September 9, 2008

Speaking is Sergeant Denny Butler with the Louisville Metro Police Department’s
Homicide Unit. Uh, the time is 8:28 p.m.; the date is September 9 th, 2008. This is in reference to
Case 08197.

Butler And, I am present with, if you’d state your full

name for me?

Vincent Uh, Christian Lee Vincent.

Butler And, your date of birth?

Vincent
Butler And, the address?

Vincent x

Butler And, phone number?

Vincent
Butler And, also present uh, is mom and dad. And, if
you would state your full name mom?

Vincent, Esther Esther Christine Vincent.

Vincent, Gary And, uh, Gary D. Vincent.

Butler Okay. And, this statement is being tape

Page 2 of 19
Statement: Christian Vincent / Case #08197(l)
September 9, 2008

recorded; does that meet with everybody’s

approval?

Vincent, Gary Yes.

Vincent Yes, sir.

Butler Okay. Uh, I’m taking this statement in

reference to the events on August 20th, 2008,
that occurred during the PRP football practice.
Uh, please describe the events of that practice
from the beginning to the end as you
remember?

Vincent Well, it started like any other day; we all met

into the locker room. And, we looked at the
schedule, and then we all got suited up to go
out and practice. Uh, I walked outside to the
practice field with uh, Daniel Farris. He’s one
of my friends on the football team. And, uh,
we got out there and we started out with the
warm-ups, and then stretching. And, then uh,
we went to team take off. And, after team take
off we had a water break. And, then uh, after
that we went into the run fits with the
linebackers. And, then we went one on one
with the uh, offensive linemen. And, then from
there we go to our inside period. And, then
from there we went to our team period. And,
from there we were supposed to receive
another water break. But, Coach Stinson called
us all up to run. And, I think it’s there that uh,
we ran for about an hour and a half, I’d have to
say. Then the majority of the running was done
with full equipment. And, uh, then for about,
after the running with the full equipment was
done? Four of the gassers were done without
helmets on. And, then two were done without
equipment. And, uh, before the shoulder pads
Page 3 of 19
Statement: Christian Vincent / Case #08197(l)
September 9, 2008

were taken off? That’s when Calloway

collapsed, and then uh. After the running was
done, is when Max Gilpin collapsed. And, then
uh, I tried to help the coaches get him into the
gator. But, Coach Steve Deacon said it’d be
best not to move him. And, then uh, two, two
players who don’t have equipment, but still
attend our practices? Uh, tried to cool him
down with some cool water. And, then uh, so
literally I got told to go to the locker room and
get ready and leave for the day. So, I did and
then uh, when I was leaving I saw the
ambulance. And, that’s all I can tell you.

Butler Okay. Uh, I’m gonna ask you s…, ask you
some specifics. Uh, what position you play?

Vincent I play, I’m a defensive tackle.

Butler Okay. And, and varsity?

Vincent Varsity and JV.

Butler Okay. And, Max was defensive line too?

Vincent He was an offensive line.

Butler Offensive line, but were you all practicing, is

the same group? I know they split you all up in
position groups. Would you have been with the
defense and he was with the offense?

Vincent Yes, sir.

Butler Okay. Uhm, how are water breaks usually

given?

Vincent Well, they’re uh.

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Statement: Christian Vincent / Case #08197(l)
September 9, 2008

Butler Are they individually or a team?

Vincent The position coaches usually give us water

breaks at the time, that’s wrote onto the
schedule. That they receive and uh, it’s then
that you know. It’s on the coach; it’s usually on
the position coaches. Whether or not we, we
need water breaks. But, the defensive line
coach, Coach Webb, is pretty nice about it. You
know, in the middle of a drill, ask us if we feel
all right, do we need water? And, you can tell
him yes, and he’ll let you go get a drink or
anything like that.

Butler Okay.

Vincent If no we’ll keep practicing.

Butler Okay. On August 20th, uh, that Wednesday,

how many water breaks do you think you
took?

