1
00:00:09,043 --> 00:00:10,923
[man] When I look back in hindsight,
2
00:00:11,683 --> 00:00:16,603
I guess there were some things I should've
maybe looked at differently or whatever.
3
00:00:19,883 --> 00:00:25,003
During this time,
I probably did call 50 or a hundred times,
4
00:00:26,163 --> 00:00:31,483
but the calls were not done
in a threatening or harmful manner.
5
00:00:40,443 --> 00:00:43,243
They say the house was broken into,
and I did it.
6
00:00:45,003 --> 00:00:46,923
There's no witness to anything.
7
00:00:48,003 --> 00:00:50,843
It's like, "Come on, man.
You're cryin' wolf."
8
00:01:01,123 --> 00:01:05,003
[woman] Every day, I can expect
a thousand phone calls.
9
00:01:05,683 --> 00:01:07,083
Bein' followed.
10
00:01:08,443 --> 00:01:12,883
Not knowing when he would show up
was just… overwhelming.
11
00:01:18,963 --> 00:01:23,043
It was difficult to see where it would end
or if it would end.
12
00:01:25,603 --> 00:01:27,083
I was scared for my life.
13
00:01:36,923 --> 00:01:39,803
[man 1] I'd rather be considered
a murderer than a stalker,
14
00:01:39,883 --> 00:01:40,843
you know what I mean?
15
00:01:44,843 --> 00:01:50,403
[woman] I wanted the intensity
of, like, of her feeling watched.
16
00:01:51,883 --> 00:01:53,803
[man 2] Anybody could be a stalker.
17
00:01:55,083 --> 00:01:56,923
[man 3] It's all boogeyman talk.
18
00:01:58,683 --> 00:02:00,643
[man 4] I'm not still that crazy. Like--
[chuckles]
19
00:02:44,323 --> 00:02:46,203
My name is David Anthony McGee,
20
00:02:47,123 --> 00:02:49,683
and I'm incarcerated for, uh…
21
00:02:49,763 --> 00:02:52,923
what would, uh… felony stalking.
22
00:02:53,443 --> 00:02:55,643
It's called felony stalking in Texas.
23
00:03:17,043 --> 00:03:19,283
Do I deserve to be here?
24
00:03:20,603 --> 00:03:22,803
Only the Creator really knows.
25
00:03:23,523 --> 00:03:25,643
You-- you know, because, uh…
26
00:03:26,643 --> 00:03:28,523
nothin' in life just happens.
27
00:03:50,443 --> 00:03:54,883
[McGee] For what most of us call normal,
my upbringing falls into that.
28
00:03:55,883 --> 00:04:00,323
You know, you-- you go to church,
you go to school, you play sports.
29
00:04:00,803 --> 00:04:04,643
Uh, everybody sits down to have dinner
at the same time.
30
00:04:04,723 --> 00:04:06,763
When I speak to different people,
31
00:04:06,843 --> 00:04:11,963
and they expect for you to have come
from some poverty, or…
32
00:04:12,043 --> 00:04:14,643
It's a bunch of ignorance,
or somethin' like that.
33
00:04:14,723 --> 00:04:17,483
And that's not the case by far.
34
00:04:24,923 --> 00:04:27,843
I began to function
in different capacities
35
00:04:27,923 --> 00:04:31,323
of Protestant Christian ministry
when I was 18.
36
00:04:31,923 --> 00:04:36,123
In my late 20s, uh, an opportunity came
37
00:04:36,203 --> 00:04:40,643
when someone asked me to be their
youth pastor, and then I accepted it.
38
00:04:43,883 --> 00:04:47,003
Throughout my years
of functioning in ministry,
39
00:04:47,083 --> 00:04:52,163
my focus has always been more
who can benefit from it.
40
00:05:07,123 --> 00:05:10,363
[McGee] I was in the drugstore.
She was in the drugstore.
41
00:05:10,443 --> 00:05:13,323
We passed each other on the aisle, uh….
42
00:05:14,123 --> 00:05:17,603
I don't know, some kind of way,
conversation started.
43
00:05:19,083 --> 00:05:22,203
She was like, "Well, yeah,
I can come hang out."
44
00:05:22,283 --> 00:05:25,083
"Just let me change and what else."
I was like, "Cool."
45
00:05:25,683 --> 00:05:28,283
So that's how we first hung out.
46
00:05:28,803 --> 00:05:34,243
It was just a-- a female
that I met inside of-- of a drugstore.
47
00:05:34,323 --> 00:05:36,803
Uh, I… I wasn't lookin' for anything.
48
00:05:40,723 --> 00:05:42,723
[birdsong]
49
00:06:02,203 --> 00:06:03,883
My name is Charmeka.
50
00:06:04,963 --> 00:06:07,523
I'm originally from Dallas, Texas.
51
00:06:09,723 --> 00:06:13,323
In 2009, I was a single woman,
52
00:06:13,963 --> 00:06:17,003
working at that time
as an associate unit manager
53
00:06:17,083 --> 00:06:19,803
in a HIV clinic for Dallas County.
54
00:06:27,643 --> 00:06:31,923
I sprained my ankle,
so I stopped at the local CVS.
55
00:06:32,563 --> 00:06:34,563
And that's where I met David.
56
00:06:36,123 --> 00:06:37,443
Pickin' up pain medicine.
57
00:06:39,363 --> 00:06:40,883
So, I'm not easily flattered.
58
00:06:40,963 --> 00:06:42,923
[laughs] But…
59
00:06:44,843 --> 00:06:47,163
he made a comment
I can't remember exactly,
60
00:06:47,243 --> 00:06:48,803
but it was funny to me.
61
00:06:48,883 --> 00:06:51,643
And so that's how we ended up
exchangin' numbers.
62
00:06:55,643 --> 00:06:59,683
The first date,
we went to a steakhouse downtown.
63
00:07:01,763 --> 00:07:04,363
He was funny, you know,
we had good conversation,
64
00:07:04,443 --> 00:07:06,003
liked some of the same music.
