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[reporter]
The trial of the third person
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00:00:04,043 --> 00:00:06,413
with ties to the Mineola
Swingers Club
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came to a stunning halt
in Smith County, Monday,
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when foster parent
John Cantrell,
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a man awarded custody
of three young siblings,
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who allegedly performed
at the swingers club,
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was arrested in Wood County.
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{\an8}Living in the Cantrell's house
was like a torture chamber.
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I never felt safe.
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And so when I'm starting
to see this stuff come on TV
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about the swingers club,
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and Margie Cantrell bringing
these kids involved with it,
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how could I do nothing
and just sit there
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when I knew exactly what
those kids were going through?
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[Margie] There's no words.
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{\an8}There's really no words
to describe it.
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It wasn't true,
and I knew that.
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[tearfully] He never
ever did anything.
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[Jenna] My early childhood
in California,
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my biological mom
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was doing drugs
and drinking a lot
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and when CPS found us
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we were malnutritioned
and in soiled diapers.
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Then we went
through foster care
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and this lady said,
"Well, I'll take all of them."
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And that was Margie Cantrell.
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I thought, "Yes,
this sweet lady
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and this guy that
looks like Santa Claus
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wants to be our parents."
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But right after I got adopted,
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the abuse with both
of them started.
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When I was 7, that's when
John Cantrell started being
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very physically sexual
with me.
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Touching, licking, kissing,
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trying to teach us how
to French kiss.
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John Cantrell would tell me,
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"Well if you tell anybody,
you're just going to go back
to foster care."
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Everything with Margie
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went very hatefully abusive,
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putting her hands
around my neck
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and just kind
of strangling me
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and telling me how much
she hates me and she
wishes I would die.
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I was depressed.
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I started drinking when
I was about 9, 10 years old.
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Basically I was trying
to self-medicate.
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[Margie] When we
adopted Jenna, back in 1985,
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she had a lot
of problems. A lot.
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A low, low mentality.
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There was a time when
she decided
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to microwave our cat.
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And somebody ran in
and got the cat out.
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The cat did live,
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but it was horrifying.
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[Jenna] In 2004,
we moved to Texas.
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I was 24 at this time.
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There's a couple of reasons
I had stayed with them
for that long.
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My confidence
was so low
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that I really felt like
I couldn't live on my own.
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I had no ID,
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I didn't have
my birth certificate,
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I didn't have my
social security card,
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I had nothing.
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Margie, she would
tell me stuff, like,
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"Well, nobody's going
to want you anyways."
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She would make you feel
like you really
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couldn't do anything
without her.
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[Margie] Shortly after
we moved to Texas,
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Jenna met a man
down the block, David,
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and they got together.
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And they went on
and got married.
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[Jenna] Margie did not think
anything would come out
of this relationship.
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But It's real.
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It's a real love that...
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Never had that, you know,
growing up.
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So I still get all
the butterflies
and everything.
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[David] Me and the Cantrells
didn't get along.
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{\an8}I could definitely tell
something was shady
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between Jenna and John.
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Just the way they, you know,
went about carrying themselves
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kind of seemed
kind of like hidden.
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[reporter] The children were
allegedly forced to dance
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and perform sexual acts
with each other.
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[David] And then when I heard
their story on the news
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about what had happened
with these kids,
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my wife told me what had
happened to her,
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you know, in detail.
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[Jenna] I was hoping that
when I found my husband,
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I would never tell him
the abuse I went through
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because John and Margie
both told me
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that if I ever said anything,
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my spouse or my boyfriend
would leave me.
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When I told him
I started crying,
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and he goes, "No no,
come here, come here,
come here."
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And he rocked me
in the chair.
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And he just held me.
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[David] I love my wife
very much.
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I'm an emotional guy.
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So, when I heard those kind
of things, it bothered me.
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It bothered me a lot.
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I suggested that she tell
the truth to the authorities.
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So she did.
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I can say that as far as
like accusations go
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about my mom and dad,
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I knew it wasn't true.
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It was straight up lies.
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[Jacob] I hold a lot
of anger towards Jenna.
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When you are willing
to lie about somebody
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and potentially
put them in prison,
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I have no room
in my life for you.
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[Margie] When John
was arrested, that hurt,
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but I wasn't going
to tell Jenna,
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"You can't be part of this
family. You can't come home."
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There's something
that is in me that just
doesn't give up on them.
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And then one night,
the kids and I went to Walmart
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and Jenna and David
were there.
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And I said, "Jenna,
come here."
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And he's like, "No."
And she's like, "I can't."
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And I'm like,
"Jenna, come here."
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And she's like, "I can't."
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And then Shelby
said to me,
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"That's the tattooed man
that was at the club.
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He's the one that
was molesting me
at that club."
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[Jenna] Next morning
I get these subpoenas
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and they're saying, well,
these kids are saying
David's name.
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And they're saying that
he's involved with all this.
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[David] I go in
with this police officer.
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He thought I was affiliated
with this swinger's club.
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And they asked me
to take my clothes
down to my underwear
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and stand with my arms out.
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The children had said that
the DJ at the club
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had a tattoo of a dragon
on his back.
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I don't have any tattoos
on my back
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[Margie] Now whether he
was ever at the swinger's club
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to just be a swinger
or to look at the place
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or do anything, that's not
for me to decide.
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No. No. That's not David.
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David's never been like that.
It's completely lies.
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Margie's getting back at me
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because I came out
about her and John.
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Eventually, the police
informed me that
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I was no longer needed
in the trial.
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I knew the capabilities
of this woman.
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I didn't think
it would go that far.
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She'd have been happy
if I'd have went to prison.
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I didn't know nothing
about the swinger's club.
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[Margie] When John
went to court
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I sold everything we owned
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so I could hire an attorney
for my husband.
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When we went
into the courtroom
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the judge heard all
of their evidence that
they said they had
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and he said, "No,
I'm not taking this at all."
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And the judge said,
"Mr. Cantrell, go home."
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There was no evidence
that was even credible,
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so they dropped it.
