1 00:00:08,593 --> 00:00:09,970 (Operator speaking) 2 00:00:10,053 --> 00:00:11,972 (Bryan speaking) 3 00:00:29,322 --> 00:00:31,616 Bryan: There's nothing in this world 4 00:00:31,700 --> 00:00:34,744 that compares to having to take a life. 5 00:00:35,579 --> 00:00:36,580 Nothing. 6 00:00:39,791 --> 00:00:40,911 Bryan on recording: Oh, god. 7 00:00:42,544 --> 00:00:45,264 Bryan: All I do is think about every second of what happened that day. 8 00:00:45,297 --> 00:00:47,674 And if there was another option, 9 00:00:47,757 --> 00:00:49,009 I didn't know it. 10 00:00:52,637 --> 00:00:55,765 Bryan on recording: I couldn't take it no more, sir. 11 00:00:59,352 --> 00:01:01,396 Bryan: I'm looking at the rest of my life in prison 12 00:01:01,521 --> 00:01:04,190 but no matter what the outcome of this, 13 00:01:04,316 --> 00:01:07,027 my mind will always be trapped in a prison cell. 14 00:01:07,152 --> 00:01:10,530 You'll never escape that, no matter what. 15 00:01:10,655 --> 00:01:12,741 (Operator speaking) 16 00:01:12,866 --> 00:01:14,826 (Bryan speaking) 17 00:01:34,095 --> 00:01:36,514 Announcer: This is news channel 11 at noon. 18 00:01:36,598 --> 00:01:38,350 A man accused of first‐degree murder 19 00:01:38,433 --> 00:01:40,393 in the shooting death of his wife in January 20 00:01:40,477 --> 00:01:43,355 had his case bound over to the grand jury this week. 21 00:01:43,396 --> 00:01:47,192 Bryan Lawson is charged with first‐degree murder and reckless endangerment 22 00:01:47,275 --> 00:01:50,195 in the death of his wife, Beth chandra Lawson. 23 00:01:50,236 --> 00:01:52,405 Church hill police say a home surveillance system 24 00:01:52,530 --> 00:01:54,574 recorded Lawson shooting his wife. 25 00:01:54,658 --> 00:01:56,701 Investigators said that video also showed 26 00:01:56,743 --> 00:01:58,953 the pair in an argument before the shooting. 27 00:01:59,079 --> 00:02:04,125 The couple's small child was standing beside chandra Lawson when she was shot. 28 00:02:14,386 --> 00:02:16,012 Larry: It's a very serious charge. 29 00:02:16,137 --> 00:02:18,014 It's not a death penalty charge, 30 00:02:18,139 --> 00:02:20,850 but it is a first‐degree murder charge. 31 00:02:20,934 --> 00:02:24,270 Theoretically, he could go to jail for the rest of his life 32 00:02:25,730 --> 00:02:28,441 and he believes that he has a good case of self‐defense 33 00:02:28,566 --> 00:02:31,778 because he was in an abusive relationship. 34 00:02:33,363 --> 00:02:37,367 The state's going to argue that it was not self‐defense, that he intended to do this, 35 00:02:37,492 --> 00:02:39,202 but my personal feeling is, 36 00:02:39,285 --> 00:02:41,496 when the jury does see what was taking place, 37 00:02:41,579 --> 00:02:45,834 they're going to realize that he had to defend himself 38 00:02:46,751 --> 00:02:49,129 and he doesn't wish to harm or hurt anyone. 39 00:02:49,879 --> 00:02:51,381 (Knocks on door) 40 00:02:52,340 --> 00:02:53,526 Larry: Hey, Bryan. Bryan: Hey, Larry. 41 00:02:53,550 --> 00:02:54,676 How you doing? All right. 42 00:02:56,720 --> 00:02:58,447 Larry: We're gonna look at the film, okay? Bryan: Okay. 43 00:02:58,471 --> 00:03:01,808 The events that led up to the actual shooting. 44 00:03:19,325 --> 00:03:20,577 Larry: Why don't you tell us, 45 00:03:20,702 --> 00:03:22,746 what the plans were this morning? 46 00:03:22,871 --> 00:03:26,374 Bryan: I got up that morning, sitting there waiting on her. 47 00:03:26,458 --> 00:03:29,711 She was in the bedroom, watching TV. 48 00:03:29,836 --> 00:03:31,588 I went back, 49 00:03:31,713 --> 00:03:34,007 she opened the door, greeted me, 50 00:03:34,090 --> 00:03:35,842 it was fine at that point. 51 00:03:36,718 --> 00:03:39,429 And I started saying, "hey, we gotta go. 52 00:03:39,554 --> 00:03:42,307 "We're already behind schedule, running late." 53 00:03:46,394 --> 00:03:50,482 And she snapped. 54 00:04:08,917 --> 00:04:10,919 Larry: Is there a reason why you just didn't get up 55 00:04:11,002 --> 00:04:12,188 and hit her back at that point? 56 00:04:12,212 --> 00:04:14,214 I was too scared to. 57 00:04:22,263 --> 00:04:24,182 Larry: Why do you think she continued to hit you 58 00:04:24,265 --> 00:04:26,601 as many times as she did on the video? 59 00:04:26,726 --> 00:04:29,395 She enjoyed it in these states. 60 00:04:30,480 --> 00:04:32,273 When she got into these fits of violence, 61 00:04:32,398 --> 00:04:33,775 anything was possible. 62 00:04:37,403 --> 00:04:39,823 She was very dangerous. 63 00:05:00,552 --> 00:05:03,137 Had I said the wrong word right here, 64 00:05:03,221 --> 00:05:04,472 she would have killed me. 65 00:05:04,556 --> 00:05:05,866 She would have hit you with the bat. 66 00:05:05,890 --> 00:05:06,891 Yes. 67 00:05:07,016 --> 00:05:10,395 And my whole goal during this situation was 68 00:05:10,520 --> 00:05:13,481 to do everything to calm her down, 69 00:05:13,565 --> 00:05:16,317 any sign of aggression would have pushed her further. 70 00:05:20,196 --> 00:05:21,322 Larry: Why do you think 71 00:05:21,406 --> 00:05:23,575 she tries to strike the ground where your feet are? 72 00:05:23,700 --> 00:05:27,829 She knows that my left foot on this side is crippled. 73 00:05:28,955 --> 00:05:32,333 And she knows that my foot's been through multiple, multiple operations. 74 00:05:32,417 --> 00:05:37,672 She was trying to cause me the most pain and anguish she could that day. 75 00:05:42,886 --> 00:05:45,680 Larry: How many different times would you say, over the years, 76 00:05:45,763 --> 00:05:48,433 she's used the ball bat on you? 77 00:05:48,558 --> 00:05:51,477 At least 10, 15 times. 78 00:05:51,561 --> 00:05:52,729 Okay. 79 00:05:52,854 --> 00:05:55,165 What about hit you in the throat with her fist or her knuckles? 80 00:05:55,189 --> 00:05:56,441 Almost every time. 81 00:05:56,524 --> 00:06:00,778 And that would be upwards of hundreds of times. 