65
00:07:06,083 --> 00:07:08,203
So those things were interesting for me.
66
00:07:09,283 --> 00:07:13,083
And if, I should add,
I can say the one thing at the time,
67
00:07:13,163 --> 00:07:15,443
he is an ordained minister.
68
00:07:15,523 --> 00:07:18,083
And so, for me,
I was really heavy into my religion,
69
00:07:18,163 --> 00:07:21,723
church, and that was another thing
that kind of drew me to him.
70
00:07:24,043 --> 00:07:27,803
I remember tellin' him I wasn't really
lookin' for a relationship per se.
71
00:07:28,563 --> 00:07:32,443
My focal point was really
not anything long-term,
72
00:07:33,323 --> 00:07:36,923
but he was okay with us
maybe buildin' a friendship.
73
00:07:41,283 --> 00:07:43,643
In the beginnin',
he did seem really chill.
74
00:07:43,723 --> 00:07:45,803
There was no pressure, you know.
75
00:07:45,883 --> 00:07:48,563
"We can go out to eat,
have a conversation and go from there,"
76
00:07:48,643 --> 00:07:51,243
but he was open to being just friends.
77
00:08:02,403 --> 00:08:05,923
[McGee] There was a couple of evenings
where she hit me up.
78
00:08:06,003 --> 00:08:08,603
She would get her a glass of wine
or whatever
79
00:08:08,683 --> 00:08:13,043
and sit there with me while I ate,
and we would talk, you know, like that.
80
00:08:13,123 --> 00:08:14,803
Me personally, I don't--
81
00:08:15,483 --> 00:08:20,323
I've never used the term "date"
very much.
82
00:08:20,403 --> 00:08:25,283
I don't really get into the whole wining
and dining, and trying to impress 'em,
83
00:08:25,363 --> 00:08:28,083
and spendin' money
for them to be around you.
84
00:08:28,163 --> 00:08:31,963
I don't really-- I've never really bought
into that way of thinkin'.
85
00:08:34,523 --> 00:08:36,963
She invited me to come see
where she lived.
86
00:08:38,763 --> 00:08:43,283
And, uh, that was the first night
that we did, you know, grown-folks stuff.
87
00:08:45,283 --> 00:08:47,883
You know. You know, uh…
88
00:08:47,963 --> 00:08:50,123
intimate things between grown people.
89
00:08:54,083 --> 00:08:56,883
I mean, somebody invites you
into their home
90
00:08:56,963 --> 00:08:59,443
and into they body at the same time,
91
00:08:59,523 --> 00:09:02,963
I would figure
something's goin' all right, you know.
92
00:09:12,123 --> 00:09:15,763
[Charmeka] In terms of things shifting
and not going as well,
93
00:09:15,843 --> 00:09:18,883
or me starting to see little red flags,
94
00:09:18,963 --> 00:09:24,843
would probably have been
around months two or three.
95
00:09:26,763 --> 00:09:29,043
Things did become
a little more controlling.
96
00:09:29,123 --> 00:09:32,483
It would be, "Call me when you get here.
Call me when you get here."
97
00:09:32,563 --> 00:09:36,123
"Text me when you get there."
And that was overbearing for me.
98
00:09:37,043 --> 00:09:40,403
Like, I don't want to check in
with you every time I make a move.
99
00:09:40,483 --> 00:09:42,283
So it did become an issue.
100
00:09:44,883 --> 00:09:48,083
He would say I was seein' other people.
He would accuse me.
101
00:09:48,163 --> 00:09:50,083
"You can't just be friends with somebody."
102
00:09:50,163 --> 00:09:51,843
And I was like, "Clearly, yes, I can."
103
00:09:51,923 --> 00:09:54,683
"I have several people
that I'm just friends with."
104
00:09:55,603 --> 00:09:59,803
There was one instance that I was out
with some of my sorority sisters,
105
00:10:00,483 --> 00:10:02,243
and he just showed up at the event.
106
00:10:03,083 --> 00:10:04,443
That wasn't the agreement,
107
00:10:04,523 --> 00:10:08,403
'cause you have just completely
disrespected all of my boundaries.
108
00:10:08,483 --> 00:10:12,803
When I think back on it, I probably
should have just cut everything then.
109
00:10:18,723 --> 00:10:20,723
[rockets whistling]
110
00:10:39,843 --> 00:10:42,243
[McGee] There was a Fourth of July event.
111
00:10:44,123 --> 00:10:46,643
She's not answerin' the phone,
not returnin' texts.
112
00:10:48,723 --> 00:10:50,643
I get all the way to her mother's street,
113
00:10:50,723 --> 00:10:53,483
and her car is sittin'
in front of her mother's house.
114
00:10:54,603 --> 00:10:56,723
They're standin' out
in the front yard talkin'.
115
00:10:57,243 --> 00:10:59,483
So I just rolled on by, kept on going.
116
00:10:59,563 --> 00:11:03,683
I'm like, "Well, she's all right, I guess.
She'll call or text when she get ready."
117
00:11:03,763 --> 00:11:04,763
So I go on.
118
00:11:05,603 --> 00:11:08,683
They said that I drove by ominously,
119
00:11:08,763 --> 00:11:13,083
and that-- that made her fearful,
because I drove by ominously.
120
00:11:13,163 --> 00:11:15,043
I was following her around.
121
00:11:15,123 --> 00:11:17,403
I guess I was supposed to stop
and get out and say,
122
00:11:17,483 --> 00:11:19,123
"Hey, I was just checkin' on you."
123
00:11:19,203 --> 00:11:21,963
But I went on about my business,
you see what I'm sayin'?
124
00:11:27,243 --> 00:11:29,803
[Charmeka] My mom and I
were sittin' on the porch.
125
00:11:31,443 --> 00:11:33,803
He's slowly creeping by my parents' house.
126
00:11:35,323 --> 00:11:36,963
If I tell you I'm at my parents',
127
00:11:37,043 --> 00:11:40,243
why are you drivin' down the street
checkin' on me?
