[534]


DIRECT EXAMINATION OF DEANNA HOLCOMB BY MR. FOGLEMAN


I live in Marion, Arkansas with my parents. (TR 2294) On August or September of 1991, I went with Echols for 9 months. During that time I was with him fairly often at school. Echols wore all black. He wore a trench coat and a leather jacket. During the time I went with Echols, his particular friends were Jason Baldwin, Jessie Misskelley, Joe Lancaster and other people. During the time that I went with


[535]


him, Echols carried knives. (TR 2295) State's Exhibit 77 is a knife that I have seen before in his trench coat pocket. I went to put my arms around his waist and it was there. I took it out to look at it. It was a knife similar to that. The knife that I pulled out of Echols' pocket had a compass on the end. I can identify Echols as the person who had a knife like that. (TR 2296)

CROSS EXAMINATION OF DEANNA HOLCOMB BY MR. DAVIDSON

I went with Echols from beginning of school 1991 to the end of school, May 1992. I have not been around Echols since May of 1992. (TR 2297) When Echols wore black clothes I wore black clothes. When I was going with Echols, he had a knife collection with lots of different knives. He even had a large knife with a compass on it. Echols and his family moved with their belongings to Oregon around May or soon thereafter of 1992. I might have seen him out, but I haven't been anywhere to talk with him. I knew that the family later moved back to Arkansas from Oregon. (TR 2298) I do not know if Echols moved his knife collection out there or if he brought it back. I am not testifying that this is Echols' knife but it may look something like that. The knife that Echols had was about that long but I don't know the brand name. I do not remember if I saw it on more than that one occasion. One time that I put my arms around him I felt the knife. Echols' knife was similar. (TR 2299) The only other markings on that knife that I saw that would distinguish it other than the compass on the end


[536]

[ ] was no writing on there. The first time I saw this particular knife that was introduced into evidence was in Fogleman's office a week or two ago February 14, 1994. I wrote out a statement and said that it reminds me of a knife that Echols had. Fogleman showed me about 5 knives. The other 5 knives looked similar to Echols' knives. This one did not look similar to one of Echols' knives. I can describe the other knives that looked similar to one of Echols' knives. I saw the large knife in his trench coat pocket. I discovered it when I hugged him. (TR 2301) It was not tied on or in a sheath. The knife was in his pocket.

REDIRECT EXAMINATION OF DEANNA HOLCOMB BY MR. FOGLEMAN

It was not unusual for Echols to have a knife. Echols never told me anything about why he carried the knives.

MR. DAVIDSON: Objection.

THE COURT: Overruled.

Echols said he didn't feel safe. Echols and Baldwin talked to each other except when I was there. Usually when I would walk up, Baldwin would stop talking. The knife that I described had a golden handle. (TR 2302) It was like a dagger. Besides the folding knife that Davidson showed me Fogleman showed me another folding knife but Echols usually didn't carry folding knives.