82 00:06:03,865 --> 00:06:06,034 Larry: The video speaks for itself 83 00:06:06,159 --> 00:06:10,580 and that is very important to your defense in this case. 84 00:06:10,705 --> 00:06:12,040 If it wasn't for the video, 85 00:06:12,081 --> 00:06:14,208 you'd be looking at a serious amount of time 86 00:06:14,292 --> 00:06:17,337 but I suspect the state's gonna argue 87 00:06:17,420 --> 00:06:20,423 you did this knowing it was all gonna be on camera 88 00:06:20,548 --> 00:06:23,009 and set her up to cause her to beat on you, 89 00:06:23,051 --> 00:06:26,638 get her started beating on you so you could, in essence, pull the trigger. 90 00:06:28,973 --> 00:06:30,600 You need to be able to tell the jury 91 00:06:30,683 --> 00:06:34,437 why you had an internal security system in your apartment. 92 00:06:34,520 --> 00:06:36,481 About a year prior to this, 93 00:06:36,564 --> 00:06:39,192 one night, I went out and I caught a girl that, 94 00:06:39,317 --> 00:06:40,860 about a week before had been arrested 95 00:06:40,944 --> 00:06:42,487 for breaking into another apartment. 96 00:06:42,570 --> 00:06:43,571 So, me and my wife 97 00:06:43,696 --> 00:06:45,490 decided to get a surveillance camera 98 00:06:45,573 --> 00:06:47,992 in case our apartment was broken into. 99 00:06:48,076 --> 00:06:49,118 She picked them out, 100 00:06:49,243 --> 00:06:50,495 she purchased them, 101 00:06:50,578 --> 00:06:52,830 she brought them home, and I had them installed. 102 00:06:55,875 --> 00:06:58,461 I'd been with her almost 10 years at this point 103 00:06:58,544 --> 00:07:02,757 and she abused and abused and abused on me. 104 00:07:02,882 --> 00:07:04,676 And I took it 105 00:07:04,801 --> 00:07:06,970 because there was no controlling her. 106 00:07:09,138 --> 00:07:12,016 And right here, she says, "I haven't decided for sure 107 00:07:12,141 --> 00:07:14,227 "how you're gonna die but you're going to." 108 00:07:23,277 --> 00:07:25,697 Why did you not walk away from this? 109 00:07:25,822 --> 00:07:29,617 I couldn't leave my son, she had him in the back room. 110 00:07:30,576 --> 00:07:33,079 And I believe that had I left 111 00:07:33,204 --> 00:07:37,333 or even called the police, before they would have got there, 112 00:07:37,667 --> 00:07:38,876 she would have took our lives. 113 00:07:39,877 --> 00:07:42,005 Larry: Was there access to weapons? 114 00:07:42,130 --> 00:07:46,300 She had a 12‐gauge, three‐and‐a‐half inch Magnum 115 00:07:46,384 --> 00:07:48,136 set up to shoot. 116 00:07:48,219 --> 00:07:50,680 It was hanging in her bedroom a little while. 117 00:07:50,805 --> 00:07:54,142 Also there was a Taurus .38 special back there. 118 00:07:55,643 --> 00:07:58,104 And right here's when I retrieved the pistol 119 00:07:58,229 --> 00:08:00,231 from behind the couch, 120 00:08:00,314 --> 00:08:03,735 and I just got it, put it in my pocket for safety, 121 00:08:04,569 --> 00:08:07,196 tried to defend me and my son's life 122 00:08:07,238 --> 00:08:08,740 to the best of my ability. 123 00:08:29,052 --> 00:08:30,852 Larry: There's no dispute that Bryan shot her. 124 00:08:30,887 --> 00:08:33,264 There's no dispute that he said he shot her. 125 00:08:33,347 --> 00:08:36,768 The dispute is why he did it. 126 00:08:40,229 --> 00:08:42,857 I kept the domestic abuse a secret 127 00:08:42,940 --> 00:08:44,567 because I didn't want people to know 128 00:08:44,692 --> 00:08:47,195 that she was doing things like that. 129 00:08:48,571 --> 00:08:50,573 I didn't know what to do. 130 00:08:51,699 --> 00:08:54,702 There's no class for me and other guys to say, 131 00:08:54,827 --> 00:08:56,621 "hey, if your wife's beating you, 132 00:08:56,746 --> 00:08:57,747 "you need to do this, 133 00:08:57,830 --> 00:08:59,749 "these are the steps you need to take 134 00:08:59,832 --> 00:09:02,335 "if you're having these types of problems in a relationship." 135 00:09:03,669 --> 00:09:07,840 I'm 6'5". 250, 260 pounds. 136 00:09:07,965 --> 00:09:10,343 Why didn't you jump up and do anything?" 137 00:09:10,468 --> 00:09:12,678 Well, if I would have hit her, 138 00:09:12,804 --> 00:09:14,680 she would have killed me for sure. 139 00:09:18,893 --> 00:09:22,522 I tell you, one time, I did get mad enough to leave 140 00:09:22,605 --> 00:09:25,191 and she got a pistol out and put it in her mouth 141 00:09:25,316 --> 00:09:27,860 and had it not jammed, she would have killed herself. 142 00:09:33,199 --> 00:09:35,451 You know I love her just as much right now 143 00:09:35,576 --> 00:09:37,703 as I did the first day I met her. 144 00:09:37,787 --> 00:09:39,122 And I always will. 145 00:09:42,959 --> 00:09:45,002 I wish I would have done something different. 146 00:09:45,086 --> 00:09:48,714 It just spiraled out of control. 147 00:09:53,219 --> 00:09:56,055 Well, he's certainly guilty of pulling the trigger. 148 00:09:56,180 --> 00:10:00,935 Now, did he have reason to feel that his life was in danger? 149 00:10:01,018 --> 00:10:02,770 And that he was defending himself? 150 00:10:02,895 --> 00:10:05,148 I certainly think he does. Yes, I do. 151 00:10:05,231 --> 00:10:08,276 I think it's a classic case of self‐defense. 152 00:10:28,629 --> 00:10:33,384 Bryan: I met chandra when I was probably about 24, 25 years old. 153 00:10:33,509 --> 00:10:37,722 I guess it was just one of those love‐at‐first‐sight things. 154 00:10:39,682 --> 00:10:43,561 It was a fire that I was attracted to 155 00:10:43,686 --> 00:10:46,856 and it was not only warm to feel around you 156 00:10:46,939 --> 00:10:49,317 but it was beautiful to gaze upon. 157 00:10:51,319 --> 00:10:54,071 There were no bad times for so long. 158 00:10:54,197 --> 00:10:56,032 Everything was just beautiful. 159 00:10:57,700 --> 00:11:00,411 She was my queen to put on a pedestal. 160 00:11:03,831 --> 00:11:06,709 She was in the national guard at the time 161 00:11:06,834 --> 00:11:10,046 and she was about to do two tours of Iraq. 162 00:11:10,171 --> 00:11:13,216 But she got her neck broke during the training process. 