128
00:11:43,043 --> 00:11:45,603
So for me, that was the final straw.
129
00:11:46,563 --> 00:11:47,843
That was the final straw.
130
00:12:02,123 --> 00:12:05,043
[Charmeka] When I started seeing the red
flags, it wasn't hard at all for me
131
00:12:05,123 --> 00:12:08,203
to say, "Hey, this is not gonna work."
132
00:12:09,203 --> 00:12:11,083
"This is not gonna work."
133
00:12:12,123 --> 00:12:13,443
That made him upset.
134
00:12:14,123 --> 00:12:17,283
You don't get to tell him no,
and that we can't be in a relationship,
135
00:12:17,363 --> 00:12:20,043
and that you're gonna move on
and do things different.
136
00:12:34,323 --> 00:12:35,923
So I get in my car.
137
00:12:36,003 --> 00:12:37,723
He's following me at first.
138
00:12:38,763 --> 00:12:43,043
And then he gets in front of me on 35,
where the speed limit is 70
139
00:12:43,123 --> 00:12:47,043
and just hits his brakes in the middle
of the highway in front of me.
140
00:12:51,083 --> 00:12:52,083
I almost hit him.
141
00:12:52,803 --> 00:12:57,803
Fortunately enough, I was able to swerve
and there weren't any cars comin'.
142
00:12:58,403 --> 00:13:02,763
And when I went past him, there was
just this look in his eyes, like,
143
00:13:02,843 --> 00:13:04,243
"I despise you."
144
00:13:07,043 --> 00:13:11,203
For me, that was scary,
because you just put my life in danger.
145
00:13:31,723 --> 00:13:34,483
[McGee] I was supposed to come
pick up my stuff from her house.
146
00:13:34,563 --> 00:13:37,883
I get there, all of a sudden,
she didn't want me to get it.
147
00:13:40,403 --> 00:13:44,323
She and I had had a verbal dispute,
148
00:13:44,403 --> 00:13:48,443
and she wanted me to leave,
but she didn't want me to gather my stuff.
149
00:13:49,483 --> 00:13:51,883
I was irritated about it, definitely.
150
00:13:51,963 --> 00:13:55,123
'Cause I'm, like, "Man, this bitch
is really on some stupid shit."
151
00:13:55,203 --> 00:13:58,323
But at the same time, I'm not--
I'm like, "Okay, yeah, whatever."
152
00:14:03,043 --> 00:14:04,003
[chimes tinkling]
153
00:14:04,083 --> 00:14:06,363
[Charmeka] He wasn't leaving.
He wasn't goin' anywhere.
154
00:14:06,443 --> 00:14:07,923
I was like, "You need to leave."
155
00:14:08,003 --> 00:14:11,683
"And if you don't leave,
I'm going to call the police."
156
00:14:11,763 --> 00:14:14,603
So when I told him
I was walking to call the police,
157
00:14:14,683 --> 00:14:17,963
he pushed me out of the way,
which-- there was a closet here,
158
00:14:18,043 --> 00:14:21,443
and went to my room
and yanked the base out,
159
00:14:21,523 --> 00:14:23,243
and then pushed me on his way out.
160
00:14:26,443 --> 00:14:30,523
I had never been in a relationship
that was physical or had become physical.
161
00:14:32,563 --> 00:14:35,363
To be shoved into a wall like that
and have a phone yanked off
162
00:14:35,443 --> 00:14:37,803
and have everything
on my nightstand broken,
163
00:14:37,883 --> 00:14:41,803
that was all totally new for me,
so it was a very scary situation.
164
00:14:43,323 --> 00:14:45,323
[siren wailing]
165
00:14:47,723 --> 00:14:49,923
[McGee] I wasn't there
when the police got there,
166
00:14:50,003 --> 00:14:54,203
so I don't know at exactly what moment
she called the police,
167
00:14:54,283 --> 00:14:55,443
you know what I mean?
168
00:14:55,523 --> 00:15:01,483
But the police came and made a report
based off what-- what she was sayin'.
169
00:15:01,563 --> 00:15:03,523
[train crossing bell ringing]
170
00:15:25,843 --> 00:15:29,283
[Charmeka] My hope was
that once he knew the police was involved,
171
00:15:29,363 --> 00:15:30,603
that it would all stop.
172
00:15:32,243 --> 00:15:33,843
But it did not work that way.
173
00:15:35,883 --> 00:15:37,523
It just never stopped.
174
00:15:38,123 --> 00:15:39,843
It just… it just never stopped.
175
00:15:46,643 --> 00:15:48,083
He would call me all day.
176
00:15:48,763 --> 00:15:51,683
If I blocked one number,
he would get another number.
177
00:15:51,763 --> 00:15:54,763
Once I blocked the numbers,
there would be emails.
178
00:15:54,843 --> 00:15:58,243
He showed up at my job
a couple of times, a couple of mornings.
179
00:16:00,123 --> 00:16:03,523
I've just never had this issue,
and now you're puttin' my job in jeopardy
180
00:16:03,603 --> 00:16:08,843
because I never know if you'll actually
come up here and do somethin' to me
181
00:16:09,523 --> 00:16:11,003
or my co-workers.
182
00:16:11,083 --> 00:16:12,443
So that all was scary.
183
00:16:15,763 --> 00:16:20,003
I would have to start changin'
what time I went to work,
184
00:16:20,563 --> 00:16:21,843
which way I went to work.
185
00:16:22,963 --> 00:16:24,603
I would get to the gym,
186
00:16:25,363 --> 00:16:27,563
he would be comin' across the parkin' lot.
187
00:16:28,643 --> 00:16:30,643
And he would call me some mornings.
188
00:16:30,723 --> 00:16:33,843
"Oh, you look so pretty.
I like the color you have on."
189
00:16:34,483 --> 00:16:38,043
And I'm lookin' around the parkin' lot,
like, you know, "Where are you?"
190
00:16:38,123 --> 00:16:40,803
And, like, that happened many days.