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And that was the end of it.
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They threw it out
because it was false,
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it wasn't what happened.
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Anybody can accuse
anybody of anything,
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it doesn't mean
that it's true.
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And unless you have
actual proof,
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maybe just don't try
to ruin somebody's life
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just because you
don't like them.
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If you don't like them,
just keep it moving. Move on.
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Her biological children
never got abused,
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because they were
the real kids.
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The ones that would get
abused a lot of the times
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were her foster kids.
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And I believe in her mind
she was thinking,
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"Nobody wants them."
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She's the only way.
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She's the only hope
that you have in life.
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You do what she says
and you'll be okay.
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If you don't, there's gonna
be hell to pay.
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[Margie]
It was a made-up story.
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And I think that
that's disgusting.
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[Michael] In the community,
some people thought
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it was just unfair mudslinging
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against Margie's husband,
kicking against Margie.
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{\an8}But it just seemed
such a weird coincidence,
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{\an8}that her husband was being
accused of the same thing
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that her foster kids were
accusing other people
of doing.
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[Mike] Patrick Kelly's
nickname was Booger Red.
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And it was Booger Red,
who was the one who
had the trailer
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where apparently the sex
kindergarten had taken place.
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[Mike] And then they'd
come up to Mineola
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and they'd dance on stage
for money.
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[Mike] Patrick Kelly's trial
was actually going
to be a little bit different.
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For one thing, Patrick Kelly's
mother cashed in her 401(k)
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to get him an actual lawyer.
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Patrick Kelly had
Thad Davidson,
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00:12:59,313 --> 00:13:02,843
who was a bulldog
of a defense lawyer,
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00:13:02,843 --> 00:13:06,673
former Marine, very dramatic,
and very smart guy.
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{\an8}[Thad] When I first took on
the case, I went to the jail
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and met with Patrick Kelly.
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...and organized crime.
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[Patrick] I didn't even know
there was a swingers club
in Mineola.
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00:13:52,513 --> 00:13:53,873
[Thad] I thought
he was believable.
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00:13:53,873 --> 00:13:56,513
He had no prior history of any
significance whatsoever.
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We looked for fingerprints...
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00:14:00,513 --> 00:14:01,513
DNA...
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00:14:02,513 --> 00:14:03,413
Blood...
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00:14:04,243 --> 00:14:05,343
Other witnesses...
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00:14:06,513 --> 00:14:08,043
Forensic investigation...
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00:14:08,613 --> 00:14:09,713
None of which existed.
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00:14:11,073 --> 00:14:14,973
[Melinda] When Thad came
to me and asked for the help,
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00:14:14,973 --> 00:14:17,413
{\an8}I really thought that
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00:14:17,413 --> 00:14:19,843
{\an8}he was blowing this
out of proportion.
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00:14:20,813 --> 00:14:23,713
But then I start looking
through the evidence.
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00:14:23,713 --> 00:14:25,973
That's when I really began
to realize that
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00:14:25,973 --> 00:14:29,813
Thad wasn't overly exaggerating.
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00:14:32,143 --> 00:14:35,413
I believe he was not guilty
of what these kids
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00:14:35,413 --> 00:14:37,343
and the Cantrells were saying
that he did.
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00:14:41,873 --> 00:14:43,943
Patrick Kelly, was
a simple man,
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00:14:43,943 --> 00:14:45,413
and he lived a simple life.
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00:14:47,073 --> 00:14:51,073
The big thing for him would be
after his hard week of work,
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00:14:51,073 --> 00:14:55,073
was to go buy a 30 pack
of Natural Light Beer
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00:14:55,943 --> 00:14:58,973
and a family size
of chicken legs,
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and have the different friends
and stuff come over,
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and they would barbecue.
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00:15:03,513 --> 00:15:04,443
[fire crackling]
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00:15:06,313 --> 00:15:08,943
[Patrick] My world's been
turned upside down with
all this going on.
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00:15:24,973 --> 00:15:27,713
[Thad] Patrick Kelly,
to be frank,
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00:15:27,713 --> 00:15:31,313
is a redneck, uneducated,
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00:15:31,313 --> 00:15:34,573
impoverished, living in
a trailer out in the woods.
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And in Smith County,
that makes you a target.
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00:15:37,673 --> 00:15:42,443
Soon after I took on the case,
a senior officer of Mineola PD
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00:15:42,443 --> 00:15:47,813
shows up at my office
with boxes of information.
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She goes, "There's
all this stuff that,
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00:15:49,573 --> 00:15:51,973
we're pretty sure you don't
have and have never heard of.
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00:15:51,973 --> 00:15:54,073
Did you know about this?
Did you know about this?"
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00:15:54,073 --> 00:15:57,343
She gives us all this stuff
that we've never seen before.
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00:15:57,343 --> 00:15:59,213
And I'm sitting there
thinking, "Holy [bleep] ."
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00:16:00,213 --> 00:16:03,673
It was long hidden,
exculpatory evidence.
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00:16:03,673 --> 00:16:06,213
Exculpatory reports,
exculpatory interviews,
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00:16:06,213 --> 00:16:10,213
exculpatory information
from June of 2005,
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00:16:10,213 --> 00:16:12,873
when the Mineola PD and
the Wood County DA's office
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00:16:12,873 --> 00:16:15,843
looked at the case and said,
"We don't have anything here".
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00:16:18,443 --> 00:16:21,843
Anything that tends to show
a defendant is not guilty,
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00:16:21,843 --> 00:16:23,673
must be turned over
to the defense.
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00:16:23,673 --> 00:16:26,973
And the state is not allowed
to collect the evidence,
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00:16:26,973 --> 00:16:30,213
sit on it, hide on it,
lie about it, pretend they
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00:16:30,213 --> 00:16:32,443
don't know about it,
which they did.
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00:16:36,043 --> 00:16:38,613
[Melinda] We had learned
before, that swingers club
244
00:16:38,613 --> 00:16:40,343
had already closed down.