Vincent I, myself received two water breaks that day.

Butler Okay. Uh, after the last water break uh, what
did practice consist of?

Vincent Uh, it consisted of a uh, a one on one pass drill,

then an inside period? Team take off, or no not
team take off, but uhm. Went run fits, then it
went offensive and defensive on line one on
one pass stretch? And, then it went in to a uh,
inside period. And, then went to team take off,
and then we ran.

Butler Team take off would be what the gassing?

Vincent No, uh, team take off is like a team drill?

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Statement: Christian Vincent / Case #08197(l)
September 9, 2008

Butler Okay.

Vincent Offense and defense get together and we run

plays. And, uh, we see which ones doing better,
offense or defense. And, we uh, we fix our
plays and we’re able to look and see where our
teams are.

Butler Okay. When your all doing all that before the
gassing. Did you all take a water break?

Vincent No, sir.

Butler Did you notice any of the other parts of the

team taking a water break?

Vincent No, sir.

Butler Uhm, the gasser when your conditioning and

running?

Vincent Um-hum.

Butler Uh, do you know what provoked that?

Vincent Uh, Coach Stinson said it was a uh, it was a uh,

non-hustling on the teams part? Which he, I
felt the defensive side of the ball was hustling.
And, we were that one, the first group of
defensive linemen and backers were ready. On
the ball, ready to go and play? And, then the
offense was confused and, not giving it to our
linemen or anything like that.

Butler Okay. Uhm, do you call ‘em gassers?

Vincent Yes, sir.

Butler Is that what they’re call ‘em, we used to call

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Statement: Christian Vincent / Case #08197(l)
September 9, 2008

‘em sprints. Uh, how many gassers do you

think your group ran?

Vincent I think we ran like 32 to 35, I’ma settle for 32.

Butler Okay. What group were you in, and they had
split light and heavy, were you in the light?

Vincent I’m in heavy.

Butler Okay.

Vincent, Gary (Chuckling)…

Butler Uh, how many gassers you think you ran

before you took off gear?

Vincent I r…, uhm, I think I’d have to say it was

around uh, 28 if anything.

Butler Okay. And, then after taking off your gear how
many?

Vincent About 4 without helmets, and then 2 with no

gear on.

Butler Okay, okay. Uh, how long do you think the

team was running gassers, from the time you
all started the gassers, to the time it stopped?

Vincent About an hour to an hour and a half.

Butler Okay.

Vincent, Gary Excuse me uh, detective uh, Gary Vincent

speaking. Uh, I think it’s important to let uh,
or to remind him that he did step out. Was out
able to he wasn’t forced to do all 30 or
however many he claims they ran. Uh, he
Page 7 of 19
Statement: Christian Vincent / Case #08197(l)
September 9, 2008

went down with a little bit of a breathing

problem. He did step out; Coach Stinson did let
him stay out under a shade tree. So, I wanted to
make sure that you mentioned that.

Vincent No, I wasn’t, I didn’t get under the shade,

shade tree.

Vincent, Gary So, you did miss.

Butler But, but you did step out of the running?

Vincent Yes, sir I did step out, I couldn’t continue, I

couldn’t catch a breath or anything. And, I felt
like I had to stay out.

Butler Uh.

Vincent And, uh, Coach Stinson paid no attention to it

or anything like that.

Butler Okay. Uh, that’s gone, let me, let me catch up

with this other question here. And, then we’ll
go back to it. If, if we don’t get in it.

Vincent Yes, sir.

Butler Uhm, did you or any of your teammates ask for

any water breaks while, while you were
running gassers?

Vincent Uh, not sir Coach Stinson pretty much made it

clear that we weren’t gonna get a water break.
And, we usually don’t while we’re in our
conditioning period.

Butler Okay. Did you ever hear any of the coaches

deny anyone any water?
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Statement: Christian Vincent / Case #08197(l)
September 9, 2008

Vincent Uh, yes sir after the conditioning period, some

of the freshmen went over to the water. As
Coach Stinson was calling the team up for a
team meeting? And, he told ‘em they don’t get
water until he dismisses us.