191
00:16:40,883 --> 00:16:45,043
And I did really get to a very low place
where it was like a struggle
192
00:16:45,123 --> 00:16:49,443
just to get up in the morning,
'cause I just felt so low and afraid.
193
00:17:16,443 --> 00:17:18,803
[Charmeka] I'm gonna ask you this
one more time.
194
00:17:19,323 --> 00:17:20,803
Quit callin' my phone.
195
00:17:23,403 --> 00:17:25,523
Do we not have a protective order
in place?
196
00:17:28,323 --> 00:17:31,923
If you don't stop callin' my phone,
I'm callin' the police.
197
00:17:33,203 --> 00:17:34,403
[ringing tone]
198
00:17:34,923 --> 00:17:36,443
[bleeping]
199
00:17:36,523 --> 00:17:37,403
[Charmeka] Hello?
200
00:17:37,483 --> 00:17:40,403
[McGee] Oh, I wish I could see you
dancin' in them shorts.
201
00:17:41,323 --> 00:17:42,403
[Charmeka] David.
202
00:17:43,123 --> 00:17:45,883
I don't want to be called at two o'clock
in the morning.
203
00:17:47,283 --> 00:17:48,683
I want it to stop.
204
00:17:54,963 --> 00:17:57,883
During this time, yeah, I called.
205
00:17:57,963 --> 00:18:01,003
Yeah, I probably did call
50 or a hundred times.
206
00:18:02,563 --> 00:18:05,243
The police put a temporary
restraining order in place,
207
00:18:05,323 --> 00:18:06,683
let her know about it.
208
00:18:06,763 --> 00:18:08,083
I didn't know about it.
209
00:18:10,323 --> 00:18:14,203
And all along from the beginning,
I told my attorney, told the DA,
210
00:18:14,283 --> 00:18:17,763
"Okay, yeah, for--
for callin' too many times."
211
00:18:18,283 --> 00:18:22,683
Uh… "Okay, fine, yeah,
I'll take misdemeanor harassment."
212
00:18:22,763 --> 00:18:23,843
"Stalking? No."
213
00:18:23,923 --> 00:18:26,803
"This person has never been in danger.
In danger of what?"
214
00:18:37,283 --> 00:18:38,883
[thunder rumbling]
215
00:18:41,043 --> 00:18:43,043
[Charmeka] A couple of things happened
at my house.
216
00:18:43,123 --> 00:18:44,763
[thunder crashing]
217
00:18:45,363 --> 00:18:48,443
There were track marks where he had
driven across my yard…
218
00:18:50,403 --> 00:18:52,203
and ran into my garage.
219
00:18:54,523 --> 00:18:56,283
My front door was kicked in.
220
00:18:56,963 --> 00:19:01,643
There were windows shattered
and screens pulled away from the window.
221
00:19:03,083 --> 00:19:05,683
I knew nobody but David
could have done this.
222
00:19:08,043 --> 00:19:12,163
I didn't really know what would stop him,
so I really felt powerless at this point.
223
00:19:12,243 --> 00:19:16,003
I did clearly feel like he was just not
gonna leave me alone.
224
00:19:17,723 --> 00:19:19,883
It made me really afraid and scared,
225
00:19:19,963 --> 00:19:25,203
and the next aspect of that was,
how far would he really go?
226
00:19:30,683 --> 00:19:35,043
You have those allegations put up there
with conjecture,
227
00:19:35,123 --> 00:19:36,843
and you're drawin' this picture.
228
00:19:36,923 --> 00:19:41,443
They say a garage door was hit.
229
00:19:41,523 --> 00:19:44,323
They say a window was broken.
They say this, they--
230
00:19:44,403 --> 00:19:46,363
Oh, this happened and this happened.
231
00:19:46,443 --> 00:19:48,523
There's no witness to anything.
232
00:19:48,603 --> 00:19:52,283
Just they're sayin' the house
was broken into, and I did it.
233
00:19:52,363 --> 00:19:56,883
"So okay, the house was broken into.
What was taken?" "Oh, nothing was taken."
234
00:19:56,963 --> 00:20:00,643
"Somebody just broke into the front door
and left."
235
00:20:01,483 --> 00:20:03,203
Do you see what I'm saying? It's all…
236
00:20:04,043 --> 00:20:06,483
You know, it's all boogeyman talk.
237
00:20:39,243 --> 00:20:41,083
My name is Michael Jones,
238
00:20:42,123 --> 00:20:46,603
and I was working for the Duncanville
Police Department as a patrol officer.
239
00:20:51,323 --> 00:20:56,283
I remember gettin' a call of a burglary,
possible burglary call.
240
00:20:56,803 --> 00:20:59,443
Um, we didn't know if it was burglary
or criminal mischief.
241
00:20:59,523 --> 00:21:01,723
There was damage to the back door
242
00:21:01,803 --> 00:21:03,963
and I believe one of the windows
to the house.
243
00:21:06,163 --> 00:21:08,443
Any time that you're responding
to a call like this,
244
00:21:08,523 --> 00:21:11,483
you're always prepared for,
you know, what-- what if?
245
00:21:11,563 --> 00:21:13,443
You know, the worst-case scenario.
246
00:21:13,523 --> 00:21:15,523
[birdsong]
247
00:21:27,843 --> 00:21:29,963
So, the first time
I got here to the house,
248
00:21:30,803 --> 00:21:32,243
there were previous calls.
249
00:21:32,323 --> 00:21:35,803
There was possibly some domestic violence,
um, you know,
250
00:21:35,883 --> 00:21:38,123
that we had responded to fairly recently.
251
00:21:41,483 --> 00:21:44,043
So we had Charmeka,
you know, wait off to the side
252
00:21:44,563 --> 00:21:47,003
while we came over
and kind of secured the house.
253
00:21:48,683 --> 00:21:54,123
We noticed that the back door
just beyond this fence here was damaged.
254
00:21:55,043 --> 00:21:58,003
It was kicked in.
Obviously, somebody had been in the house
255
00:21:58,083 --> 00:21:59,683
or attempted to break in her house.