245
00:16:40,343 --> 00:16:43,613
A few of the officers,
were running license plates
246
00:16:43,613 --> 00:16:45,043
to see who were swingers,
247
00:16:45,043 --> 00:16:47,873
to see if any of them
were local, just gossiping.
248
00:16:51,413 --> 00:16:54,073
And so, if we could
get those license plates,
249
00:16:54,073 --> 00:16:57,973
then we could get in touch
with some of those swingers
250
00:16:57,973 --> 00:17:01,143
to come forward and
say that if, or if not,
251
00:17:01,143 --> 00:17:03,713
the defendants were
at the swingers club.
252
00:17:05,613 --> 00:17:07,413
So we subpoenaed the records.
253
00:17:09,043 --> 00:17:11,143
Maybe three weeks goes by,
254
00:17:11,143 --> 00:17:13,573
and then they finally
responded and said,
255
00:17:14,873 --> 00:17:18,413
as strangely as this is,
they couldn't find anything.
256
00:17:20,073 --> 00:17:23,043
Eh, there's no other
way to explain that
257
00:17:23,043 --> 00:17:24,843
other than, they were erased.
258
00:17:25,673 --> 00:17:28,073
That was suspicious.
259
00:17:28,073 --> 00:17:30,613
I believe the Texas Rangers
made that decision
260
00:17:30,613 --> 00:17:32,713
at that time to erase them.
261
00:17:32,713 --> 00:17:36,143
Because, if they came forward
with all the license plates,
262
00:17:36,143 --> 00:17:38,843
but none of the
defendant's cars,
263
00:17:38,843 --> 00:17:41,973
not one car came back to them,
264
00:17:43,073 --> 00:17:46,243
well that might prove
our client is innocent,
265
00:17:46,243 --> 00:17:48,413
and they wouldn't
want to give us that.
266
00:17:48,413 --> 00:17:51,513
And then we learned,
another reason they
would've done this.
267
00:17:54,943 --> 00:17:58,813
We discovered that officers
in Mineola had spoken with
268
00:17:58,813 --> 00:18:02,413
the swingers club owners,
Sherry and Russ Adams.
269
00:18:35,773 --> 00:18:37,343
If those officers
were in there,
270
00:18:37,343 --> 00:18:38,943
that's not against the law,
271
00:18:38,943 --> 00:18:41,073
but they would've
had to have said,
272
00:18:41,073 --> 00:18:42,613
there were no
children in there.
273
00:18:42,613 --> 00:18:47,613
And I believe by that point,
Ranger Kemp was so involved,
274
00:18:47,613 --> 00:18:50,973
he didn't want this
case to stop.
275
00:18:50,973 --> 00:18:53,843
And then we dig deeper and
we find out Ranger Kemp
276
00:18:53,843 --> 00:18:56,713
interviewed Sherry Adams
in the DA's office,
277
00:18:56,713 --> 00:18:57,613
there in the courthouse.
278
00:18:59,513 --> 00:19:01,513
[Sherry] We were cramped
in this little corner office
279
00:19:01,513 --> 00:19:03,713
and he put them pictures
out on his desk,
280
00:19:04,243 --> 00:19:05,143
{\an8}and he slammed them.
281
00:19:05,143 --> 00:19:07,713
{\an8}"I know who...
you know who this is."
282
00:19:07,713 --> 00:19:10,143
- "I don't."
- "Well, then you know
who this one is."
283
00:19:10,143 --> 00:19:11,243
"No, I don't."
284
00:19:11,243 --> 00:19:12,713
"Well, you know
what they've done?"
285
00:19:12,713 --> 00:19:14,813
"No, I don't. I don't know
who they are."
286
00:19:14,813 --> 00:19:17,813
He said, "You're a liar.
And I'm gonna put you in jail
with the rest of them.
287
00:19:17,813 --> 00:19:18,873
You will rot in prison."
288
00:19:21,313 --> 00:19:24,143
[Thad] I'm sitting there
thinking, oh my God,
this is bad.
289
00:19:24,143 --> 00:19:25,343
This won't even go to trial.
290
00:19:26,243 --> 00:19:27,943
There is no case here.
291
00:19:27,943 --> 00:19:28,613
This is smoke
and mirrors [bleep].
292
00:19:33,113 --> 00:19:37,113
[Melinda] We wanted
the recording of that
meeting with Sherry Adams.
293
00:19:37,113 --> 00:19:39,213
But there was no recording.
294
00:19:39,213 --> 00:19:41,113
It wasn't in a report.
295
00:19:41,113 --> 00:19:42,643
There was nothing of that.
296
00:19:42,643 --> 00:19:45,943
And to destroy
any evidence is illegal.
297
00:19:45,943 --> 00:19:49,843
Kemp testified he wasn't sure
if it had been recorded.
298
00:19:49,843 --> 00:19:52,173
But then Thad Davidson
found out that
299
00:19:52,173 --> 00:19:53,843
Kemp had actually
been interviewed,
300
00:19:53,843 --> 00:19:55,743
by the Attorney
General's office,
301
00:19:55,743 --> 00:19:57,943
about the whereabouts
of the recording.
302
00:20:48,473 --> 00:20:51,073
[Melinda] In 26 years,
a Texas Ranger's never
303
00:20:51,073 --> 00:20:55,073
conducted an investigation
on sexual assault of a child
304
00:20:55,073 --> 00:20:56,843
or indecency with a child
305
00:20:56,843 --> 00:20:59,313
or sexual performance
by a child.
306
00:20:59,313 --> 00:21:02,043
Kemp had no idea
what he was doing.
307
00:21:17,043 --> 00:21:19,943
Why are you allowing Margie
to sit in on these interviews
308
00:21:19,943 --> 00:21:24,113
and insist and push
and force these kids
309
00:21:24,113 --> 00:21:25,473
to say what they said.
310
00:21:34,843 --> 00:21:37,673
{\an8}[Thad] Kemp did not bother
to check out Cantrell.
311
00:21:37,673 --> 00:21:39,843
{\an8}Kemp did not bother to go,
let's talk about you,
312
00:21:39,843 --> 00:21:41,573
let's talk about your background.