Butler Okay. Uh, did you or any of your teammates

become ill while you were running gassers?

Vincent Uh, actually me, and uh, Cole had a little

vomiting uh, during conditioning. And, during
the uhm one on one with offense linemen.

Butler Okay. Anybody else?

Vincent Uh, not that I can remember, no.

Butler Max?

Vincent Uh, Max?

Butler I mean he collapsed.

Vincent He collapsed after the conditioning period, but

other than that uh, he looked fine to me.

Butler Okay. Did, did anyone else get pulled off,

have trouble throughout the gassing?

Vincent Uh, other than Calloway and Max, I didn’t see

anybody else.

Butler Okay. Whose “The Cole,” is that Calloway?

Vincent No, uh, Cole.

Butler Cole’s a different, okay.

Vincent Cole’s different.

Page 9 of 19
Statement: Christian Vincent / Case #08197(l)
September 9, 2008

Butler Okay. Let me now uh, now let me, let me

backup here for just a little bit. Your all
running gassers, who became ill or started
having trouble first?

Vincent Uh, Calloway started having trouble first.

Butler Okay. And, about how long into the gassers

did, did he start having problems?

Vincent I think it was after the second gasser with no

helmets on, is when he collapsed.

Butler Okay. And, then he’s taken to the bleachers?

Vincent Yes, sir.

Butler My understanding and you correct me if I’m

wrong. And, that’s when they started icing him
down, and gettin’ him some treatment?

Vincent Yes, sir.

Butler Okay. Then whose the next uh?

Vincent Uh, the next was me and Cole, we both threw

up after finishing one gasser. Then uh, after
that the conditioning period ended. And, then
Max was one who collapsed.

Butler Okay. You and Cole get sick?

Vincent Um-hum.

Butler Where do you all get sick, do you all get sick
between the soccer field and the practice field?

Vincent Yes, sir.

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Statement: Christian Vincent / Case #08197(l)
September 9, 2008

Butler Okay. Are any coaches checking on you,

saying anything?

Vincent No, sir.

Butler Uh, did you all run after getting sick?

Vincent Yes, sir.

Butler Okay.

Vincent Happened to me one more and then I had to

quit.

Butler Okay. And, when you say you had to quit, did,
did you, did a coach pull you off and say that’s
enough or did you say I can’t do this anymore?

Vincent It was uh, from my own person will.

Butler Okay. How about Cole, did he run after he got

sick?

Vincent Cole continued and uh, wasn’t moving as fast

as he was before.

Butler Okay. Uh, and then the last obviously, towards

the end of the conditioning. It is my
understanding Max was finishing his last, and
then he collapsed?

Vincent Yes, sir.

Butler Okay. Uhm, during any of the practices this

year uh, have you personally seen or heard of
any teammates being injured or quitting the
team?
Page 11 of 19
Statement: Christian Vincent / Case #08197(l)
September 9, 2008

Vincent Uhm, no not that I’ve heard of.

Butler Okay. Has anyone influenced you in anyway to

withhold information. Or, change any of the
facts that actually occurred that day at
practice?

Vincent No, sir.

Butler Okay. Is the statement that you give me

truthful?

Vincent Yes, sir.

Butler All right. Do you have anything else to add,

and this would go to mom and dad too?
Anything else to add, anything I didn’t ask you
that you wanna put in?

Vincent Well, after I quit I came home and?

Butler You actually quit the team?

Vincent No, sir.

Butler Okay.

Vincent I, I quit.

Butler Quit.

Vincent During the uh, conditioning period, ‘cause I

couldn’t continue?

Butler Right.

Vincent And, uh, I came home after practice and they

said I didn’t look healthy or anything. And, my
uncle Tom is a uh, firefighter. And he has basic
Page 12 of 19
Statement: Christian Vincent / Case #08197(l)
September 9, 2008

E…, EMT training? And, uh, he said

something, I can’t remember, they might.