256
00:22:02,043 --> 00:22:07,523
To her, she knew that that was
a way of David McGee, her stalker,
257
00:22:07,603 --> 00:22:10,843
lettin' her know that he was around
and he wasn't gonna let her be.
258
00:22:17,683 --> 00:22:22,483
Tire marks and property damage on its own
is very hard to prove
259
00:22:22,563 --> 00:22:23,923
as far as a stalking case.
260
00:22:24,923 --> 00:22:29,083
We needed to have definitive evidence
of property damage
261
00:22:29,763 --> 00:22:34,843
or, uh, physical bodily harm to her
that we could directly tie to him.
262
00:22:39,723 --> 00:22:44,243
One of the neighbors actually did have
a conversation with Mr. McGee
263
00:22:44,323 --> 00:22:49,043
here on the property, um…
and actually was quite alarmed.
264
00:22:49,763 --> 00:22:53,003
Um, apparently,
Mr. McGee had asked him about gun laws.
265
00:22:53,603 --> 00:22:57,403
Um… you know, and this happened
early-- in the early morning hours.
266
00:22:57,483 --> 00:23:00,843
So think about it, early morning hours,
you come out to check your house,
267
00:23:00,923 --> 00:23:04,483
there's a stranger to him lurking,
you know, in the shadows.
268
00:23:04,563 --> 00:23:07,363
And all of a sudden, you know,
he's asking about gun laws.
269
00:23:08,483 --> 00:23:12,683
For me, that was a real red flag,
and-- and probably the key point
270
00:23:12,763 --> 00:23:16,243
where I really felt, um…
in fear for her and her life.
271
00:23:17,083 --> 00:23:19,403
But my hands are tied at this point.
272
00:23:40,323 --> 00:23:43,203
[Charmeka] It just seemed
that he had the right timing
273
00:23:43,283 --> 00:23:47,683
that they were never able
to catch him in action.
274
00:23:51,963 --> 00:23:53,683
I can't protect myself.
275
00:23:54,883 --> 00:24:00,603
And then have the police
not be able to protect you,
276
00:24:01,603 --> 00:24:03,043
it's terrifying.
277
00:24:03,123 --> 00:24:06,843
And as a victim, you just want it to stop.
278
00:24:10,203 --> 00:24:13,643
As time went on and nothin' happened,
he became bold.
279
00:24:13,723 --> 00:24:16,723
It becomes,
"Oh, I'll just knock out windows."
280
00:24:16,803 --> 00:24:19,803
"Oh, I'll just increase the number
of times I call her."
281
00:24:19,883 --> 00:24:24,483
"Oh, I'll just show up to the gym
Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday,
282
00:24:24,563 --> 00:24:26,683
instead of just Monday."
283
00:24:27,483 --> 00:24:29,683
So everything was escalating.
284
00:24:29,763 --> 00:24:31,363
[chimes tinkling]
285
00:24:35,403 --> 00:24:37,203
He would send me messages sayin',
286
00:24:37,283 --> 00:24:41,243
"Hey, you should really keep
your porch light on, for safety."
287
00:24:41,323 --> 00:24:44,883
And there were texts and calls like,
288
00:24:44,963 --> 00:24:48,843
"Oh, go stand by the window.
I wanna see you."
289
00:24:48,923 --> 00:24:52,763
And then there were threats
against my family's property,
290
00:24:53,643 --> 00:24:55,083
other loved ones.
291
00:24:55,163 --> 00:24:57,643
It was just a very tryin' time.
292
00:24:59,363 --> 00:25:01,363
I didn't know what would happen next.
293
00:25:14,443 --> 00:25:17,043
[Charmeka] There was a day
that he showed up on my porch
294
00:25:17,123 --> 00:25:20,203
with pictures of me
that I didn't know he had.
295
00:25:23,643 --> 00:25:29,843
And he essentially stood in my door,
performing sexual acts on himself
296
00:25:29,923 --> 00:25:33,643
and moaning while holding
my pictures in his hand.
297
00:25:47,603 --> 00:25:51,803
It was at that point that I decided
I needed to move in with my parents.
298
00:25:52,403 --> 00:25:55,203
I just didn't see any other option,
299
00:25:55,883 --> 00:25:57,403
because I no longer felt safe.
300
00:26:00,483 --> 00:26:04,563
It was scary, but I knew
my dad would protect me
301
00:26:04,643 --> 00:26:08,963
even if the officers
and the justice system couldn't.
302
00:26:11,003 --> 00:26:14,443
And that's just why I call him
my first superhero.
303
00:26:15,443 --> 00:26:17,523
-…work today.
-[laughs]
304
00:26:17,603 --> 00:26:18,483
Work today…
305
00:26:21,883 --> 00:26:25,603
[Charmeka's father] When I first found out
how she was bein' treated,
306
00:26:25,683 --> 00:26:30,923
I began to reminisce about some of
the conversations I had had with the guy.
307
00:26:31,603 --> 00:26:37,803
And I saw that it was really beyond
someone just trying to date her.
308
00:26:38,323 --> 00:26:44,043
What it was initially was how
he tried to isolate her from the family.
309
00:26:44,643 --> 00:26:45,883
Especially at that time.
310
00:26:45,963 --> 00:26:48,723
We usually had a lot of gatherings
and things,
311
00:26:49,243 --> 00:26:53,643
and he would try to keep her away
as much as he could.
312
00:26:55,563 --> 00:27:01,363
When I noticed that those situations
were getting physical, threatening her,
313
00:27:01,443 --> 00:27:04,683
calling her consistently all night long,
314
00:27:04,763 --> 00:27:06,123
I couldn't believe it.
315
00:27:10,003 --> 00:27:14,563
I kind of went into a protective mode.
316
00:27:15,883 --> 00:27:19,123
I felt that she could come up dead
at any minute.
317
00:27:20,363 --> 00:27:22,043
I felt her life was in danger.
318
00:27:35,203 --> 00:27:37,043
[Charles] When you go to the authorities
319
00:27:37,563 --> 00:27:40,723
and it appears
that they're not doing anything,
320
00:27:40,803 --> 00:27:44,403
my mind was sayin',
"It's my daughter or him."