313
00:21:41,573 --> 00:21:43,113
That kind of critical thinking
314
00:21:43,113 --> 00:21:45,043
that should have
been taking place
315
00:21:45,043 --> 00:21:47,573
by Kemp, or any law
enforcement agent,
316
00:21:47,573 --> 00:21:49,943
of Cantrell did not happen.
317
00:21:52,743 --> 00:21:54,313
[Tamara] Thad Davidson
was relentless,
318
00:21:54,313 --> 00:21:56,843
he called me
over and over again.
319
00:21:56,843 --> 00:22:01,013
He kept saying like,
"I'm telling you,
this is a set-up."
320
00:22:01,013 --> 00:22:04,313
{\an8}And so finally, I sat down
with him and heard him out.
321
00:22:04,313 --> 00:22:06,213
{\an8}And I, I saw the passion,
322
00:22:06,213 --> 00:22:08,643
it wasn't just a defense
attorney that wanted to
323
00:22:08,643 --> 00:22:12,113
convince me that,
his defendant wasn't guilty.
324
00:22:12,113 --> 00:22:13,843
No, he was trying
to tell me, like,
325
00:22:13,843 --> 00:22:16,273
you don't understand,
there's layers to this.
326
00:22:16,273 --> 00:22:18,043
And that was the
first time I think my eyes
327
00:22:18,043 --> 00:22:19,743
really, really opened,
328
00:22:19,743 --> 00:22:21,673
to what was taking
place and everything.
329
00:22:21,673 --> 00:22:24,313
So, by the time we entered
the third trial with,
330
00:22:24,313 --> 00:22:27,373
Patrick Kelly, Booger Red,
I was ready, finally,
331
00:22:27,373 --> 00:22:29,573
to kind of get a different
side and understand
332
00:22:29,573 --> 00:22:31,173
what the truth is
behind all of this.
333
00:22:37,173 --> 00:22:39,113
[Thad] I believed
we had a good case,
334
00:22:39,113 --> 00:22:41,113
but the tide was
completely against us
335
00:22:41,113 --> 00:22:42,073
when the trial started.
336
00:22:43,473 --> 00:22:46,743
Any time anybody gets
arrested on a first-degree,
337
00:22:46,743 --> 00:22:49,013
big sex offense crime,
or frankly any
338
00:22:49,013 --> 00:22:51,913
kind of big crime,
it's all over the news.
339
00:22:51,913 --> 00:22:54,673
[Tamara] This case is
constantly in the headlines.
340
00:22:54,673 --> 00:22:56,843
The media and
the newspaper in town,
341
00:22:56,843 --> 00:22:58,843
knew that people were hungry
342
00:22:58,843 --> 00:23:00,313
and that they wanted
more, more, more.
343
00:23:00,313 --> 00:23:02,943
Give us more about this
Mineola sex ring club.
344
00:23:05,013 --> 00:23:07,173
[Thad] What that means
is that the jury pool,
345
00:23:07,173 --> 00:23:10,813
of course, knew
about these cases.
346
00:23:10,813 --> 00:23:13,273
If you know about it, it's
going to affect you in trial.
347
00:23:15,313 --> 00:23:17,313
[Tamara] Local news
was a really big deal.
348
00:23:18,473 --> 00:23:20,743
It was whatever was
printed or reported,
349
00:23:20,743 --> 00:23:22,373
was gospel in many ways.
350
00:23:22,373 --> 00:23:25,813
And it did feel like it was
very, very dominant,
351
00:23:25,813 --> 00:23:27,943
and heavy-sided for the DA.
352
00:23:27,943 --> 00:23:29,743
[reading] Defense attorney
Thad Davidson
353
00:23:29,743 --> 00:23:31,843
says during Friday's pretrial,
354
00:23:31,843 --> 00:23:34,843
he will also ask for
a change of venue.
355
00:23:34,843 --> 00:23:37,213
The reason, potential jurors
in Smith County
356
00:23:37,213 --> 00:23:40,643
are only seeing one side
of the child sex ring story.
357
00:23:51,473 --> 00:23:52,543
[Thad] When the trial started,
358
00:23:52,543 --> 00:23:54,943
we called Margie Cantrell
to the witness stand.
359
00:23:56,043 --> 00:23:58,843
We knew that John Cantrell
had been indicted out
360
00:23:58,843 --> 00:24:01,043
in California on
child sex charges.
361
00:24:01,043 --> 00:24:04,113
The issue is, well, if he's
doing it, is she doing it too?
362
00:24:04,113 --> 00:24:05,743
Because people are
saying that she is.
363
00:24:05,743 --> 00:24:10,113
We were interviewing former
foster kids, now adults.
364
00:24:10,113 --> 00:24:12,943
[Jenna] They were
asking me what happened,
365
00:24:12,943 --> 00:24:15,373
and I told them the abuse
I went through and I said,
366
00:24:15,373 --> 00:24:19,643
"I know what she's doing
because she's done this
kind of stuff before."
367
00:24:21,473 --> 00:24:24,943
She was saying,
"Margie Cantrell beat us.
368
00:24:24,943 --> 00:24:27,813
Margie Cantrell
told us what to say,
369
00:24:27,813 --> 00:24:29,943
Margie Cantrell
would punish us
370
00:24:29,943 --> 00:24:32,213
if we didn't say what
she wanted us to say
371
00:24:32,213 --> 00:24:33,843
or do what she
wanted us to do."
372
00:24:33,843 --> 00:24:35,643
These were adults saying that.
373
00:24:35,643 --> 00:24:37,013
We were ready to destroy her.
374
00:24:40,113 --> 00:24:44,113
The problem is, Margie, with
the assistance of her attorney
375
00:24:44,813 --> 00:24:46,573
told her to shut the hell up,
376
00:24:46,573 --> 00:24:48,743
"You are not going to say a
damn word on the witness stand
377
00:24:48,743 --> 00:24:50,643
other than 'I take the fifth
amendment',"
378
00:24:50,643 --> 00:24:51,573
which is what happened.