Vincent, Esther His, his I’m his mother Christine Vincent. He

was uh, really gray when he got home. And, he
wasn’t uh, sweat, he wasn’t sweating as much
as he does when he usually comes home. He
was damp but he wasn’t sweating. Uh, his
pulse rate was high, and he just he, he was just.
Uh, he wasn’t Christian he was just blah…, he
just laid there. And, then when he, you was
asking me about when he quite off the gassers,
he couldn’t finish ‘em no more. Uh, from what
he told us there was an exchange of words
between him and. Well, e…, exchange of
words from Coach Stinson to him.

Butler Okay. Can I get that from Christian?

Vincent Uh, he uh, he asked me why I couldn’t finish

and I told him I couldn’t breathe anymore. The
next day then he called me a coward, like he
usually does with people who give up early.

Butler Let me back you up here a minute. You’re

running, you get physically ill.

Vincent Yes, sir.

Butler You continue to run?

Vincent Um-hum.

Butler And, you say after one or two?

Vincent One.

Butler One, one gasser you complete it and you said,

I, I’ve had enough?
Page 13 of 19
Statement: Christian Vincent / Case #08197(l)
September 9, 2008

Vincent Yes, sir.

Butler And, that’s when the exchange or words you

just described take place?

Vincent Yes, sir.

Butler Did he come over to you?

Vincent No, sir he uh, stood on the field.

Butler Okay. Did he make a…, did he make any

comments to Cole?

Vincent No, sir.

Butler Okay. Any comments to Calloway?

Vincent No, sir.

Butler Any comments to Max?

Vincent No, sir.

Butler Okay. Uhm.

Vincent, Esther Now, I no I was told that there was no other

comments made. Uh, another 2 little, 2 other
players tried to help him. You know, pick him
up ‘cause he was down. And, that’s when I
think that the, the exchange was made that. He
was told leave him alone, he’s a coward. And,
uh, that’s as far as I know it went. So, I just
know he was, he wasn’t feeling good when he
come home.

Butler Right. Were you at the practice at all?

Page 14 of 19
Statement: Christian Vincent / Case #08197(l)
September 9, 2008

Vincent, Esther No, sir.

Butler Okay. Dad, no?

Vincent, Gary No, sir.

Vincent, Esther First practice my husband missed the first

practice.

Vincent, Gary Uh, uh, Gary Vincent again, I can go on the

record as saying. That was the first practice
I’ve missed since uh, pre-season started. Uh,
all the other practice I’ve witnesses as been
above board, as far water breaks, and
conditioning and everything else. Uh, that’s
the one practice you know, I regret missing.
You know, ‘cause I would’ve loved to seen
what actually, what went on first hand. But, uh,
I do know from, from that point to the
beginning of pre-season practice? They’ve
always done, just like he explained. You know,
he’s done their team drills, individual drills.
And, after each one they usually go and get
their water breaks. And, then they don’t come
back one on one, they usually go to the water.
To the water hole, or whatever you wanna call
it? Then to the tree, there’s a shade tree, they
all stand there. And, then when all, they get,
get their group all back together. Then they all
go out together.

Butler Right.

Vincent, Gary So, that’s kinda like a little rest period there.
But, uh, I do know that they’ve never been up
until that point. Because, I can’t speak for
Wednesday, ‘cause I was not there. But, from,
from the Tuesday before that, till every practice
I’ve been at, from pre-season? They’ve never
Page 15 of 19
Statement: Christian Vincent / Case #08197(l)
September 9, 2008

been denied water, I can say that. Uh, and

because I’ve witnessed it first hand.

Butler Okay.

Vincent, Gary But, I cannot say nothing about Wednesday

because I was not there.

Butler Okay.

Vincent, Gary So.

Butler Let me throw one thing at you here, and I’d

like.