321
00:27:45,083 --> 00:27:47,083
And I was prepared to try to…
322
00:27:47,683 --> 00:27:48,963
to-- to kill him, yes.
323
00:27:49,043 --> 00:27:49,883
I…
324
00:27:52,043 --> 00:27:57,563
And that's not a good place to be,
to want to eliminate another human being.
325
00:28:11,683 --> 00:28:14,163
[Charles] We had, uh…
done the legal stuff,
326
00:28:15,163 --> 00:28:18,123
but we didn't know
what he was gonna do next.
327
00:28:20,923 --> 00:28:23,283
Had Miss Stephanie not come along,
328
00:28:24,563 --> 00:28:27,203
he would be dead, I would be in prison.
329
00:28:28,963 --> 00:28:31,243
She came along and she was an angel.
330
00:28:32,003 --> 00:28:34,203
She changed everything.
331
00:28:34,803 --> 00:28:36,363
She was truly sent from God.
332
00:28:57,723 --> 00:28:59,363
[Huff] When I first looked at the case,
333
00:28:59,443 --> 00:29:02,523
I was alarmed by the sheer number
of police reports involved.
334
00:29:03,403 --> 00:29:06,363
I mean, there were over 2,000 or so
pages of records.
335
00:29:08,403 --> 00:29:13,003
This is a pattern of behavior
all geared toward this one person,
336
00:29:13,083 --> 00:29:14,523
to make her life a living hell.
337
00:29:17,323 --> 00:29:21,763
Right now, I have in front of me
a series of text messages
338
00:29:22,243 --> 00:29:25,923
that David McGee would send to Charmeka.
339
00:29:26,003 --> 00:29:29,083
We got these extracted
from one of her cell phones.
340
00:29:29,563 --> 00:29:32,763
There was one time where he texted
every man that was in her phone.
341
00:29:32,843 --> 00:29:36,003
Her brother, her father,
all her male friends,
342
00:29:36,083 --> 00:29:41,083
and said very degrading information
about her sexually to them.
343
00:29:43,883 --> 00:29:46,323
David McGee was very crafty,
344
00:29:46,403 --> 00:29:48,923
because he would not use his name
a lot of times.
345
00:29:49,003 --> 00:29:50,883
None of his cell phones were in his name.
346
00:29:51,563 --> 00:29:54,883
There was one time where he texted,
"You should turn your porch light on."
347
00:29:54,963 --> 00:29:58,003
"It's good for safety and security.
See, I always look out for you."
348
00:29:58,643 --> 00:30:00,723
Well, what's concerning about that
is that
349
00:30:00,803 --> 00:30:03,323
her windows were all broken out
that same day.
350
00:30:03,403 --> 00:30:06,723
So the fact that he's able to see
that her porch light is not on,
351
00:30:06,803 --> 00:30:09,403
that in context with that text message
is very alarming.
352
00:30:10,483 --> 00:30:13,763
But it's hard to pull it all together
because it's so circumstantial.
353
00:30:13,843 --> 00:30:16,843
And so, while I had all these things
where she would come home
354
00:30:16,923 --> 00:30:20,083
and her windows would be busted out,
no one saw him do it.
355
00:30:23,763 --> 00:30:25,803
It was not going to be easy at all,
356
00:30:25,883 --> 00:30:28,243
because stalking cases
are difficult to prove.
357
00:30:28,323 --> 00:30:32,083
Everyone expects DNA,
everyone expects video footage,
358
00:30:32,163 --> 00:30:35,043
everyone expects eyewitness testimony.
359
00:30:35,123 --> 00:30:37,123
It's so many things, and quite frankly,
360
00:30:37,203 --> 00:30:39,563
stalking doesn't lend itself
to havin' all that.
361
00:30:40,123 --> 00:30:41,123
It just doesn't.
362
00:30:47,963 --> 00:30:51,083
I had talked with Charmeka quite a bit
leading up to trial,
363
00:30:51,163 --> 00:30:54,123
and I told her, kind of.
the hurdles and concerns.
364
00:30:55,803 --> 00:31:01,403
The goal of this was to keep him
away from her and give her her life back.
365
00:31:02,923 --> 00:31:06,683
But if you got more than five years
on a stalking case,
366
00:31:06,763 --> 00:31:09,603
that would be applauded here.
367
00:31:09,683 --> 00:31:12,123
Most of the time,
the stalking cases get probation,
368
00:31:12,203 --> 00:31:14,083
or maybe two years, the minimum.
369
00:31:36,763 --> 00:31:38,763
[Huff] The stakes
were extremely high in this trial.
370
00:31:39,803 --> 00:31:42,843
It was a feeling that if he didn't
get a significant amount of time,
371
00:31:42,923 --> 00:31:44,363
he would hurt her.
372
00:31:44,443 --> 00:31:45,963
He could possibly kill her.
373
00:31:48,443 --> 00:31:50,363
So I started digging through his history,
374
00:31:51,043 --> 00:31:53,883
and I found a lot of alarming
and terrifying things.
375
00:32:11,043 --> 00:32:13,963
I began to find
there were a number of women
376
00:32:14,043 --> 00:32:16,243
that had had issues with David McGee.
377
00:32:17,523 --> 00:32:21,603
I have one here where he hit
a woman in her face, causing her pain.
378
00:32:21,683 --> 00:32:24,443
There was another lady
where he left her a voicemail saying,
379
00:32:24,523 --> 00:32:27,123
"Your life will be miserable.
I have a key to your house."
380
00:32:27,203 --> 00:32:30,803
"I'm gonna be waiting in your house
one night, and I'm gonna eff you up."
381
00:32:32,003 --> 00:32:33,523
This is a totally separate woman.
382
00:32:33,603 --> 00:32:35,843
These are multiple women
this is happening to.
383
00:32:35,923 --> 00:32:36,963
That's scary.