163 00:11:16,010 --> 00:11:20,681 Due to her neck injury, they couldn't really deploy her. 164 00:11:22,892 --> 00:11:24,977 We turned to the doctors 165 00:11:25,061 --> 00:11:27,438 and they started giving her pain pills, 166 00:11:27,521 --> 00:11:30,983 hundreds and hundreds of narcotics a month. 167 00:11:31,484 --> 00:11:33,361 And then before you know it, 168 00:11:35,905 --> 00:11:37,782 she'd become addicted to it. 169 00:11:39,992 --> 00:11:42,912 I mean the love we had for each other, 170 00:11:43,037 --> 00:11:45,289 nothing could stop us in the beginning, 171 00:11:46,374 --> 00:11:49,669 but when the drugs came in, it just... 172 00:11:49,752 --> 00:11:51,462 It destroyed a lot of it. 173 00:12:09,730 --> 00:12:12,066 Larry: I interviewed Dr. Tom schock yesterday. 174 00:12:12,149 --> 00:12:15,987 The forensic psychologist who's been furnished 175 00:12:16,070 --> 00:12:18,030 substantial mental health records 176 00:12:18,114 --> 00:12:22,868 of the deceased lady, chandra Beth Lawson. 177 00:12:22,952 --> 00:12:26,080 What her mental health records show is that 178 00:12:26,205 --> 00:12:30,835 she was a substance abuser and she had a bipolar condition. 179 00:12:32,753 --> 00:12:35,923 Substance abuse mixed with a bipolar condition 180 00:12:36,382 --> 00:12:39,510 directly results to a problem with violence. 181 00:12:40,553 --> 00:12:45,349 Is he in a position to say that the medications that she was on 182 00:12:45,391 --> 00:12:48,686 or abusing exacerbated the bipolar disorder? 183 00:12:48,769 --> 00:12:50,021 Aggravated it. Okay. 184 00:12:50,146 --> 00:12:53,858 He went ahead to say people who have a bipolar condition 185 00:12:53,941 --> 00:12:56,193 and people who are substance abusers 186 00:12:56,277 --> 00:12:58,988 are six times more likely to commit a violent act 187 00:12:59,071 --> 00:13:00,823 than the average everyday person. 188 00:13:00,906 --> 00:13:03,534 And we also know that we have a document 189 00:13:03,576 --> 00:13:10,458 in her mental health file which says, when manic, she abuses her husband. 190 00:13:10,583 --> 00:13:13,669 That document itself it's a gold‐plated document 191 00:13:13,794 --> 00:13:15,921 that we wanna be sure and get into the record. 192 00:13:31,103 --> 00:13:35,107 Bryan: I was born with what they call severe clubfoot. 193 00:13:35,232 --> 00:13:38,778 It was almost turned completely backwards. 194 00:13:38,903 --> 00:13:44,200 From six months to 17, I had surgeries all the time. 195 00:13:44,325 --> 00:13:45,325 Doctors... 196 00:13:46,869 --> 00:13:49,890 You get to the point where there's nothing they can do other than take it off. 197 00:13:49,914 --> 00:13:52,958 So, it was pain management from then on out. 198 00:13:55,961 --> 00:14:00,424 I've been on morphine, I've been on opana. 199 00:14:00,508 --> 00:14:04,220 Any pain medication that there is out there, I've been on it. 200 00:14:06,013 --> 00:14:09,892 You keep getting more and more and more and then you start abusing them. 201 00:14:09,975 --> 00:14:11,602 You start crushing them. 202 00:14:11,727 --> 00:14:13,020 You start snorting them. 203 00:14:13,145 --> 00:14:18,067 And then you wake up one morning and you say "I'm a junkie." 204 00:14:21,237 --> 00:14:27,118 You know, I've ruined my hands, my arms, it's all from shooting up 205 00:14:27,243 --> 00:14:29,370 and when you get to that stage... 206 00:14:30,704 --> 00:14:32,498 It's hard to come back. 207 00:14:35,418 --> 00:14:40,840 I was in rehab, called home to check in with my wife, 208 00:14:40,881 --> 00:14:42,508 she said she was pregnant. 209 00:14:44,677 --> 00:14:45,677 And it hit me... 210 00:14:46,720 --> 00:14:48,305 And I thought, "oh, god, 211 00:14:48,389 --> 00:14:50,949 "if you take the needles out of my arm, I wouldn't put them back." 212 00:14:52,059 --> 00:14:54,645 And I left the drugs and I left them behind. 213 00:15:02,069 --> 00:15:05,448 I think him being born saved my life. 214 00:15:08,159 --> 00:15:10,327 And I have never shot up since. 215 00:15:13,080 --> 00:15:15,374 But she never gave up the needle, 216 00:15:15,499 --> 00:15:17,960 and I never could convince her to. 217 00:15:20,045 --> 00:15:24,425 The worse the drugs got, the worse the violence got. 218 00:15:26,552 --> 00:15:29,555 Had we been able to skip the drugs, 219 00:15:32,349 --> 00:15:34,560 we wouldn't be sitting here right now. 220 00:15:53,996 --> 00:15:57,958 Larry: Okay, Bryan, are you telling me, without an absolute doubt, 221 00:15:58,083 --> 00:16:00,586 that this woman mainlined every day? 222 00:16:00,711 --> 00:16:01,587 Bryan: Yes. 223 00:16:01,670 --> 00:16:03,547 Every day? Every day. 224 00:16:03,672 --> 00:16:04,673 Three times a day? 225 00:16:04,757 --> 00:16:06,175 Three times a day. 226 00:16:06,300 --> 00:16:10,513 She would go into the bedroom, back bedroom, where the camera's at, 227 00:16:10,596 --> 00:16:15,518 shut and lock the door because she didn't want kids or nobody to walk in on her, 228 00:16:15,601 --> 00:16:16,936 and she shot up. 229 00:16:17,019 --> 00:16:19,230 It's on that video, I promise you. 230 00:16:28,197 --> 00:16:30,533 So we want to try to see what's going on here. 231 00:16:34,245 --> 00:16:37,081 If it does show her using drugs intravenously, 232 00:16:37,206 --> 00:16:39,291 that could be very important to us. 233 00:16:39,416 --> 00:16:42,461 We can show that she's not an innocent victim, 234 00:16:42,545 --> 00:16:46,465 her actions are as much as what led to the event 235 00:16:46,549 --> 00:16:49,468 as anything, if not the lead cause of it. 236 00:16:49,552 --> 00:16:52,263 So I think it's important to show that to the jury. 237 00:16:58,394 --> 00:17:01,438 I don't know. It's not working is all I can say. 238 00:17:01,564 --> 00:17:03,857 It's not playing it. It's not a video file. 239 00:17:04,567 --> 00:17:06,652 There could be some exculpatory evidence on this 240 00:17:06,735 --> 00:17:09,530 that we really could hang our hat on, 241 00:17:09,572 --> 00:17:11,699 but it could potentially prove problematic for us 242 00:17:11,782 --> 00:17:14,201 if we can't access or see it. 243 00:17:17,663 --> 00:17:18,872 Larry: Okay, Bryan, 244 00:17:18,998 --> 00:17:22,042 let's just bring you up to date a little bit on what's going on. 245 00:17:22,167 --> 00:17:24,211 We've been working on this camera footage. 