INTERVIEW OF ROBERT PICKTON – PROJECT EVENHANDED 2001E-1388 – FEBRUARY 23, 2002 Sgt. Bill FORDY: Just have a seat. Yeah, just have a seat there. Okay, so you got some juice down there this morning? Robert PICKTON: That’s right. Sgt. Bill FORDY: Was it, fresh juice? Robert PICKTON: Yeah, it’s orange juice. Sgt. Bill FORDY: Orange juice. (STARTS NOTES) (INDECIPHERABLE) Okay. I never got a chance to introduce myself downstairs Rob ah, my name is Bill FORDY and I’m a Sgt. and I’m with the RCMP. I’m a police officer okay um, but while we’re here today I don’t want you to get all caught up in official titles or anything like that. Ah, my friends call me Bill and I prefer that you call me Bill okay. Robert PICKTON: Okay. Sgt. Bill FORDY: Now, is it okay if I call you Rob? Robert PICKTON: Yeah. Sgt. Bill FORDY: Okay Rob. Um, like I said to you Rob, I am a police officer okay. Ah, I didn’t mean not to say anything to you on the way up there,it’s just ... Robert PICKTON: Um, hum. Sgt. Bill FORDY: Ah, I wanted to wait until I was in the interview room here with you so that everything that I say to you ah, is recorded, because we are being video recorded in here today okay. There’s a video recorder up there and that’s ah, for your protection and my protection okay. Before I start to talk to you ah, Rob there’s a couple of things that I want to make sure that you understand okay. Ah, one thing that I’m gonna tell you Rob is that ah, I’m gonna treat you with respect here today. Okay. Um, I’m not going to be mean with you and I’m not gonna yell at you, I’m not going to get physical with you. I’m gonna treat you with respect and I’m also gonna treat you with dignity okay. Because if I was sitting in that chair that’s how I would want to be treated quite frankly. Okay. And I’m also gonna give you my word that nobody else is gonna treat you physically. Okay nobody’s gonna hurt you or try to hurt you or anything like that. Alright I give you my word on that. Alright you understand that . Robert PICKTON: Um, hum. Um, hum. Sgt. Bill FORDY: Okay. Because I am a police officer though um, I do have a job Page 1 of 252 INTERVIEW OF ROBERT PICKTON – PROJECT EVENHANDED 2001E-1388 – FEBRUARY 23, 2002 to do okay. And you were arrested yesterday um, for ah, murder. Robert PICKTON: Right. Sgt. Bill FORDY: For a couple of murders. Right. Robert PICKTON: That’s what they say. Sgt. Bill FORDY: Okay. Robert PICKTON: Um, hum. Sgt. Bill FORDY: You, you were um, arrested yesterday in ah, at the work site right? Robert PICKTON: Um, hum. Sgt. Bill FORDY: Okay, by a fella and you were told that um, you know, you’re under arrest for two murders and... Robert PICKTON: That’s what they say yeah. Sgt. Bill FORDY: Okay. And that, that’s actually what’s happening is you know, charges already have been laid, information an, information an, is the, the actual charges that get sworn before ah, you know an officer of the court and the police have done ah, pretty, started to do a pretty thorough investigation. What they’ve done is they have al, they have formally charged you with two murders. Alright and you were told about those yesterday. In addition to those... Robert PICKTON: I was told about them today. That’s besides the point. I mean I was charged yesterday but I was told about ‘em today. Sgt. Bill FORDY: Okay. Um, but you were arrested yesterday? Robert PICKTON: Yeah. Sgt. Bill FORDY: Yeah, okay. In addition to those two murders ah, Rob, the police are also investigating obviously the disappearance of you know approximately fifty ah, workers... Robert PICKTON: (LAUGHING) Sgt. Bill FORDY: ...in ... Robert PICKTON: Oh well. Page 2 of 252 INTERVIEW OF ROBERT PICKTON – PROJECT EVENHANDED 2001E-1388 – FEBRUARY 23, 2002 Sgt. Bill FORDY: …from the downtown Eastside. Okay now, I see you’re laughing there. Let me clarify something okay. Robert PICKTON: Okay. Sgt. Bill FORDY: You haven’t been charged with those fifty murders. Robert PICKTON: (LAUGHING) I think, I don’t think so. Sgt. Bill FORDY: Alright. Robert PICKTON: Anything can be. Sgt. Bill FORDY: Okay, well I ow, I’m not here to trick you… Robert PICKTON: Oh. Sgt. Bill FORDY: ...alright and that’s why I’m explaining things to you here. You have been charged with two. Alright and the investigation as you can