384
00:32:51,763 --> 00:32:53,843
[Huff] So, prior to Charmeka,
385
00:32:53,923 --> 00:32:55,883
he was in a relationship
with another lady.
386
00:32:55,963 --> 00:32:59,563
And I found that this dated back
as early as 2004
387
00:32:59,643 --> 00:33:03,923
and continued until 2009,
which is around the time he met Charmeka,
388
00:33:04,763 --> 00:33:07,243
uh… where, when she tried
to break up with him,
389
00:33:07,323 --> 00:33:10,843
it was almost mirror image
to the things he did to Charmeka,
390
00:33:10,923 --> 00:33:14,963
which is calling her job and harassing her
repeatedly throughout the day,
391
00:33:15,043 --> 00:33:18,643
calling her at home,
um, damaging her property,
392
00:33:18,723 --> 00:33:21,443
threatening to assault her and her family.
393
00:33:21,523 --> 00:33:25,643
But this poor woman,
he made her life a living hell.
394
00:33:25,723 --> 00:33:28,723
He broke her nose. Um, he had choked her.
395
00:33:29,323 --> 00:33:32,403
He forced her to have sex,
causing pain and swelling,
396
00:33:32,483 --> 00:33:35,003
and he threatened to beat her brains out
and kill her,
397
00:33:35,083 --> 00:33:36,683
and throw her in the Trinity River.
398
00:33:39,443 --> 00:33:43,483
I think because he found Charmeka,
he left her alone.
399
00:33:44,123 --> 00:33:46,843
And because he left her alone, she said,
400
00:33:46,923 --> 00:33:49,483
"I-- I don't wanna prosecute
or pursue anything."
401
00:33:49,563 --> 00:33:52,283
David McGee was predatory.
402
00:33:52,363 --> 00:33:57,483
I mean, he was a sexual deviant
that stalked and harassed
403
00:33:57,563 --> 00:34:01,523
numerous women over years, years of time.
404
00:34:01,603 --> 00:34:02,603
He's a predator.
405
00:34:06,043 --> 00:34:08,043
That's who David McGee is.
406
00:34:08,123 --> 00:34:10,163
He is someone that quotes scripture,
407
00:34:10,243 --> 00:34:13,403
is a pastor,
comes across as this great man,
408
00:34:13,483 --> 00:34:15,643
until you get to know him
and until you date him
409
00:34:15,723 --> 00:34:17,003
and until you tell him no.
410
00:34:17,683 --> 00:34:23,043
The more I came across different instances
of him being violent with women,
411
00:34:23,123 --> 00:34:25,683
aggressive with women,
uh, harassing women,
412
00:34:25,763 --> 00:34:28,323
it-- it made it more important to me
413
00:34:28,403 --> 00:34:31,803
that we seek as much time
as we could possibly get in this case.
414
00:34:59,603 --> 00:35:01,523
[Charmeka] This is where the case
415
00:35:01,603 --> 00:35:06,443
of the State of Texas
versus David McGee happened.
416
00:35:08,923 --> 00:35:11,883
Stephanie had made it quite clear,
though we were here,
417
00:35:12,483 --> 00:35:14,563
we still had a long road up ahead of us
418
00:35:14,643 --> 00:35:18,323
because to get a guilty verdict
in a stalking case,
419
00:35:19,403 --> 00:35:21,803
is a very hard thing to do.
420
00:35:23,563 --> 00:35:27,283
But when I heard the stories
of the other victims,
421
00:35:27,363 --> 00:35:30,283
it became clear to me that
422
00:35:31,483 --> 00:35:34,523
it was necessary for me to fight on.
423
00:35:36,723 --> 00:35:39,123
I was nervous when I first saw David,
424
00:35:40,083 --> 00:35:44,483
but I made sure that I looked him
in his eyes as he glared at me
425
00:35:44,563 --> 00:35:47,123
and let him know, "I'm here
and we're gonna do this."
426
00:35:58,923 --> 00:36:01,243
[Charmeka] Being in the hot seat
427
00:36:01,323 --> 00:36:06,003
trying to defend your story is tough,
428
00:36:06,083 --> 00:36:09,643
um, because the defense attorneys,
429
00:36:09,723 --> 00:36:11,443
they have a job to do.
430
00:36:13,083 --> 00:36:18,323
So they basically made me feel like
I was on trial.
431
00:36:22,363 --> 00:36:27,843
At one point, it was suggested
that I teased David.
432
00:36:27,923 --> 00:36:33,043
So, I… I wanted him to follow me.
433
00:36:33,603 --> 00:36:35,603
I wanted him to send the messages.
434
00:36:37,363 --> 00:36:43,203
It was very frustrating
to feel like you're the suspect.
435
00:36:45,843 --> 00:36:50,203
When I left the stand,
I felt defeated in some ways.
436
00:36:50,283 --> 00:36:53,643
I was really unsure which way
the jurors would go.
437
00:36:54,723 --> 00:36:56,683
There were character witnesses.
438
00:36:56,763 --> 00:37:00,603
He had a list of people
that were from his church,
439
00:37:00,683 --> 00:37:02,923
because he was a ordained minister.
440
00:37:03,523 --> 00:37:07,803
Of course, his parents and family members
that spoke on his behalf.
441
00:37:08,483 --> 00:37:11,923
So, while I was prayin' for the best,
442
00:37:12,443 --> 00:37:14,443
I was also preparin' for the worst.
443
00:37:14,523 --> 00:37:18,963
And the worst could have been
him not gettin' a guilty verdict.
444
00:37:21,043 --> 00:37:22,603
There was a lot of uncertainty.
445
00:37:23,443 --> 00:37:24,843
I just wasn't sure.
446
00:38:20,123 --> 00:38:24,083
[McGee] The prosecution said that
Charmeka was the latest in a long list…
447
00:38:25,483 --> 00:38:26,563
of "victims."
448
00:38:27,483 --> 00:38:30,363
You have to show me the list,
because there's a reason
449
00:38:30,443 --> 00:38:34,683
why those allegations
never turned out to be anything.