246 00:17:24,336 --> 00:17:28,465 We've been unable to pull it up and I think it's part of the state's attempt 247 00:17:28,549 --> 00:17:31,510 to try to keep us from getting that information 248 00:17:31,635 --> 00:17:35,055 because it shows that this lady had a problem with drugs. 249 00:17:35,180 --> 00:17:36,741 I don't know why they're having such trouble. 250 00:17:36,765 --> 00:17:39,310 They handed us over the first 24 hours. 251 00:17:39,393 --> 00:17:40,561 More likely than not, 252 00:17:40,686 --> 00:17:42,855 they'd prefer us not to have this information. 253 00:17:44,273 --> 00:17:45,733 That's my personal opinion. 254 00:17:45,816 --> 00:17:47,818 They should be able to just hand it over. 255 00:17:47,901 --> 00:17:49,528 I think there's a problem there. 256 00:17:49,570 --> 00:17:50,904 Wait and see. 257 00:18:04,126 --> 00:18:07,630 Today, I'm going to court for a motions hearing. 258 00:18:08,881 --> 00:18:12,217 We've asked for the footage from the camera system 259 00:18:12,301 --> 00:18:14,178 that was operating in my house at the time 260 00:18:14,261 --> 00:18:17,973 and the hard drive they sent was completely blank. 261 00:18:18,057 --> 00:18:21,185 So, that's going to be the biggest issue we're addressing. 262 00:18:23,395 --> 00:18:26,231 It's a really big deal because if we go to trial, 263 00:18:26,315 --> 00:18:29,943 we need all that footage to compile a good defense. 264 00:18:39,244 --> 00:18:43,999 Court official: All rise for the honorable judge John dugger, presiding. 265 00:18:44,083 --> 00:18:45,834 Thank you. Be seated. Good morning. 266 00:18:45,918 --> 00:18:48,587 This is case number 17cr070, 267 00:18:48,671 --> 00:18:51,256 state of Tennessee v. Bryan Lawson. 268 00:18:51,382 --> 00:18:53,717 Now, there was a motion about... 269 00:18:53,842 --> 00:18:59,848 You have a copy of the video by the tbi, a hard drive or something, 270 00:18:59,973 --> 00:19:02,893 that's been downloaded, that you're not able to open it. 271 00:19:03,018 --> 00:19:04,996 Larry: The point I'd like to make is this, your honor 272 00:19:05,020 --> 00:19:08,357 is they were able to give us that 45 minutes of the incident 273 00:19:08,482 --> 00:19:11,026 when the shooting began and ended. 274 00:19:11,110 --> 00:19:12,170 What I saw in the courtroom. 275 00:19:12,194 --> 00:19:13,487 What you saw in the courtroom, 276 00:19:13,570 --> 00:19:15,290 why can't they just give it to us like that? 277 00:19:15,364 --> 00:19:16,532 Well, your honor, 278 00:19:16,615 --> 00:19:18,283 we don't have any obligation 279 00:19:18,367 --> 00:19:20,369 to provide voluminous material 280 00:19:20,494 --> 00:19:22,746 that we don't think is remotely relevant. 281 00:19:22,830 --> 00:19:24,373 Of course, it's relevant 282 00:19:24,456 --> 00:19:28,627 we don't think we should spend our time or taxpayer money to produce something 283 00:19:28,711 --> 00:19:31,630 that's never going to see the light of day in the courtroom. 284 00:19:31,714 --> 00:19:33,074 What do you want to say about that? 285 00:19:33,173 --> 00:19:36,593 Larry: I think this is something that's exculpatory to him 286 00:19:36,719 --> 00:19:41,473 from the standpoint of how often, daily, she used these syringes. 287 00:19:41,557 --> 00:19:44,017 Let's assume, for the sake of argument, 288 00:19:44,143 --> 00:19:46,228 that she was using every day. 289 00:19:47,187 --> 00:19:51,442 What is the possible relevance to why he shot her three times? 290 00:19:51,525 --> 00:19:53,402 What is the possible relevance? 291 00:19:53,527 --> 00:19:56,196 I'll tell you exactly what the relevance is. 292 00:19:56,321 --> 00:19:58,782 A person who has a bipolar personality 293 00:19:58,907 --> 00:20:03,203 and who is addicted to any kind of opiate‐type medication 294 00:20:03,287 --> 00:20:06,290 is six times more likely to commit a violent act. 295 00:20:07,291 --> 00:20:09,460 Okay. So I am telling the state 296 00:20:09,543 --> 00:20:11,462 that they need to, technology‐wise, 297 00:20:11,545 --> 00:20:14,673 make sure that the tbi technology person talks to him 298 00:20:14,757 --> 00:20:17,092 so they can look at it. Yes, sir. 299 00:20:17,217 --> 00:20:18,844 I want this done before February. 300 00:20:18,969 --> 00:20:21,573 We're not getting to February and going, "I didn't get to see all the hours." 301 00:20:21,597 --> 00:20:23,682 This case needs to be tried. 302 00:20:24,475 --> 00:20:26,310 Court's adjourned. Thank you. 303 00:20:42,242 --> 00:20:45,496 Liam is my wife's son. 304 00:20:45,579 --> 00:20:47,331 So, he'd be my stepson. 305 00:20:49,166 --> 00:20:50,918 I was with him for about 10 years 306 00:20:51,001 --> 00:20:54,630 and we had a really great relationship. 307 00:20:55,589 --> 00:20:57,966 He's absolutely a great kid. 308 00:20:58,050 --> 00:20:59,927 From day one, I loved him. 309 00:21:09,728 --> 00:21:12,064 We don't get into the details of what happened. 310 00:21:12,189 --> 00:21:14,733 We're trying to help each other move on 311 00:21:15,400 --> 00:21:17,653 but I've got to be realistic about it. 312 00:21:17,736 --> 00:21:20,280 No matter what the reasons that I had that day, 313 00:21:20,364 --> 00:21:21,824 that's still his mother. 314 00:21:22,741 --> 00:21:23,742 (Doorbell rings) 315 00:21:27,246 --> 00:21:28,956 Come on in, buddy. Howdy. 