sorry, Ilr. Anderson. I will have l3 II I to ask you against to speak up a little hit louder, becaus? the l4 II court reporter here is trying to t.ake down what you are sayin?, i I 16 11 so speak louder when you answer questions so she can hear 2nd I f! ( I can hear. Do you belong to any clubs or organizations in the l7 11 community, -W, Anderson? Is II I MR. AYDERSOM: None hut the Baptist church. l9 11 MR. FERGUSON: Have you ever belonged to any clubs 2o 11 I 21 or organizations since you have been in the county? 22 MR. ANDERSON: None but the church. 1 23 MR. FERGUSON: Do you have any members of your family ! 24 11 who have been members of a-police force ot law enforckment I i . - __ - _____ -- .-*. - i agency of any kind? - . - - -. -- . - I -' MKS. SYLVIA P. EDWARDS DffIC~AL SUPCOIOR COURT REPORTER II WHITEVILLE. NORTH CAROLINA 2847P 1 MR. ~DEXSON:NO, sir. 505 c 2 .IR. FERCIJSON: .And you, yourself, have never been I associated with 1avf enforcement work,? I :4R. AITDERSOEI: No, sir. I C. NU. FPRGUSO?T: Do YOU have any close friends who arp police officers or law enforcement officers? MR. ANDERSOPI: No, sir. MR. FEIZGUSOEJ: None at all? s r.iR. ANDERSON: None at all. MR. FERGUSON: If during the trial of the case here there should be police officers to testify on behalf of the state, would you tend to believe what a police officsr bad to say more than you would some other witness, just because it was L police officer? MR. AMDERSOU: NO, sir, but I tlould like to hear hot11 ;ides. MR. FERGUSON: You t~ouldn't tend to believe somebody just because it was a police officer testifying? MR. XIDCRSON: No. I would hear tho case, both sides of it, before I would believe one. 14R. PERGUSON: If there should be persons who are black testifying and persons who are white testifying, would you tend to believe white witnesses before you believe black wit- nesses? I rm. MJDERSON: NO, sir. I MRS. SYLVIA P. EDWARDS OFFICIALSUPERIOR COURT RrroRrra WHITLVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA 2847P 1 FIR. FERGUSOEJ: Or vice-versa? 506 2 IIR. A3DEPSOTlr: No, sir. 3 WR. FERGUSOM: YOU would be able to look at.the ovi- 4 dence.. .. 5 MR. ANDERSON: Yes, sir. NR. FERGUSON: .. ..and judge that without rs9ar.l to I 7 1I the race of the person testify in^? II MR. ANDERSON: That's right. s FIR. FERGUSOPI: MOW, if the state should, if they ~~~i.11, present witnesses who are black w'lo will testify against the defendants, would you tend to believe y.?hat that witness said simply because he is a black person testifying against other black persons? Ell?. AVDERSON: Ohr no. MR. FCRGUSON: If the defendants should decide to testify, any of them or all of then, would you tend to disheliev what they said simply because they are on trial, simply because they are defendants? FIR. AFJDERSON: Oh, no. YR; PERGUSON: You would be able to listen to what 11 they had to say and weigh it along with all the other evidence 22 llin the case? MR. ANDERSON: Yes, sir. - 23 11 MR. FERGUSON: But at the same time you wouldn't hold I 25 it aqainst then-i-Fthey didn't kestify? L _ ___ _____l_l_- - - -- - - - MRS; SYLVIA P: EDWARDS- OF~ICIALSUPERIOR COURT REPORTER WHITLVILLE. NORTH CAROLINA 2847P - 1 MR. APTDRRSOE.:: If they did? 507 I.lR. FCRGUSON: If they did not testifv? IIR. ANDERSON: No. They have the right if they don't want to testify. MR. FERGUSON: Now, it so happens in this case, ;:r. -Anderson, that ten of thc defenilants are hlaclr perrons: on:! defendant is a white lady. Does that fact -- '.?auld that fact influence your verdict in this case; would you hold that against any of the defendants involved? PIP,. ATJDERSOTJ: Oh, no. ?IR. FETGUSOM: 'Does the fact that there is a lnr?