450
00:38:35,163 --> 00:38:40,163
At no time can anybody show you a scratch,
a scar, a broken nail,
451
00:38:40,243 --> 00:38:42,163
a bloody lip, a hair out of place.
452
00:38:42,243 --> 00:38:44,083
Yeah, no-- nobody can show you that.
453
00:38:44,843 --> 00:38:47,803
That's what I know! [laughs]
And that's what's documented.
454
00:38:48,283 --> 00:38:49,603
See-- You see what I'm saying?
455
00:38:49,683 --> 00:38:55,003
I can give you a-- a list of women
of all different types of ages,
456
00:38:55,083 --> 00:38:56,963
all different types of background,
457
00:38:57,043 --> 00:39:00,083
from church and just
all walks of life, right?
458
00:39:00,163 --> 00:39:04,083
From-- from strippers and prostitutes
to church missionaries, right?
459
00:39:04,163 --> 00:39:08,283
Who would tell you,
"I don't believe it. I can't see it."
460
00:39:08,763 --> 00:39:12,723
"That dude is a…
He's-- he's a very unique person,
461
00:39:12,803 --> 00:39:15,603
but no, he's not…
he's not crazy like that."
462
00:39:15,683 --> 00:39:17,803
"That's not David McGee,"
you know what I mean?
463
00:39:21,483 --> 00:39:23,963
Do I have remorse
toward Charmeka for what?
464
00:39:27,243 --> 00:39:28,283
For-- for what happened?
465
00:39:28,363 --> 00:39:31,123
What happened that I'm supposed
to have remorse for?
466
00:39:31,203 --> 00:39:34,763
You, uh-- You're--
you're a 33-, 34-year-old woman.
467
00:39:35,603 --> 00:39:36,443
Okay?
468
00:39:39,483 --> 00:39:42,203
My clothes,
my stuff are inside your house.
469
00:39:43,723 --> 00:39:48,523
The only thing that I've done
was call you a bunch of times
470
00:39:48,603 --> 00:39:51,043
tryin' to see, when could I get my stuff?
471
00:39:52,923 --> 00:39:57,603
The-- the number of times I called
caused her to be in fear. Really?
472
00:39:57,683 --> 00:39:59,003
Come on, man.
473
00:39:59,083 --> 00:40:01,963
All-- all of that was--
was a bunch of flimflam.
474
00:40:02,043 --> 00:40:03,323
You dig what I'm sayin'?
475
00:40:12,923 --> 00:40:15,163
I've been locked up right now ten years.
476
00:40:17,403 --> 00:40:21,923
I was given a parole answer not long ago,
477
00:40:22,003 --> 00:40:23,723
so it shouldn't be much longer.
478
00:40:24,363 --> 00:40:26,123
Yeah, it shouldn't be much longer.
479
00:40:37,643 --> 00:40:39,683
My plans for the future when I get out…
480
00:40:40,243 --> 00:40:41,203
Uh…
481
00:40:41,723 --> 00:40:43,243
I will always…
482
00:40:43,323 --> 00:40:46,043
You know, I will always have a-- a…
483
00:40:47,043 --> 00:40:52,083
a passion to-- to help people,
as far as ministry goes.
484
00:40:52,163 --> 00:40:57,003
So I'll never be too far from--
from that as a personal goal.
485
00:41:00,323 --> 00:41:03,843
As far as having any regrets
or if I would do anything differently
486
00:41:03,923 --> 00:41:06,163
concernin' Charmeka or any other women?
487
00:41:08,203 --> 00:41:09,163
Hmm…
488
00:41:09,683 --> 00:41:13,483
Well, I-- I was raised
as a person of faith, right?
489
00:41:13,563 --> 00:41:16,683
I was raised to believe in God
and Jesus Christ.
490
00:41:17,203 --> 00:41:20,923
So if I would do anything differently,
491
00:41:21,683 --> 00:41:25,203
I would not have had sex with those women.
492
00:41:26,043 --> 00:41:28,963
Sex clouds a lot of things, man.
493
00:41:29,043 --> 00:41:30,683
Especially good sex.
494
00:41:31,923 --> 00:41:34,123
Clouds a lot of things, brings a lot of--
495
00:41:34,683 --> 00:41:35,883
Yeah, it's-- it's--
496
00:41:35,963 --> 00:41:40,643
Because I believe that's where a lot
of problems start, you know what I mean?
497
00:41:41,123 --> 00:41:41,963
Yeah.
498
00:41:51,283 --> 00:41:52,883
[birdsong]
499
00:42:04,243 --> 00:42:07,403
[Charmeka] At the moment of the jury's
verdict, it was a sigh of relief.
500
00:42:11,923 --> 00:42:17,083
I hugged my parents
for stickin' with me to the end and…
501
00:42:19,123 --> 00:42:24,163
And really Stephanie, for believing
my story was worth goin' to trial.
502
00:42:26,923 --> 00:42:27,883
It was relief.
503
00:42:29,363 --> 00:42:30,483
It was relief.
504
00:42:42,243 --> 00:42:45,443
There were tears,
that everything that I had overcome
505
00:42:45,523 --> 00:42:47,523
and been through wasn't in vain.
506
00:42:49,003 --> 00:42:51,523
It felt like regainin' my freedom
507
00:42:52,363 --> 00:42:56,483
as far as my livelihood and bein' able
to go back to livin' my life
508
00:42:56,563 --> 00:42:58,763
without havin' to look over my shoulder.
509
00:43:01,123 --> 00:43:04,163
But the mental scars,
510
00:43:04,243 --> 00:43:05,923
the emotional scars,
511
00:43:06,443 --> 00:43:11,083
they're still with me over 12 years later.
512
00:43:13,323 --> 00:43:15,683
I don't know if I'll ever stop
healing from it.
513
00:43:17,003 --> 00:43:20,923
Eventually, David will be released
to come home.
514
00:43:21,883 --> 00:43:25,603
I was just fortunate enough to live
to tell my story.
515
00:43:28,283 --> 00:43:30,443
Many people don't get to tell their story.