Saturday, November 23, 2013, 6:34 pm News Flash Archive

Dr. Arnold Smith's alleged accomplice Derrick Lacy had a lot to say to the police detectives that interviewed him on several occasions.

Smith is accused of paying Keaira Byrd to murder attorney Lee Abraham, but that Saturday night, April 28, 2012, around 8:35 pm, Byrd and his associate Derrick Lacy were met by two agents of the Attorney General's office in the foyer of Abraham's law office on Market Street. A gunfight ensued, with Byrd shot dead, and Lacy seriously wounded.

Just 4 days later, on May 1, 2012, the seriously injured Derrick Lacy was interviewed in the hospital in Jackson. A partial transcript of his interview was filed as an exhibit in the criminal cases against Smith and Lacy. It runs 30 pages, apparently cutting off in mid-question at the end. It may be seen here: Transcript of Derrick Lacy questioning

At the beginning of the transcript, Lacy was given his Miranda warning, but stated that he desired to answer questions. Greenwood police detectives Granderson and Lt. Williams were present, as well as MBI Agent Mark Steed.

Lacy continues to insist that he was an unwilling accomplice to Keaira Byrd. He claims that Byrd held his weapon, a Mach 11, on him and made Lacy accompany Byrd to Abraham's office that night.

Lacy claims that Byrd said to him, "I'm finna go kill Lee Abraham." Lacy also claims that Byrd told him he was going to kill him too if he didn't go along with him to Abraham's office.

Lacy points out that he was unarmed, and that had he intended to participate in a robbery, he would surely have been armed himself.

Lacy describes how the Greenwood police had already picked him up for questioning in the "hammer attack" incident that Dr. Smith had reported to the police and to the newspaper. Lacy again denies that he had anything to do with that incident, but asserts that Byrd was responsible for that attack and robbery of Smith, which allegedly occurred several weeks before the April 28th killing.

When police question Lacy about his connection with Cordarious Robinson, he denies meeting with him, but admits he knew him, and claims that Robinson was mixed up with Dr. Smith in some way. Lacy refers to Robinson by his street name "Lil Doosie."

Lacy flatly denies ever meeting Dr. Smith at Smith's office or anywhere else, and demands that the police "pull the cameras" to verify his claim that he had not been to see Smith.

Lacy repeatedly demands that the police administer a lie detector test to confirm he is telling them the truth.

Lacy tells the police that Byrd was to be paid $20,000 to kill Abraham, but that he, Lacy, wasn't offered any money to help, because Byrd intended to kill him too.

The police confront Lacy with the "word on the street" that Lacy was "talking noise the week before" about doing the hit. Lacy continues to deny his willing involvement and again points to the fact that he was unarmed when the assault took place.

Agent Steed tells Lacy that "Somebody's already gave you up man." Lacy responds "Tell them to, who was this? Sir, I hate to call you a lie [sic]."

Steed then confronts Lacy with the "word on the street" that he was supposed to "go in and beat Lee down." Lacy vehemently denies this, and says at one point that it would be "way out of my league." He then states "Ain't finna f*** with no white people Sir."

Lacy then describes what happened when he entered the foyer of Abraham's office. He claims that Byrd had his Mach 11 pointed at him, and that when Lacy saw the law enforcement agents standing in the corner of the room, he was very happy to see them, presumably because they would rescue him from Byrd. Lacy says he threw up his hands, then shots rang out, and Lacy was hit.

Lacy claims he heard Byrd fire his weapon at least one time. This would contradict the affidavit of Smith's expert, who asserted that there were no shell casings from Byrd's weapon found at the scene.

Throughout the transcript, the indication "(INTANGIBLE)" is used to describe words spoken by Lacy that are unintelligible to the person preparing the transcript.

Previous incomplete transcripts of the police questioning Lacy as he lay awaiting transport to Jackson the night of the shooting have already been published and may be seen here: Transcript of Police Interview with Derrick Lacy

The cases against Smith and Lacy are currently on hold pending psychiatric evaluation of Smith's mental condition both now and at the time of the attack. Smith has notified the prosecutors that he intends to plead insanity as a defense to the charges laid against him.

John Pittman Hey
The Taxpayers Channel

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