~. I nlur3er of persons charged doesn't bother you? ANDEIISON: NO, sir. MR. FERGUSON: And none of the security measures which have been imposed in the court room h.ive led you to heli.~1r1~ that any of the defendants are quilty of any crinn? MX. ANDERSON: No, sir. MR. FERGUSON: How many pers ns are en12loyed -- ,I?r>roX mately how many persons are en~loyedat the 5. W. Godwin Lunber , . 20 Company, in Wilmington? 21 FIR. ANDERSON: I believe it's between 80 and a hundred 22- - 11 of them. I'm not positive, but T believe between eighty and a I 23 11 hundred of them.---- - - .., - . 1 MR. Fr;RCIUSOll: Do -they all worl; the same shift? _ ___.-----_ - ,MR._ AIJDERSON : Yes, s $r, - - - - - - MRS. SYLVIA P. EDWARDS OFFICIALSUPERIOR COURT REPORTER WHJTJLVILLX.. - --- NORTH CAROLINA 28473 9')" MR. 90 you know many persons *:rho work tyrre 1 FERGUSOPI: 2 at the co~~any? 3 ;P,. IQTDERS3T.T: Sir? of the Do you know rnost/persons who w~rktLnrc 4 :IR. FCFGUSOII: 5 at the con?any? Well, I know all the -- They've ;lir?(: 6 X9. PIIDVRSON: 7 a fev here in the last few weeks, I believe, but noot of t!~.-.n 8 are - have been there a right good ur3ile and I knoa all t'losc. I They hire some blacks and some w5it~sl 9 MR. FERGUSON: 10 MR. A_NDE?SOTJ: Oh, yes, sir. 11 !1R. FCXGUSOII: Do you subscribe to any na~snapar 12 reqularly at your house? ; Nothing but the Pender Cronicle, and 13 #R. ANDERSON: 14 we just started that about tvro or three months ago, or a nonth or so ago. That's the onlyest paper we get. i 15 ' MR. FCRGUSON: Were you working at E. !?. Godwin Con- 1 16 i ( 17 pany in February, of 1971:' 18 MR. ANDERSOI?: Oh, yes, sir. I t t P4R. FERGUSOIg: YOU don't know of any reason, then, i 19 20 why you couldn't serve and be fair, is that correct? ! IIR. ANDERSON: Oh, none at all. i 21 -- 22 MR. FERGUSON: Mr. Thompson, what kind of work do - -- - 23 you do, sir? 1 - ---- . - - - I work at E. W. Godwin Company. 24 MR; TIIOMPSON: Lumber 1 ..- . - ._____ _ - - MR: FERGUSON: I'll have to ask lrou to speak just a I 25 4 L ----. ._ -- - I - - - - *, f f. - MRS.- SYLVIA P. EDWARDS 1 1' 1' - - OFF~OI*L'S~)~ERIORCOURT REPORTER WHITEVILLL. NORTH CAROLINA 2e47P -- -..- - - --- - I 509 1 little bit louder so we can hear you. I say, I work for E. W. Codain Luml~or 6 2 FIR. TIIOI4FSOPI: Company. 11%. FE~CUSON: YOU work over at E. Y. C.OC~V?~~Lun5cr r .. Company? N.R. TIIOIPSOM: Yes, sir. MR. FERGUSON: Hov long have you been a resident of Pender County? .e I4R. THOMPSON: About fifty years. MR. FERGUSON: Sir? YR. THO!\PSON: About fifty years. $1R. FERGUSON: Fifty years; about all your life? MR. THOMPSON: Yes, sir. MR. FEBGUSON: How long have you worked at E. VT. Godwin's? MR. THOMPSON: Off and on since '42. IIR. FERGUSON: Do you know Mr. Anderson, the gentleman I just starteb - just stopped asking questions? MR. THOIQSON: Yes, sir. MR. FSRGUSON: HOT? long have you known him? MR. THOt@SON: A pretty good while. MR. FERGUSON: And you say you have never read anythin'j about these cases and never heard anything about it? BIR. THOI.IPSON: NO, sir. MR. FERGUSON: Sir? MRS.