316 00:21:29,081 --> 00:21:29,873 Good to see you. 317 00:21:29,915 --> 00:21:32,417 (Grunting) I love you so much. 318 00:21:32,501 --> 00:21:34,044 Liam: I love you, too. (Grunts) 319 00:21:34,169 --> 00:21:35,169 Good to see you. 320 00:21:35,212 --> 00:21:37,381 Come on. Let's go get you something to drink. 321 00:21:41,844 --> 00:21:43,846 So it's great to have you here. 322 00:21:43,971 --> 00:21:46,515 You have no idea what it does for me. 323 00:21:46,640 --> 00:21:48,976 I have something to be happy about. 324 00:21:49,059 --> 00:21:51,436 I just think it's no good to hold hate toward somebody. 325 00:21:51,562 --> 00:21:53,021 You're right, you're right. 326 00:21:53,063 --> 00:21:55,774 What good does it do to me to sit in a room 327 00:21:55,858 --> 00:21:58,569 and just be filled with anger towards you? 328 00:21:58,694 --> 00:22:00,362 And nothing good comes from anger. 329 00:22:00,445 --> 00:22:03,907 You can see that anywhere, anytime. 330 00:22:04,032 --> 00:22:08,704 These situations with drugs and domestic violence... 331 00:22:08,829 --> 00:22:10,163 I've lived through it. Right. 332 00:22:10,247 --> 00:22:12,642 I've been on one end of it, you've been on the other end of it. 333 00:22:12,666 --> 00:22:14,293 I knew something was going on 334 00:22:14,418 --> 00:22:15,961 and it was causing problems. Right. 335 00:22:16,044 --> 00:22:19,673 I hope you can forgive me for those times. 336 00:22:19,756 --> 00:22:22,968 And I apologize to you for that from the bottom of my heart. 337 00:22:24,386 --> 00:22:27,264 So... 'Cause, I love you. 338 00:22:27,389 --> 00:22:31,977 You coming to see me and you coming to hang out with me... 339 00:22:33,270 --> 00:22:36,148 It's the best thing I have going in my life right now. 340 00:22:37,024 --> 00:22:38,191 God love you. 341 00:22:38,275 --> 00:22:39,610 God love you. 342 00:22:41,737 --> 00:22:43,947 I love you, Liam. I love you, too, buddy. 343 00:22:45,657 --> 00:22:49,953 Liam: I loved my mom she was a very good mother she was very supportive, 344 00:22:50,037 --> 00:22:54,583 she was always there, but my mother had a bit of a temper 345 00:22:54,708 --> 00:22:56,877 and she let her anger take the best of her. 346 00:22:57,210 --> 00:22:59,838 I didn't like the arguing, I didn't like the yelling, 347 00:22:59,922 --> 00:23:05,177 the fussing, those moments were what... 348 00:23:05,302 --> 00:23:06,470 Um... 349 00:23:07,471 --> 00:23:09,139 It was just a hard thing to deal with. 350 00:23:10,098 --> 00:23:12,267 It was a terrible thing that she died, 351 00:23:13,060 --> 00:23:18,357 but you can't keep that hate because anger will destroy you. 352 00:23:19,441 --> 00:23:23,111 When my stepson comes to me and tells me he still loves me, 353 00:23:23,236 --> 00:23:27,074 that's the greatest love I can ever have bestowed upon me. 354 00:23:27,199 --> 00:23:31,203 And you've become everything your mother would want you to become. 355 00:23:31,286 --> 00:23:33,872 And I want you to know that 356 00:23:33,997 --> 00:23:36,833 I may not necessarily be the right person to tell you this, 357 00:23:36,917 --> 00:23:38,377 that she would be proud of you, 358 00:23:38,418 --> 00:23:40,170 but she would be. 359 00:23:42,506 --> 00:23:44,716 To a degree, I have forgiven you, 360 00:23:44,841 --> 00:23:48,512 but you will always be the man that killed my mother. 361 00:23:50,263 --> 00:23:52,391 The level of trust that we had before 362 00:23:52,516 --> 00:23:54,559 is never going to be there fully, completely. 363 00:23:55,227 --> 00:23:57,896 There's damage done that's always gonna be there. 364 00:23:58,563 --> 00:24:00,565 We can still love each other, 365 00:24:01,233 --> 00:24:04,236 but we will never be there for each other in the same way that we were. 366 00:24:05,821 --> 00:24:08,073 You still have to atone for what you did. 367 00:24:08,198 --> 00:24:10,951 There still needs to be that justice served. 368 00:24:11,910 --> 00:24:14,830 And if that's your freedoms being taken away, 369 00:24:15,956 --> 00:24:19,543 whether it be five to 10 years, 370 00:24:19,668 --> 00:24:23,296 or 10 to 20 years, that's fine by me, I guess. 371 00:24:50,032 --> 00:24:52,617 Bryan: Larry has called me to come in 372 00:24:52,743 --> 00:24:54,828 and we're going to go through the video 373 00:24:55,370 --> 00:24:58,165 and I'm going to try to remember what was said. 374 00:24:59,166 --> 00:25:02,002 It makes you relive what happened that day, 375 00:25:03,128 --> 00:25:07,841 but without the video I wouldn't even have a shot at a defense. 376 00:25:09,051 --> 00:25:11,887 Who would have believed me? You know? 377 00:25:12,721 --> 00:25:15,265 Okay, Bryan you found anything new 378 00:25:15,390 --> 00:25:16,808 that appears to be different 379 00:25:16,892 --> 00:25:19,186 or enlightens you on anything that we've... 380 00:25:19,311 --> 00:25:21,063 There's a couple of things. 381 00:25:21,188 --> 00:25:24,274 One thing, I did notice this round about 8:07. 382 00:25:24,399 --> 00:25:28,070 She starts telling me that she will bash my brains in. 383 00:25:29,279 --> 00:25:32,741 She's telling me she wants my mother to have to clean my brains up. 384 00:25:33,909 --> 00:25:36,661 And that's why she gets the bat. 385 00:25:40,624 --> 00:25:42,793 My little boy was in the bedroom, 386 00:25:42,918 --> 00:25:45,170 she states that after she kills me, 387 00:25:45,253 --> 00:25:48,006 she's going to take Brayden and herself in the bathroom 388 00:25:48,090 --> 00:25:50,759 and get in the bathtub and cut their arteries with a scalpel. 389 00:25:53,386 --> 00:25:58,183 I tried to plead with her to put the bat down, stop talking about killing, 390 00:25:58,266 --> 00:26:01,812 but anything I say to her only makes her angrier. 391 00:26:02,813 --> 00:26:06,191 And then she very plainly points to the door 392 00:26:06,316 --> 00:26:08,819 and then she starts pointing at me. 393 00:26:08,902 --> 00:26:12,447 And then I remember now that she's telling me 394 00:26:12,572 --> 00:26:16,743 that no matter who comes in that door, everybody's dying. 