379
00:24:53,843 --> 00:24:57,073
[Mike] More than 100 questions
he would ask Margie Cantrell,
380
00:24:57,073 --> 00:24:59,113
and she had the same
answer for each one.
381
00:24:59,113 --> 00:25:02,373
She would say "I'm exercising
my Constitutional Right
382
00:25:02,373 --> 00:25:03,913
to not answer the question,"
383
00:25:03,913 --> 00:25:05,743
and this went on and on.
384
00:25:06,843 --> 00:25:08,573
[Margie] People have
said that John and I,
385
00:25:08,573 --> 00:25:12,073
took our Constitutional Right
because we were guilty.
386
00:25:13,313 --> 00:25:15,213
But my attorney told us,
387
00:25:15,213 --> 00:25:18,173
"You're going to
plead the fifth."
388
00:25:18,173 --> 00:25:21,443
They said they didn't want
to keep muddying it up
389
00:25:21,443 --> 00:25:23,213
with this John
and Margret thing,
390
00:25:23,673 --> 00:25:25,643
because he was innocent,
391
00:25:25,643 --> 00:25:27,743
but he had been
completely slandered,
392
00:25:27,743 --> 00:25:30,043
smeared, and everything.
393
00:25:30,043 --> 00:25:32,043
They want to keep it that out
394
00:25:32,043 --> 00:25:36,173
and they wanted to just
keep it straight on the kids,
395
00:25:36,173 --> 00:25:39,213
what the jury hears,
the testimony the jury hears,
396
00:25:39,213 --> 00:25:40,113
and that was that.
397
00:25:41,443 --> 00:25:43,113
[Thad] The nightmare
didn't end.
398
00:25:43,113 --> 00:25:45,473
The prosecutor, Murphy, kept
talking about how
399
00:25:45,473 --> 00:25:47,473
the previous two defendants
had been convicted
400
00:25:47,473 --> 00:25:48,743
and gotten life sentences.
401
00:25:48,743 --> 00:25:51,073
It's unconstitutional.
I objected.
402
00:25:51,073 --> 00:25:53,373
Judge Skeen let him do that.
403
00:25:53,373 --> 00:25:57,043
This was a [bleep] show agenda
to a one-way destination,
404
00:25:57,043 --> 00:25:59,113
which was, "We're
gonna get convictions."
405
00:26:00,213 --> 00:26:02,673
[Tamara] I still remember
vividly, Thad Davidson
406
00:26:02,673 --> 00:26:04,813
was just shot down,
over and over.
407
00:26:04,813 --> 00:26:06,573
And that was the first time
I think my eyes,
408
00:26:06,573 --> 00:26:09,673
really, really, opened,
to what was taking place.
409
00:26:09,673 --> 00:26:11,673
This was the first time
that I thought,
410
00:26:11,673 --> 00:26:13,113
"We're failing this person."
411
00:26:14,673 --> 00:26:17,573
Not only we as
the media, but...
412
00:26:17,573 --> 00:26:20,673
these people that we trust,
and these investigators,
413
00:26:20,673 --> 00:26:23,673
also didn't do due diligence,
414
00:26:23,673 --> 00:26:25,313
and investigate
this case right.
415
00:26:28,043 --> 00:26:30,843
When the verdict came back
for the Patrick Kelly case,
416
00:26:30,843 --> 00:26:32,913
it took probably
about two hours,
417
00:26:32,913 --> 00:26:34,673
and it was guilty for him.
418
00:26:34,673 --> 00:26:37,543
And he was gonna be
sent away like the other two,
419
00:26:37,543 --> 00:26:38,543
for the rest of his life.
420
00:26:41,743 --> 00:26:43,473
I felt grieved in that moment.
421
00:26:45,213 --> 00:26:48,113
It was just gross in a
lot of ways, like it was
422
00:26:48,113 --> 00:26:49,943
very sad what happened to him.
423
00:27:21,243 --> 00:27:23,783
I feel that what happened
here, to my client
424
00:27:23,783 --> 00:27:28,613
was a travesty of injustice,
was a rape of justice.
425
00:27:28,613 --> 00:27:31,243
And that the people
responsible for it,
426
00:27:31,243 --> 00:27:32,783
and let me be blunt,
427
00:27:32,783 --> 00:27:35,373
Margie Cantrell,
John Cantrell,
428
00:27:36,113 --> 00:27:38,743
Ranger Kemp, Joe Murphy,
429
00:27:39,413 --> 00:27:41,843
Matt Bingham, Judge Skeen,
430
00:27:42,783 --> 00:27:46,043
all of these people
should be held responsible.
431
00:27:46,043 --> 00:27:47,843
That the harm they inflicted,
432
00:27:47,843 --> 00:27:49,473
should be the harm
they suffer.
433
00:27:51,213 --> 00:27:53,873
I don't hide evidence.
I've been here 16 years
434
00:27:54,673 --> 00:27:56,043
and I try stuff fairly.
435
00:27:56,043 --> 00:27:57,873
{\an8}You know the defense just
doesn't like the fact that
436
00:27:57,873 --> 00:27:59,613
{\an8}their client got convicted
and got a life sentence.
437
00:27:59,613 --> 00:28:01,473
{\an8}I mean, let's
call it what it is.
438
00:28:01,473 --> 00:28:03,943
{\an8}Thad Davidson was
complaining about the DA.
439
00:28:03,943 --> 00:28:06,783
{\an8}The DA was complaining
about Thad.
440
00:28:06,783 --> 00:28:09,243
{\an8}But the one thing that Thad
Davidson said that made me...
441
00:28:10,043 --> 00:28:11,573
really think was,
442
00:28:12,413 --> 00:28:13,973
there's no evidence here,
443
00:28:13,973 --> 00:28:16,043
and there were no
grown-up witnesses.
444
00:28:16,043 --> 00:28:20,843
And so I thought, wow, this
could really be a story.
445
00:28:20,843 --> 00:28:23,783
If these guys did it,
it's one kind of story.
