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August 30, 2008

Today’s date is August 30th, of 2008, time now is uh, 0955 hours. My name is Detective Terry Jones, my Code Number is 6354. I’m with the Louisville Metro Police Department. This interview pertains to File #08197, it is the death investigation of a PRP player Max Gilpin. Uh, this interview is of Miss Rhonda Barnett. And, we are currently at uh, we’re currently at 5316 Tahia Drive, spelled T-A-H-I-A, Drive. Also, present is uh, Danny Herald, he’s with the uh, security of Jefferson County Board of Education. And, this interview in is of Miss Barnett and it’s being tape recorded.

Jones
Miss Barnett are you aware, are you uh, aware
this interview is being taped?
Barnett
Yes.
Jones
Okay, can you identify your full na…, say your
full name?
Barnett
Rhonda Barnett.
Jones

Okay. And, your date of birth?
Barnett
Jones

Okay. Uh, we talked before going on tape and at this time, would you just kinda elaborate on the (inaudible)…, of events that occurred while attending the Waggener and PRP soccer game on August 20th?

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Statement: Rhonda Barnett / Case #08197(b)
August 30, 2008

Barnett

Okay. Uhm, I arrived between 5:25 and 5:30 to watch the soccer game. The football practice was going on, on the adjacent field. Uhm, it was really crowded. I found a seat under the shade tree, close to the bleachers. Behind where those football players were practicing. Uhm, 5 to 10 minutes after I arrived, I heard one of the boys yell out to the coach. And, asked if he could stop for a drink of water. Uh, the coach replied, no that you don’t ask me for a drink of water. I’ll tell you, if you need a drink of water I’m the professional. Uhm, and then said something about the fact that he was still sweating. And, so that meant he wasn’t dehydrated yet. Uhm, about 5 minutes after that, my attention was drawn back over to the football players. Because there were 2 boys helping another boy. Uh, a, a tall black male was walking over, having trouble breathing. He was uhm, wheezing really loud. They helped him over to the bench, several of us were turned around watching. To make sure he was okay. They sat him down, let him get a drink of water. Uh, one of the moms of the, she was sittin’ by the soccer field. But, she yelled over to one of the football players. To see if he could get an inhaler. I have an inhaler if he needs it, and uh, the boy went over and asked him. And, he came back and said no, he’s okay, he’s catching his breath. Uh, not long after that my mom arrived. We scooted up closer to the soccer field. And, I was telling her a little about, about what had been happening. When I noticed that the boy that had had trouble breathing, had went back out on the field. The other end of the field and was trying to f…, he’s joining back into the practice. Well, we went on watching the soccer

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Statement: Rhonda Barnett / Case #08197(b)
August 30, 2008

game and 5 to 10 minutes after that was when heard the boys yelling. You know on the field, for the coach. And, we turned around and saw 3 boys helping uh, a tall white male. They were trying to help him over to the coach, and he just collapsed. When they were holding him up, he just went down. They carried him over a little closer to the shade. And, when I walked over one of the coaches had him sitting up. He was behind him, holding the ice on the back of his neck. And, his head, his face down by the boy’s face, was talking to him. The other coach was sittin’ on his right side, right by his leg. And, I walked over and asked if he was awake. ‘Cause, they were talking to him. Says is he awake and they said, yes. And, the coach said he just got overheated. I said have you poured water on him, he said yeah. He, he’ll be fine you know, if we pour water on him, he just told me he’s gonna be fine. So, I went back and sat down. We watched for another minute or two, they loaded him onto a trailer. Started rolling him back towards the back of the field. It seemed that they were taking him to wait for an ambulance. Turned back and started watching the soccer game again. Uhm, at halftime, which is about 20 minutes later? My mom noticed they had somebody over at the water fountains. And, she said, is that the same boy? I turned around and I said, yes we both were like, oh my God. He’s still here, they were hosing him down. He did not look responsive to me at all. We were at a distance but his head was laid off to the side. And, he wasn’t moving while they were puttin’ the water on him. There was a woman standing at the side, I’d say was his mom.

We’re wondering why the ambulance isn’t there yet? So, everybody’s watching at that point and

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