imagine it’s, it’s pretty significant you know, you got, you’re like the Pope for Christ sakes (CHUCKLES). And um, but one thing that I’m obliged to do and other police officers are obliged to do Rob, is when you’re being investigated for something, we’re obliged to tell you what you’re being investigated for. And that’s why you were told yesterday and/or this morning about all the other murders that ah, you’re being investigated for . Now I didn’t say you’ve been charged with those murders okay. Just that I want to make sure that you, you’ve got that clear in your head. Now I know that yesterday, when you were brought in ah, that you spoke with your lawyer. Last night I guess right. Robert PICKTON: Um, hum. (NODDING) Sgt. Bill FORDY: Okay. Now your conversations with your lawyer are privileged. Right. Robert PICKTON: What? Sgt. Bill FORDY: What, what that means is that you don’t have to tell me anything that your lawyer said to you. Alright. Robert PICKTON: Yeah. Sgt. Bill FORDY: You have, you have a, an agreement between each other. You’re, you’re the person that’s obviously in this situation, Page 3 of 252 INTERVIEW OF ROBERT PICKTON – PROJECT EVENHANDED 2001E-1388 – FEBRUARY 23, 2002 Robert PICKTON: No kidding. Sgt Bill FORDY . .she’s the person... Robert PICKTON: No kidding. Sgt. Bill FORDY: ...that give you. Yeah, I know, I can’t imagine how you feel. Probably got a million questions going through your head and my job is to answer some of those questions today here for you. Right. But when you saw your lawyer, your lawyer gives you advice okay. And you don’t have to talk to me about what that advice is you know, I’m sure I know what it is and, and quite frankly I’d be very surprised if it was anything other than, you know, don’t talk to the police. Robert PICKTON: Yes, that was, I was aware of that too. Sgt. Bill FORDY: Okay good. Generally that’s what ah, the advice that they give. And you know what, I’m not going to ah, badmouth your lawyer or, or suggest anything um, ah, to you um, to try to change your position because you get your advice from a lawyer right. My job as a police officer right, is to come in here and try to find the truth about what you’re involvement is in this you know, humongous investigation. Obviously ah, Rob as a police officer and as a person I would like you to tell me exactly what your involvement is. Right. If any in ah, this, this massive investigation. Robert PICKTON: I don’t know what’s’ going on. Sgt. Bill FORDY: Okay. And I’m gonna explain a lot of those things to you Rob. Okay. So I’m gonna ask that you be patient with me. Alright. Because um, there is a lot of stuff for me to explain to you and I want to make sure that I do it a good job, do a good job. But one of the things that I really, really want to ah, make sure that I’m con, confident with and that you’re comfortable with is that you understand the seriousness of this investigation. Alright. Robert PICKTON: (SIGHS) Yeah, I guess so. Sgt. Bill FORDY: Okay. So you understand that you are charged with two murders? Robert PICKTON: That’s what they say yeah. Sgt. Bill FORDY: Yeah. Well you have been charged okay. Robert PICKTON: That’s what they say. Page 4 of 252 INTERVIEW OF ROBERT PICKTON – PROJECT EVENHANDED 2001E-1388 – FEBRUARY 23, 2002 Sgt. Bill FORDY: Okay, the police what they’ve done is they’ve gathered evidence and they’ve met with Crown Prosecutors and based on the evidence as it stands, stands now, they’ve decided that yes ah, the evidence is at such a level that you know, it’s in the public’s interest for us to lay an information, or lay a charge. Robert PICKTON: Okay. Sgt. Bill FORDY: Okay. Do you understand that? Robert PICKTON: Yes. Sgt. Bill FORDY: Alright. And based on the way the investigation’s going and the way that the evidence is coming in, you’re also suspected of, of ah, being involved in the disappearance and murder of the other girls. Robert PICKTON: (LAUGHING) Sgt. Bill FORDY: Alright. Robert PICKTON: Well... Sgt. Bill FORDY: Yeah, and I know it might, it might seem um, humorous but you know, and I guess, and there probably is a side that you want to share with me but I’m just obliged to tell you that and I’m gonna treat you with respect and dignity Rob, I’m telling you that up front okay.