395 00:26:19,162 --> 00:26:21,957 I ask her why she won't leave Brayden alone 396 00:26:22,958 --> 00:26:25,919 she said he was put on this earth to pay her back 397 00:26:26,044 --> 00:26:28,088 for every bad thing she'd ever done. 398 00:26:30,382 --> 00:26:32,151 Larry: There's your little boy patting his ears there. 399 00:26:32,175 --> 00:26:34,261 Bryan: Yes, because she's screaming. 400 00:26:36,763 --> 00:26:39,391 He's just as scared as I am. 401 00:26:43,770 --> 00:26:46,898 About 8:31 she brings Brayden into the room. 402 00:26:48,650 --> 00:26:52,362 Up to this point she's done nothing but tell me how she's going to kill him. 403 00:26:52,737 --> 00:26:55,240 So, for my own son's safety, 404 00:26:55,323 --> 00:26:58,160 I retrieved the pistol from behind the couch 405 00:26:59,327 --> 00:27:02,164 and I just put it in my pocket for safety. 406 00:27:04,332 --> 00:27:06,710 I didn't arm myself at the beginning. 407 00:27:06,835 --> 00:27:09,838 I armed myself when she convinced me that 408 00:27:09,921 --> 00:27:12,048 she was aiming to do him harm. 409 00:27:15,010 --> 00:27:18,013 Points at me, everybody's going to die 410 00:27:18,847 --> 00:27:20,390 Larry: Is that what she said? Yes, yes. 411 00:27:20,473 --> 00:27:24,227 Bryan: Right then. I wasn't going to risk his life. 412 00:27:24,352 --> 00:27:25,770 He was too precious. 413 00:27:27,063 --> 00:27:29,316 I couldn't take that chance. 414 00:27:33,486 --> 00:27:36,072 (Gunshots) 415 00:27:49,085 --> 00:27:51,087 After I pick up my little boy 416 00:27:51,213 --> 00:27:53,590 my whole intention was to get to that phone 417 00:27:53,673 --> 00:27:56,218 and get help as fast as possible. 418 00:27:57,594 --> 00:27:59,512 (Operator speaking) 419 00:27:59,638 --> 00:28:01,598 (Bryan speaking) 420 00:28:11,399 --> 00:28:13,276 (Operator speaking) 421 00:28:13,401 --> 00:28:14,527 (Bryan speaking) 422 00:28:22,452 --> 00:28:24,371 (Operator speaking) 423 00:28:24,454 --> 00:28:26,122 (Bryan speaking) 424 00:28:29,417 --> 00:28:31,586 (Operator speaking) 425 00:28:32,879 --> 00:28:35,131 (Bryan crying on recording) 426 00:28:38,385 --> 00:28:40,512 (Bryan speaking) 427 00:28:49,521 --> 00:28:51,106 That's it. 428 00:28:51,982 --> 00:28:53,400 (Sighs deeply) 429 00:29:06,538 --> 00:29:08,707 Bryan: Since those bullets left that pistol 430 00:29:09,165 --> 00:29:12,877 my mind has been nothing but pain and anguish. 431 00:29:14,838 --> 00:29:19,009 I regret she lost her life with all my heart and soul. 432 00:29:24,556 --> 00:29:28,768 All I do is think about every second of what happened that day. 433 00:29:29,227 --> 00:29:31,896 And if there was another option I didn't know it. 434 00:29:32,897 --> 00:29:35,191 I had to shoot my wife to save my son. 435 00:29:36,860 --> 00:29:40,196 But what I thought I did to save everything 436 00:29:40,947 --> 00:29:43,325 ended up being what made me lose everything. 437 00:29:53,460 --> 00:29:57,714 Bryan: The day that I was arrested, I was sitting in the police department 438 00:29:57,839 --> 00:30:00,675 and a tbi agent walked in and he says, 439 00:30:00,759 --> 00:30:05,180 "son, I got something I need to talk to you about." 440 00:30:05,263 --> 00:30:08,767 "Have you ever heard of this man?" And I said, "yes, I have." 441 00:30:09,351 --> 00:30:12,270 And he said, "have you ever heard 442 00:30:12,354 --> 00:30:14,147 "that he might be the father of your son?" 443 00:30:14,230 --> 00:30:16,649 And I said, "no, I have not. Never." 444 00:30:19,736 --> 00:30:24,115 He just showed up to the jail and said, "that's my son, 445 00:30:24,866 --> 00:30:26,534 "but nobody knows about it." 446 00:30:27,994 --> 00:30:30,455 I was still in such shock at what had happened that morning. 447 00:30:30,580 --> 00:30:36,378 I couldn't take it all in, but I thought there's no way. 448 00:30:38,171 --> 00:30:39,756 Me and Larry talked it through 449 00:30:39,881 --> 00:30:43,093 and he says we gotta do DNA immediately. 450 00:30:46,388 --> 00:30:48,640 So I get called in to Larry's. 451 00:30:50,308 --> 00:30:53,144 And then he gives me a copy of the DNA test. 452 00:30:54,646 --> 00:30:59,442 And it says Bryan Lawson is not the biological father. 453 00:31:00,110 --> 00:31:02,654 Bryan on recording: (Making playful noises) Yeah! 454 00:31:02,737 --> 00:31:04,406 I love you, love you. 455 00:31:11,955 --> 00:31:14,290 Brayden: No! No! 456 00:31:19,421 --> 00:31:22,424 Bryan: The most important thing in my world was that boy. 457 00:31:25,677 --> 00:31:30,682 It destroyed me because me and him had such a tight bond. 458 00:31:32,225 --> 00:31:33,852 In my heart, he's still mine, 459 00:31:34,561 --> 00:31:38,189 but they won't let me around him in any way, shape or form. 460 00:31:38,857 --> 00:31:40,066 So... 461 00:31:55,498 --> 00:31:58,710 My mom and my mother‐in‐law, chandra's mother, 462 00:31:59,210 --> 00:32:01,796 they have custody of him and he goes back and forth. 463 00:32:02,714 --> 00:32:09,053 I can't talk to him. I can't be anywhere he is. 464 00:32:10,305 --> 00:32:13,475 We go to trial and I win I can see him immediately. 465 00:32:13,892 --> 00:32:16,728 The court would have no reason to hold him from me. 466 00:32:18,396 --> 00:32:20,857 I miss him beyond belief. 467 00:32:20,940 --> 00:32:22,358 But... 468 00:32:23,735 --> 00:32:26,863 That little boy is what gives me the strength to keep living. 469 00:32:46,382 --> 00:32:48,927 Larry: Okay, Bryan, we're going to look at the film again, okay? 470 00:32:49,052 --> 00:32:50,052 Bryan: Okay. 471 00:32:50,094 --> 00:32:52,472 One of the cameras is in the bedroom, 472 00:32:52,555 --> 00:32:54,557 which is where we're looking at now. 473 00:32:54,682 --> 00:32:59,604 Yep. And I already found her shooting up four times. 474 00:33:01,689 --> 00:33:04,817 So, right now, she's got the syringe in her hand. 475 00:33:07,570 --> 00:33:09,989 Now this, is Brayden's personal blanket. 