CLEVELAND — On Wednesday, the police interrogation of Tamara McLoyd was played for jurors during McLoyd’s trial in the death of Cleveland police officer Shane Bartek.
Police confirmed during testimony that McLoyd admitted to robbing and shooting Bartek.
McLoyd, who is 18, is accused of killing Bartek during a carjacking last New Year’s Eve.
Back in May, McLoyd’s defense team wanted the interrogation tossed but then withdrew their motion.
For the first time, jurors in McLoyd’s trial heard the body camera recording from when homicide detectives interviewed McLoyd after her arrest. The conversation was heated at times, with McLoyd raising her voice.
Cleveland Police Homicide Detective Michael Legg confirmed to jurors McLoyd admitted on the video she robbed officer Bartek in the parking lot on New Year’s Eve and shot him, stating she didn’t mean to. When asked why, the detective believes she said she was afraid.
She then asked to call her mother.
At the beginning of the video, the detective said McLoyd initially admitted to firing a revolver twice to celebrate the New Year. A revolver was submitted into evidence.
Legg said he saw two muzzle flashes on the surveillance video from the Cross Creek apartments, where Bartek was shot during the carjacking.
“Did you ask her, is that gun going to match the bullet that comes out of the person that was killed?” asked the prosecutor.
"Yes," Legg said.
"And did she say maybe?"
"Yes, she did."
The detective also testified that he explained to McLoyd about someone being arrested and telling him everything. He was referring to the man who was arrested after he was found driving Bartek’s car.
The prosecutor asked Legg whether McLoyd asked him, "'Do you have me on camera shooting this man?'" and "'Do you see my face?'" He answered "yes" to both questions.
Legg testified in his interaction with McLoyd that she did not seem intoxicated, that she was coherent and her speech was fine.
The prosecution showed another clip of the surveillance video from the complex. The detective said it appeared to show officer Bartek going for a weapon in a police move they train for.
The detective also testified about the last thing he said to McLoyd, which was, "You matter too." When asked what he meant by that, the detective said she’s young and in a bad situation.
Bartek’s aunt, cousin and grandmother watched intently from the overflow room. McLoyd, at times, was sitting with her arms crossed in the courtroom as she watched herself on the video.
During the first part of Wednesday’s testimony, a detective with the Cleveland police gang unit testified.
“She’s sitting on the right side with the blue shirt,” said Detective Conor Odea, identifying McLoyd in court as the suspect he looked for and found on New Year’s Day after the carjacking and shooting.
He told jurors that Cleveland Police's homicide unit asked for their assistance.
When they got information about a possible suspect, they started monitoring their Instagram story.
“The posts that we observed of the suspects at East 55th and Payne Avenue was standing outside the vehicle and we were able to tell where that location was,” said Odea.
Odea testified he got a first name and possible car just after midnight on January 1, and within 30 minutes found the suspect with two other girls at a gas station.
“Suspect was in the passenger seat as we were taken out of the vehicle, one of the other gang unit detectives noticed a firearm on the doorway,” said Odea.
Odea described the gun as a revolver, the same gun shown to jurors in court.
“I know it was a revolver and it was in the door of the vehicle...Passenger door,” said the detective.
A person is seen on surveillance video running up behind Bartek in the parking lot and shooting Bartek before the two take off in opposite directions.
Tom Ciula, who runs the video forensic lab for Cleveland Police, testified about the video.
The defense called the encounter between Bartek and the shooter a struggle.
The prosecution asked Ciula about it.
“Do we see both of his hands up? We do. Did we see him beep his car? Yes, we did. Are we seeing him give things over with his hands? Yes, we are,” Ciula said.
During cross-examination, the defense questioned Odea about McLoyd’s demeanor, stating she had been out at a bar before the gas station. Here’s the exchange in court:
“Was her speech slurred?" the defense attorney asked.
"I don't believe so," Odea responded.
"Were her eyes red?"
"I didn’t see her eyes."
"Okay. Was there an odor of alcohol?"
"I don't recall."
"Did you know that these young ladies were at a bar on East 200th street before they got to the gas station?"
"I believe in one of the videos we saw on social media, the suspect was observed with a bottle of alcohol.”
Back in May, McLoyd’s defense wanted to toss the confession made by McLoyd, claiming she was under the influence of alcohol and cocaine when police questioned her.
Testimony will resume Thursday. The state expects to call six more witnesses, including crime scene detectives, a DNA analyst, and a jail investigator.
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