446
00:28:23,783 --> 00:28:25,373
And if these guys
didn't do it,
447
00:28:25,373 --> 00:28:27,573
it's another kind of story.
448
00:28:27,573 --> 00:28:30,413
So I decided to interview
some of the Cantrells'
other foster kids.
449
00:28:32,043 --> 00:28:34,513
One of her sons called her
the "puppet master."
450
00:28:34,513 --> 00:28:37,783
Kids in California said
that she was manipulative.
451
00:28:37,783 --> 00:28:39,783
So I called her several times,
452
00:28:39,783 --> 00:28:41,843
'cause I really did
want to talk with her.
453
00:28:41,843 --> 00:28:44,513
And it was toward the end
of the reporting process
454
00:28:44,513 --> 00:28:46,613
where I did get
her on the phone.
455
00:28:46,613 --> 00:28:47,673
[ringback tone]
456
00:29:27,973 --> 00:29:32,143
I put up my back to
not be taken in by this woman,
457
00:29:32,143 --> 00:29:35,783
and within seconds
I felt like I was being
pulled along a conveyor belt
458
00:29:35,783 --> 00:29:37,473
by an impossible force.
459
00:29:39,513 --> 00:29:41,743
And if she's that way
with grownups,
460
00:29:41,743 --> 00:29:43,473
imagine her with kids.
461
00:29:46,513 --> 00:29:50,513
[Margie] Michael Hall said
that I was a puppet master mother.
462
00:29:51,673 --> 00:29:54,783
And it really shocked me
and it hurt so deep,
463
00:29:54,783 --> 00:29:57,973
deeper than you could
ever imagine.
464
00:29:57,973 --> 00:30:01,573
Mind you, I was a mother
of 15 teenagers at one time,
465
00:30:01,573 --> 00:30:04,513
I was pretty regimental, yes.
466
00:30:04,513 --> 00:30:07,343
Everybody had a chore
and I expected it done.
467
00:30:08,043 --> 00:30:10,313
Puppet master, no.
468
00:30:14,743 --> 00:30:16,973
[Mike] There are so many lies
in this story.
469
00:30:16,973 --> 00:30:19,973
Margie knows how to
470
00:30:19,973 --> 00:30:22,873
push people's buttons
and manipulate them.
471
00:30:22,873 --> 00:30:26,113
You go to each one
of my children
472
00:30:26,113 --> 00:30:29,783
and you try to demonize me
through my own children?
473
00:30:33,673 --> 00:30:34,613
[sniffles]
474
00:30:39,573 --> 00:30:42,783
[Tamara]
After the third trial,
everything completely turned,
475
00:30:42,783 --> 00:30:45,513
it was like the mic drop time,
like, "What is going on?"
476
00:30:47,783 --> 00:30:50,373
[female reporter]
With the recent developments,
all eyes will be
477
00:30:50,373 --> 00:30:52,943
on the fourth trial
in the Mineola sex-ring case.
478
00:30:52,943 --> 00:30:55,843
Dennis Pittman, a friend
of convicted defendants,
479
00:30:55,843 --> 00:30:59,673
Shauntel Mayo
and Jamie Pittman,
will begin trial Monday.
480
00:31:03,843 --> 00:31:05,613
[Mike] The fourth trial
was Dennis Pittman.
481
00:31:05,613 --> 00:31:09,613
He was local guy,
been around for a long time.
482
00:31:09,613 --> 00:31:11,473
Pittman has a really good
lawyer, Jason Cassel,
483
00:31:11,473 --> 00:31:13,243
young guy,
based out of Longview.
484
00:31:13,243 --> 00:31:15,143
Jason's a smart guy,
he knows something's up,
485
00:31:15,143 --> 00:31:17,243
he, he believes that
Pittman is innocent.
486
00:31:18,613 --> 00:31:22,943
{\an8}[Jason] Dennis was
real soft spoken and
when I first met with him
487
00:31:22,943 --> 00:31:26,613
he was basically like,
you know,
"I didn't, I didn't do this,
488
00:31:26,613 --> 00:31:30,343
and I don't know why
this is being said about me."
489
00:31:53,373 --> 00:31:55,873
[Mike] I got there early
on the first day of trial,
490
00:31:55,873 --> 00:31:58,243
and I found a seat
in the courtroom.
491
00:31:58,243 --> 00:32:00,673
And all of a sudden
I'm aware of this figure
492
00:32:00,673 --> 00:32:03,243
kind of moving really slowly
493
00:32:04,843 --> 00:32:06,673
to the right and in front
of me,
494
00:32:06,673 --> 00:32:09,343
and I finally look up
and it's Dennis Pittman.
495
00:32:09,343 --> 00:32:13,473
He looks like somebody
in a hospital who is
heavily sedated.
496
00:32:35,243 --> 00:32:40,043
I just knew that this guy,
you know, he was doomed.
497
00:32:42,373 --> 00:32:44,943
Bingham did not
pull back one bit.
498
00:32:44,943 --> 00:32:49,143
He was going full boar
to get a conviction
of Dennis Pittman.
499
00:32:49,143 --> 00:32:52,513
And of course,
the three previous juries
500
00:32:52,513 --> 00:32:55,243
had found guilty verdicts
right away.
501
00:32:55,243 --> 00:32:58,743
I think most people there
thought, "It's probably
gonna happen again."
502
00:32:58,743 --> 00:33:01,783
But during the trial,
a bombshell dropped.
503
00:33:06,213 --> 00:33:08,413
[Gabby]
During the first trial,
I was seven.
504
00:33:08,413 --> 00:33:10,343
Then there was
the questioning,
505
00:33:10,343 --> 00:33:15,143
going over my testimony,
which sometimes lasted
hours as well.
506
00:33:17,113 --> 00:33:18,373
[Ranger Kemp] Alrighty.
507
00:33:38,743 --> 00:33:40,783
[Gabby] During
the Dennis Pittman trials,
508
00:33:40,783 --> 00:33:42,613
I was going into middle school
509
00:33:42,613 --> 00:33:46,113
and I wanted to move on
past this.