476 00:33:10,073 --> 00:33:11,950 And she lays it out there. 477 00:33:12,242 --> 00:33:13,576 And, uh... 478 00:33:14,035 --> 00:33:16,412 She shoots up on top of his blanket. 479 00:33:18,790 --> 00:33:19,666 So now it's going in. 480 00:33:19,749 --> 00:33:22,043 See the black plunger going down? Mmm‐hmm. 481 00:33:22,168 --> 00:33:23,795 She's getting it in, right there. 482 00:33:29,300 --> 00:33:32,095 She's gonna be more relaxed because she's got her fix. 483 00:33:32,220 --> 00:33:33,429 It's over and done. 484 00:33:33,555 --> 00:33:37,517 If she hadn't had any, that's when you would notice it. 485 00:33:37,642 --> 00:33:41,813 Well, the significance of this, that Dr. Schock tells me, 486 00:33:41,896 --> 00:33:44,691 is that, the day that all this event happened on, 487 00:33:44,774 --> 00:33:48,027 she didn't have an injection or we'll call it "a fix", 488 00:33:48,570 --> 00:33:50,488 and it made her far more agitated... Yes. 489 00:33:50,572 --> 00:33:52,091 Than she normally would've been... Yeah. 490 00:33:52,115 --> 00:33:56,202 And this triggered the event that ultimately took place. 491 00:33:58,830 --> 00:34:01,082 I think it would be wise at this point, 492 00:34:01,583 --> 00:34:04,836 that you let Daniel and me take these to the da's office. 493 00:34:05,295 --> 00:34:07,630 And let them see what's there to be seen. 494 00:34:07,714 --> 00:34:10,425 And it may help modify their position. 495 00:34:10,717 --> 00:34:11,718 Bryan: Okay. 496 00:34:13,052 --> 00:34:14,446 Larry: But let me tell you, if you didn't have that videotape, 497 00:34:14,470 --> 00:34:16,514 you'd be looking at 50 years. Bryan: Yeah. 498 00:34:17,223 --> 00:34:18,349 Absolutely. 499 00:34:33,990 --> 00:34:37,535 Bryan, you know, I think now, the state is beginning to realize 500 00:34:37,619 --> 00:34:40,705 that there might be a problem with their case. 501 00:34:40,747 --> 00:34:43,875 We were approached by the da's office, Dan Armstrong, 502 00:34:43,958 --> 00:34:48,671 and he's beginning to talk some sense about trying to make a deal. 503 00:34:49,130 --> 00:34:50,490 Daniel: What they have proposed is, 504 00:34:50,548 --> 00:34:52,884 that they've come down to voluntary manslaughter. 505 00:34:53,468 --> 00:34:56,971 But, instead of considering you a standard offender, 506 00:34:57,055 --> 00:34:59,349 they're gonna consider you a mitigated offender. 507 00:35:00,016 --> 00:35:02,226 That just means you'd serve 20% of your sentence. 508 00:35:02,352 --> 00:35:04,771 It'd be 15 years, 20%. 509 00:35:04,896 --> 00:35:06,856 So, you'd serve roughly three years 510 00:35:06,981 --> 00:35:09,359 and then you're eligible for parole. Okay. 511 00:35:09,484 --> 00:35:11,861 It doesn't mean you're automatically released, 512 00:35:11,944 --> 00:35:13,863 it means you get your parole hearing. 513 00:35:13,946 --> 00:35:14,864 Okay. Okay? 514 00:35:14,947 --> 00:35:17,700 Right now, and is that what you would advise? 515 00:35:17,825 --> 00:35:21,412 Well, I... The final, the final decision always has to be yours. 516 00:35:21,537 --> 00:35:23,289 But, you know, I think that you've got 517 00:35:23,414 --> 00:35:25,124 a very good chance of acquittal. 518 00:35:25,249 --> 00:35:28,836 This is as strong a case of self‐defense as I've ever seen. 519 00:35:30,505 --> 00:35:32,382 Daniel: I would like for Bryan to go to trial. 520 00:35:33,675 --> 00:35:36,302 If it goes perfectly, I think he gets acquitted. 521 00:35:37,261 --> 00:35:39,347 But, the thing about jury trials 522 00:35:39,472 --> 00:35:42,433 is you never know what a jury is gonna hang their hat on. 523 00:35:43,518 --> 00:35:45,478 You kind of roll the dice sometimes. 524 00:35:46,062 --> 00:35:47,647 But with this kind of case, 525 00:35:48,481 --> 00:35:50,900 sometimes it pays off big to go ahead and roll that dice. 526 00:35:51,734 --> 00:35:53,486 If it was me, I'd take it to trial. 527 00:36:02,245 --> 00:36:06,749 Bryan: I have to let the da know if I'm gonna go to trial or I'm gonna take the plea. 528 00:36:08,418 --> 00:36:12,338 Under no circumstances, does her family want it to go to trial 529 00:36:12,422 --> 00:36:15,675 because they don't want all this stuff to come out about chandra. 530 00:36:16,551 --> 00:36:18,136 I know they want to hush this up, 531 00:36:18,219 --> 00:36:19,387 I take my plea. 532 00:36:19,512 --> 00:36:21,431 They wanna see me serve some time. 533 00:36:23,015 --> 00:36:25,226 The reason to do the things they have asked, 534 00:36:25,977 --> 00:36:27,645 is because they have control of Brayden. 535 00:36:30,815 --> 00:36:35,528 Right now, he's between my mother, Evelyn, and chandra's mother. 536 00:36:35,611 --> 00:36:38,656 I know that if I go against her family's wishes, 537 00:36:38,740 --> 00:36:41,242 then they can take him away from mom. 538 00:36:41,367 --> 00:36:42,869 But if I take the plea, 539 00:36:42,952 --> 00:36:46,080 I know that they'll still let Brayden be a part of her life. 540 00:36:48,916 --> 00:36:51,377 One minute, I'm ready to take the plea, 541 00:36:51,502 --> 00:36:53,045 one minute, I'm ready to go to trial. 542 00:36:54,714 --> 00:36:56,995 It's the hardest decision I've ever had to make in my life. 543 00:36:57,550 --> 00:37:00,178 But if I had to make a decision right now, 544 00:37:00,303 --> 00:37:01,929 I'd go all the way to the jury. 545 00:37:03,389 --> 00:37:05,391 I think I have a good chance that I would win. 546 00:37:06,392 --> 00:37:10,217 And there is an advantage, because I have just told the flat‐out truth. 547 00:37:29,124 --> 00:37:33,253 Bryan: Today is February 1st and, uh, I have to have a decision. 548 00:37:34,712 --> 00:37:37,006 It's either plea or trial. 