Phone ringing…

Butler That is not my phone, okay. Uh, the water

break?

Vincent Yes, sir.

Butler And, this is something new and you remember

things the way you remember ‘em. A lot of
people had said the gassers? You all started that
because and you correct me if I’m wrong on
any of this. Everybody’s taking a water break,
they’re coming back from a water break?
Coach blows the whistles and, and asked for
first team offense or defense, on the ball?
Three people show up, and he makes a
comment, well if you all don’t wanna practice,
then we’re gonna run.

Vincent Yes, sir.

Butler Uh, but was, were you coming back from a

water break at that point?
Page 16 of 19
Statement: Christian Vincent / Case #08197(l)
September 9, 2008

Vincent Uh, no sir the uh, offense and defensive lines

were held a little bit longer for instruction
given from Coach Donnelly.

Butler Okay. So, your all getting.

Vincent We’re getting instruct..

Butler Instructions and your all on the, I’m trying to

think. You’re all on the set end of the field,
away from the tree, correct?

Vincent Yes, sir.

Butler ‘Cause, the freshmen practice up by the tree, so

you’re completely on the other side?

Vincent Yes, sir.

Butler And, you’ve got the offensive line, and

defensive line. And, do you, was it just you or
do you think both groups didn’t get that water
break?

Vincent I would think either group got that water break,

‘cause whenever Stinson blows the whistle. We
usually you know, drop whatever we’re doing.
And, we go to him for the team period.

Butler Okay.

Vincent And, seeing the other groups gettin' water, and

I really didn’t pay attention.

Butler Okay. But, I’m just concerned with you and

the people you’re around. Because, you got the
offensive linemen and defensive linemen.
Your all are on the far end of the field uh, a lot
of the other people we’ve interviewed? Have
Page 17 of 19
Statement: Christian Vincent / Case #08197(l)
September 9, 2008

said when the coach blew his whistle,

everybody was coming back from a water
break. Uh, and I’m not trying to put anything
in your mind. I mean, if because people
remember things differently. If, if, if you’re at
the other end, and you all didn’t get a water
break? That kinda plays into the, I’m not
doubting you didn’t get a water break. But, it’s
important if you did, does that, does that make
sense to you?

Vincent Yes, sir and like I said, I didn’t, I don’t

remember.

Butler Okay.

Vincent To my knowledge receiving a water break at

that time.

Butler The defensive line, or the offensive line?

Vincent Yes.

Butler ‘Cause, your all with Coach Donnell at that

point?

Vincent Yes, sir.

Butler And, then from there the whistle’s blown, you

all to get up from the team. Uh, whoever’s on
the ball, people aren’t hustling? And, then
decisions to run?

Vincent Yes, sir.

Butler Okay. Uh, with nothing else to add.

Vincent Yes, I would like to say something.

Page 18 of 19
Statement: Christian Vincent / Case #08197(l)
September 9, 2008

Butler Okay.

Vincent Uh, I’ve been playing football at PRP for 3

years, and my brother’s been playing there for
4 years. So, we’ve been with PRP for about 7
years. I don’t think that this was intentional on
Coach Stinson’s part at all. And, it’s horrible
what happened. But, all Coach Stinson was
trying to do was to get everybody back to
practicing the way we were. And, being good
of a team as we can be. And, just like try to go
out and beat St. X, or Trinity or any of them?
And, I don’t think it was intentional, and I hate
that this happened. And, that I have to sit here
interviewing, but nothing against you. But, you
know I, it just doesn’t seem right to me.

Butler Right. Well, and maybe later in life it’ll make

sense to you. But, I understand where you’re
coming from.

Vincent, Gary It’s rough, I know that.

Butler Anything else?

Vincent No, sir.

Butler Okay. Uh, this concludes the taped statement.

And, the time is 8:46 p.m.

END OF STATEMENT
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Statement: Christian Vincent / Case #08197(l)
September 9, 2008

File #08197lbutler-dl