510
00:34:03,213 --> 00:34:05,513
Matt Bingham,
that was questioning me,
511
00:34:05,513 --> 00:34:08,473
I, you know,
had heard him stating
512
00:34:08,473 --> 00:34:11,673
earlier in the day
to Joe Murphy that,
513
00:34:11,673 --> 00:34:14,373
"I'm gonna have to treat
her like a hostile witness."
514
00:34:14,373 --> 00:34:19,743
Well, I had had enough
of that so I
515
00:34:21,873 --> 00:34:24,313
made his day worse
516
00:34:24,313 --> 00:34:28,313
by finally saying, you know,
what he didn't want to hear.
517
00:34:47,243 --> 00:34:49,043
When they were questioning me,
518
00:34:49,043 --> 00:34:53,413
that I had kind of recanted
in a way, it was--
519
00:34:53,413 --> 00:34:57,873
it blurted out of my mouth.
I, It just came out.
520
00:34:57,873 --> 00:35:00,843
[Mike] In all the times
I've been in courts
covering stories,
521
00:35:00,843 --> 00:35:03,843
I've never seen somebody
with that kind of courage.
522
00:35:03,843 --> 00:35:07,743
She is absolutely fearless
and I, I remember thinking,
523
00:35:07,743 --> 00:35:10,513
"Where is this gonna go?"
524
00:35:10,513 --> 00:35:13,943
[Jason] When Gabby testified,
that was really one of
the times where I thought,
525
00:35:13,943 --> 00:35:17,673
you know,
"Oh, you know,
we got a [bleep] chance."
526
00:35:27,373 --> 00:35:32,673
I needed an explanation for
as to why I was changing
my story
527
00:35:32,673 --> 00:35:38,973
and, you know,
I went to church every Sunday
for three hours.
528
00:35:38,973 --> 00:35:41,783
God made me tell the truth.
God told me to do it.
529
00:35:50,313 --> 00:35:52,973
I felt better
once I had said it.
530
00:35:52,973 --> 00:35:55,973
There was always, like, this
knot in the pit of my stomach.
531
00:35:55,973 --> 00:35:57,673
And the second that I said,
532
00:35:57,673 --> 00:36:02,143
"That didn't happen.
God told me to tell
the truth,"
533
00:36:02,143 --> 00:36:04,043
that knot loosened.
534
00:36:05,783 --> 00:36:10,873
I had never in my life,
you know, met Dennis Pittman.
535
00:36:10,873 --> 00:36:14,513
I had never been introduced
to him by my parents.
536
00:36:14,513 --> 00:36:19,873
The truth of the matter is,
is that it didn't happen,
it never happened.
537
00:36:19,873 --> 00:36:21,373
They brainwashed us.
538
00:36:29,343 --> 00:36:33,883
[Mike] So, when Gabby finally
said, "This didn't happen,"
539
00:36:33,883 --> 00:36:35,673
I mean, if this were
a Hollywood movie,
540
00:36:35,673 --> 00:36:37,783
the whole case would've
fallen apart right then.
541
00:36:37,783 --> 00:36:39,983
Margie Cantrell would've
fessed up
542
00:36:39,983 --> 00:36:41,513
to making the whole thing up.
543
00:36:41,513 --> 00:36:43,813
The, the judge would've
declared a mistrial,
544
00:36:43,813 --> 00:36:46,543
and everything would've been
hunky-dory.
545
00:36:46,543 --> 00:36:48,813
But this is Smith County.
[chuckles]
546
00:36:48,813 --> 00:36:51,273
And in Smith County
you keep going.
547
00:36:53,883 --> 00:36:55,543
[Jason] At the end of the day,
548
00:36:55,543 --> 00:36:57,643
with the way that they
tried the case
549
00:36:57,643 --> 00:36:58,983
and the way that they
argued it,
550
00:36:58,983 --> 00:37:01,143
going after hearts
rather than minds,
551
00:37:01,143 --> 00:37:04,713
I just felt like they would
sit there and say,
552
00:37:04,713 --> 00:37:06,543
"We're gonna
find this guy guilty."
553
00:37:08,713 --> 00:37:09,883
[gavel bangs]
554
00:37:12,273 --> 00:37:13,613
[Jason] And that's what
they did.
555
00:37:21,913 --> 00:37:26,713
In the back of your mind,
when you believe that
this guy is not guilty,
556
00:37:26,713 --> 00:37:30,043
it stings, you know,
that's the thing that
really hurts is knowing...
557
00:37:30,043 --> 00:37:31,543
[door buzzer rings]
558
00:37:32,343 --> 00:37:34,043
...an innocent man
went to prison.
559
00:37:57,413 --> 00:37:59,913
[Gabby]
After Dennis Pittman's trial,
560
00:37:59,913 --> 00:38:02,883
it got to the point where
I was not mentally okay
561
00:38:02,883 --> 00:38:06,513
{\an8}because my parents' trials
were coming up really quickly.
562
00:38:07,913 --> 00:38:09,983
{\an8}I knew that they were next.
563
00:38:09,983 --> 00:38:12,813
I was going through
a lot of mental struggles
564
00:38:12,813 --> 00:38:16,913
at the time that this picture
was taken. I was suicidal.
565
00:38:16,913 --> 00:38:18,713
I wrote a suicide letter,
566
00:38:18,713 --> 00:38:21,613
stating that I couldn't
do this anymore.
567
00:38:21,613 --> 00:38:23,673
It was after that that,
you know,
568
00:38:25,543 --> 00:38:28,543
they finally, you know,
started making the deals,
569
00:38:28,543 --> 00:38:31,883
and making it to where
I didn't have to testify
against my parents.
570
00:38:33,643 --> 00:38:37,173
And they make it sound like
it's for my health
and well-being,
571
00:38:37,173 --> 00:38:39,413
but I really think that
it was because
572
00:38:39,413 --> 00:38:42,343
they knew if I got back up
on that stand,
573
00:38:43,713 --> 00:38:46,083
it was not gonna be
what they wanted.