549 00:37:39,300 --> 00:37:41,386 I'm just an absolute nervous mess. 550 00:37:41,511 --> 00:37:44,097 Can't sleep, can't eat. 551 00:37:44,848 --> 00:37:46,850 I don't feel well. I've been throwing up. 552 00:37:46,933 --> 00:37:49,310 You know, just knowing that... 553 00:37:50,145 --> 00:37:53,273 The end's coming, but not certain on what the end is. 554 00:37:57,986 --> 00:38:03,825 Taking a life fills you with so much emotional pain that it becomes physical. 555 00:38:07,579 --> 00:38:09,956 You'll never lose that pain. Never. 556 00:38:17,338 --> 00:38:20,300 This is Brayden's latest picture. 557 00:38:24,095 --> 00:38:26,514 I haven't seen him or spoke to him, 558 00:38:26,598 --> 00:38:28,474 or held him since that day. 559 00:38:30,018 --> 00:38:32,145 I've missed everything. 560 00:38:33,897 --> 00:38:37,442 He was in the room when his mother was shot and killed. 561 00:38:43,114 --> 00:38:45,158 Bryan: I did it to save him and me both. 562 00:38:45,241 --> 00:38:48,244 But will he understand that? I don't know. 563 00:38:49,329 --> 00:38:50,872 You know, that's his mother... 564 00:38:52,248 --> 00:38:53,249 Period. 565 00:38:53,458 --> 00:38:54,792 (Breathes deeply) 566 00:38:55,460 --> 00:38:57,337 That little boy should have his mother. 567 00:39:15,396 --> 00:39:17,357 Bryan: It's hard to believe that... 568 00:39:17,732 --> 00:39:19,400 The moment's here. 569 00:39:20,360 --> 00:39:22,612 Two years ago, I didn't think it was ever gonna come 570 00:39:22,695 --> 00:39:25,240 and now it's here, I wish it never would have. 571 00:39:31,287 --> 00:39:32,287 I'm ready. 572 00:39:43,591 --> 00:39:45,343 (Indistinct conversations) 573 00:39:47,553 --> 00:39:48,553 Court official: All rise. 574 00:39:50,181 --> 00:39:52,350 Court is back in session. Judge: You can be seated. 575 00:40:03,945 --> 00:40:07,824 This is case number 17cr070. 576 00:40:07,907 --> 00:40:10,952 State of Tennessee v. Bryan Steven Lawson. 577 00:40:11,035 --> 00:40:13,121 We're here today on a plea. 578 00:40:16,416 --> 00:40:18,293 General, you want to tell us about the plea? 579 00:40:19,002 --> 00:40:20,878 Your honor, count one, will be amended 580 00:40:21,212 --> 00:40:23,131 to voluntarily manslaughter. 581 00:40:24,716 --> 00:40:28,303 This plea offer was made on the recommendation of the mother of the victim 582 00:40:29,262 --> 00:40:31,180 and the eldest son of the victim. 583 00:40:31,806 --> 00:40:33,224 Is the victim's family here? 584 00:40:33,349 --> 00:40:35,059 Man: The son is, your honor. 585 00:40:36,102 --> 00:40:37,702 Judge: I'll say thank you for being here. 586 00:40:38,313 --> 00:40:40,023 State your full name for the court. 587 00:40:40,064 --> 00:40:41,691 Bryan Steven Lawson. 588 00:40:41,733 --> 00:40:45,153 You were originally charged by the grand jury with first‐degree murder. 589 00:40:45,236 --> 00:40:47,476 You've heard the Attorney General amend the charges today, 590 00:40:47,864 --> 00:40:49,032 to voluntary manslaughter. 591 00:40:49,157 --> 00:40:51,200 Do you know what voluntary manslaughter is? I do. 592 00:40:51,326 --> 00:40:53,411 Is this your signature on this waiver of rights 593 00:40:53,494 --> 00:40:55,038 to plead guilty? It is, your honor. 594 00:40:55,163 --> 00:40:57,290 Did you read it? Did you understand it? I did. 595 00:40:57,373 --> 00:41:00,335 You understand by pleading guilty, this is the only trial, 596 00:41:00,418 --> 00:41:02,313 the only hearing you will ever have on these charges, 597 00:41:02,337 --> 00:41:05,006 there will be no opportunity for you after today 598 00:41:05,048 --> 00:41:07,008 to present evidence of your innocence 599 00:41:07,133 --> 00:41:08,426 or to plead not guilty? I do. 600 00:41:08,509 --> 00:41:11,179 What you are agreeing, is to take a 15‐year sentence. 601 00:41:11,220 --> 00:41:12,930 Do you understand that? I do. 602 00:41:13,056 --> 00:41:14,856 And it's gonna be, because you have no record, 603 00:41:14,974 --> 00:41:16,392 to a 20%. 604 00:41:16,476 --> 00:41:18,394 And do you understand 20% doesn't mean 605 00:41:18,519 --> 00:41:20,772 you're automatically released after serving 20%? 606 00:41:20,855 --> 00:41:22,648 You could be required to serve every day 607 00:41:22,732 --> 00:41:24,233 for 15 years. I do. 608 00:41:25,526 --> 00:41:27,779 Are you pleading guilty because you are guilty? Yes, sir. 609 00:41:27,904 --> 00:41:30,198 Any force, threats or pressure? No, sir. 610 00:41:30,281 --> 00:41:32,200 Anybody promise you anything other than 611 00:41:32,283 --> 00:41:34,869 what's on this waiver of rights to plead guilty? No, sir. 612 00:41:35,536 --> 00:41:37,622 Are you satisfied with your lawyers? I am. 613 00:41:37,705 --> 00:41:40,375 Did they do everything you wanted them to do? Yes. 614 00:41:41,376 --> 00:41:43,669 Do you have any statement, or anything you want to say? 615 00:41:45,088 --> 00:41:47,006 I'd just like to let the family know 616 00:41:47,131 --> 00:41:50,426 that I appreciate all their support during this. 617 00:41:51,511 --> 00:41:53,846 And I express every level of remorse 618 00:41:53,930 --> 00:41:55,765 that I have in my fiber to them. 619 00:41:57,725 --> 00:41:59,644 And I'm sorry this happened. 620 00:42:00,770 --> 00:42:03,272 In Hawkins county case 17cr070, 621 00:42:03,606 --> 00:42:06,359 I find you guilty to voluntary manslaughter 622 00:42:06,401 --> 00:42:08,361 and sentence you to serve 15 years, 623 00:42:08,444 --> 00:42:10,530 which means you're now a convicted felon. 624 00:42:13,366 --> 00:42:14,468 All right, you'll be in custody. 625 00:42:14,492 --> 00:42:16,077 You'll go over here with the sheriff. 626 00:42:22,917 --> 00:42:25,503 Bryan: With all my heart, I wanted to go to the trial. 627 00:42:26,379 --> 00:42:28,256 But it's not all about me. 628 00:42:30,216 --> 00:42:32,135 It's about a little boy's life. 629 00:42:33,886 --> 00:42:38,182 If I could take that suffering, off of him by going to jail... 630 00:42:40,643 --> 00:42:42,353 Even if it's 100 years, 631 00:42:43,020 --> 00:42:44,355 I'm going to take it.