574
00:38:58,643 --> 00:39:01,913
At that point, Jimmy had been
behind bars for four years
575
00:39:01,913 --> 00:39:05,273
and he said, "I'm done.
I'll, I'll take a deal.
576
00:39:05,273 --> 00:39:07,543
I will admit guilt
to something I didn't do."
577
00:39:07,543 --> 00:39:11,083
Shelia said the same.
In exchange for the plea
578
00:39:11,083 --> 00:39:14,713
and agreeing to not have
contact with Gabby
till she was 18,
579
00:39:14,713 --> 00:39:17,673
Jimmy and Shelia were released
in August 2010.
580
00:39:27,543 --> 00:39:29,673
This is the new
Smith County Jail.
581
00:39:30,813 --> 00:39:33,243
This is the old one.
That's the one I was in
582
00:39:34,273 --> 00:39:37,783
for three years,
11 months and 23 days.
583
00:39:39,673 --> 00:39:42,513
That recreation was
the only sunlight we ever got,
584
00:39:42,513 --> 00:39:46,083
and we probably got it,
maybe, once a week,
if we were lucky.
585
00:39:47,613 --> 00:39:49,613
I was on the third floor.
586
00:39:52,043 --> 00:39:54,173
Those were the infirmary windows.
587
00:39:56,343 --> 00:39:57,343
{\an8}[interviewer speaking]
588
00:39:57,343 --> 00:39:59,343
Oh, yeah, several times.
589
00:39:59,343 --> 00:40:00,783
Getting stitched up.
590
00:40:02,083 --> 00:40:05,343
My memory here is straight up
hell on earth.
591
00:40:06,713 --> 00:40:09,243
I wouldn't wish this
on my worst enemy,
592
00:40:10,443 --> 00:40:12,813
especially for someone
being in jail
593
00:40:12,813 --> 00:40:14,783
when they didn't
commit a crime.
594
00:40:16,343 --> 00:40:18,273
When I took the plea bargain,
595
00:40:18,273 --> 00:40:23,913
my attorney told me that
I had to sign my rights
over to Gabby.
596
00:40:23,913 --> 00:40:26,543
That was the saddest day
of my life.
597
00:40:30,173 --> 00:40:33,513
I always told my daughter
that I would never give up
on her,
598
00:40:35,343 --> 00:40:36,983
and at this time I did.
599
00:40:40,343 --> 00:40:42,343
She was my baby girl.
600
00:40:42,343 --> 00:40:47,273
Everything in this world
did not matter to me
unless it involved Gabby.
601
00:40:52,083 --> 00:40:54,343
[Shelia] Gabby was
the love of my life,
602
00:40:55,173 --> 00:40:58,243
and she's still
the love of my life.
603
00:41:01,243 --> 00:41:03,613
We were very proud parents.
604
00:41:03,613 --> 00:41:07,173
Jimmy said he only ever wanted
one and that's what he got, one.
605
00:41:13,913 --> 00:41:18,083
{\an8}[Jimmy] I never thought
I'd be living back here
in Mineola, but here I am.
606
00:41:20,983 --> 00:41:23,083
Considering all
the nightmares.
607
00:41:25,083 --> 00:41:28,513
The media had painted
such a horrible picture of us,
608
00:41:28,513 --> 00:41:29,813
that we were monsters.
609
00:41:33,173 --> 00:41:35,913
We were the worst scum
on earth.
610
00:41:38,883 --> 00:41:41,983
Little building right here
is the newspaper place.
611
00:41:46,643 --> 00:41:48,543
And then that building
up there
612
00:41:48,543 --> 00:41:50,543
is where
the swingers club was.
613
00:42:05,443 --> 00:42:06,513
[exhales sharply]
614
00:42:19,083 --> 00:42:21,883
Just being here
makes me sick to my stomach.
615
00:42:25,713 --> 00:42:27,413
This is
a piece of [bleep] place,
616
00:42:27,413 --> 00:42:29,813
it needs to be tore down,
as far as I'm concerned.
617
00:42:32,343 --> 00:42:34,343
And it's a reminder of evil.
618
00:42:35,143 --> 00:42:36,443
Straight up evil.
619
00:42:39,273 --> 00:42:42,143
It's not none of the kids'
fault that we went through this.
620
00:42:44,273 --> 00:42:46,273
It's the Cantrell family.
621
00:42:46,273 --> 00:42:48,243
Margie Cantrell
and John Cantrell.
622
00:42:48,243 --> 00:42:52,343
What do you think about
these allegations that are
being made against you?
623
00:42:52,343 --> 00:42:55,273
- We don't even know
most of them yet. [chuckles]
- Mmm-hmm.
624
00:42:56,913 --> 00:42:58,813
- [female lawyer] Margaret!
- Yes, ma'am.
625
00:42:58,813 --> 00:43:00,613
- [female lawyer] Go.
- [Margie] Yes, ma'am.
626
00:43:00,613 --> 00:43:01,983
- Go!
- No.
627
00:43:01,983 --> 00:43:04,443
Hurry up. Go.
628
00:43:05,443 --> 00:43:07,673
[Mike] Everything they'd said
was a lie,
629
00:43:07,673 --> 00:43:10,443
sex kindergarten,
the swingers club.
630
00:43:11,343 --> 00:43:13,273
And that ruined a bunch of
people's lives
631
00:43:13,273 --> 00:43:15,173
and sent a bunch of people
to prison
632
00:43:15,173 --> 00:43:18,173
and ruin a bunch of children's
childhoods.
633
00:43:19,343 --> 00:43:21,143
- [car engine starts]
- [Mike] And then we found out
634
00:43:21,143 --> 00:43:25,083
why they would've done
all this in the first place.
635
00:43:25,083 --> 00:43:26,913
[Jimmy] They don't care
who they hurt.
636
00:43:27,883 --> 00:43:29,813
What family they devastate.
637
00:43:31,143 --> 00:43:32,613
They're in it for the money.