ALBERT SISCHO (Bonnie Welder's boyfriend - Buckley acquaintance) | ||
| Vol XIV (#25) pp. 687 - 702 | Mon. - Wed. June 3,4,5, 1991 | Charles Rapp |
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Testimony of Albert Sischo on June 3, 1991. Mr. Sischo was the boyfriend of Bonnie Welder, who testified she heard Jay Buckley state the "I got paid for it" shortly after a television newscast concerning the Kathy Wilson disappearance. Mr. Sischo denies that Jay Buckley enered his home. |
MR. SMITH: No further questions.
RECROSS EXAMINATION
BY MR. MASSA:
Q Did you find skeletal remains along Route 62?
A No, sir.
THE COURT: You may step down.
MR. SMITH: I call to the stand Albert Sischo.
ALBERT SISCHO, called as a witness was sworn and examined, testified as follows:
DIRECT EXAMINATION
BY MR. SMITH:
Q Will you, please, state your name and address for the record?
A My name is Albert Sischo. I just moved in my house, I can't remember the name of the road.
Q Mr. Sischo, do you know Jay William Buckley?
A Yes, I do.
Q How do you know him?
A When we was growing up as kids in Ellington.
Q You're not the best of friends with Mr. Buckley, you know him?
A Yes.
Q Do you know Bonnie Welder?
A Yes.
Q How do you know her?
A That's my ex-girlfriend.
Q When was she your girlfriend? What year to what year or whatever?
A Somewhere around 1987, we was together two years to 1989.
Q 1978 (sic) to 1989?
A I think.
Q Did you live with her?
A Yes.
Q Where did you live with her at?
A Several different places.
Q After May 18, 1988 did you have occasion to see Jay Buckley?
A I don't know the date, but I had seen him.
Q Where did you see him at?
A He was at the ballpark in Sinclairville.
Q How did Jay arrive there?
A He was on horseback, him and another kid.
Q Were you there with anyone?
A I was there with Bonnie and my daughter.
Q Did you live in the neighborhood?
A Yes, I did.
Q Did Jay ever come to your house on that day or any other day that you can recollect?
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A He come out behind my house, but he's never been to my house.
Q Never been inside your house?
A No.
Q Did Jay ever tell you anything about the Kathy Wilson murder case?
A No, he did not.
Q Did you and Hay ever have a discussion about doing jobs and getting paid for them and things like that?
A Well, he sad that he cold get me a better job than what I had.
Q What did he say he was doing?
A That I can't remember.
Q This was on the occasion that he come riding up on a horse?
A Yes.
Q You were talking about jobs?
A Yes, because I told him what I was doing for a living.
Q Do you know whether he told you at that time he was forming a business?
A I can't remember.
Q Bonnie Welder testified in this Court that you and Jay sitting at the table inside your apartment and a news items (sic) of Kathy Wilson came on and several minutes
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later she heard Jay saying, "I got paid for that" then you later told her Jay told me, "I got paid to kill Kathy Wilson", is that true or a lie?
A That's a lie because he's never been in my house and he never mentioned anything about the Wilson case.
Q Do you know that on one occasion Bonnie Welder tried to wire you or tried to get you on a wire she was wearing?
A I was told that, I don't know if she did or not.
Q Who told you that?
A She did.
Q Did she tell you why she was doing that?
A She said that, she didn't say who it was, somebody in the police department would take her kids away if she didn't wear a wire.
Q Did she tell you why she was cooperating with the police?
A Yes.
Q Have you ad other situations with the police in this case?
A Yes, they have come to my job two different times.
Q What have you told them about what Jay said to you on those occasions?
A I can't remember because I was always drunk.
Q You were drunk on those occasions?
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A Yes.
Q Are you drunk today?
A No.
Q You're under oath today?
A Right.
Q You realize if you're lying to this jury you can be charged with perjury?
A Yes.
Q Do you recollect giving a statement to Ronald Cotten?
A Yes.
Q Do you recollect Mr. Cotten taping the statement?
A Yes, I did. (Sic)
Q Do you know approximately when the statement was taken?
A No, because I am not good with dates.
MR. SMITH: Your Honor, I would like to move for the admission of this tape, have it marked, and admitted for the jury.
MR. MASSA: May we approach the bench?
(Whereupon, there was a sidebar discussion off record.)
CROSS EXAMINATION
BY MR. MASSA:
Q Mr. Sischo, how old are you?
A Thirty-eight.
Q You don't know the address of where you're living today?
A It's Gerdts Road, I just moved in, 2164, I think.
Q Do you have a criminal record?
A Yes, I do.
Q What does that consist of.
A Car theft, burglary.
Q What else?
A Assault.
Q What else?
A That's about it as far as I can remember.
Q As far as you remember. You lived with Bonnie Welder from 1987 to 198?
A I think those are the dates.
Q Approximately?
A Approximately.
Q How many children as of that point did Bonnie welder have?
A Two.
Q Two children. Were you the father of either of those children?
A None.
Q Sir?
A No.
Q In may and June of 1988 where were you living with
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Bonnie Welder?
A That I can't remember for sure. Like I said, dates I don't remember.
Q Did you ever live at the Sinclairville Hotel, Apartment Number One?
A Yes, I did.
Q With Bonnie Welder?
A Right.
Q You're telling this jury that Jay William Buckley was never inside your apartment?
A No, he wasn't.
Q The only time you talked to him was at a park in Sinclairville some time around that time period?
A Yes, because it was during the summer.
Q It was during the summer. When did you break up with Bonnie welder?
A It was when we were going to Florida, but I can't remember the dates.
Q Do you remember why you broke up with her?
A No, she just took off and I was stuck with the kids.
Q Do you know this individual right here?
A I don't think so. This guy here?
Q Stand up, please.
A I don't think so.
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Q Officer Herzog of the Pennsylvania State Police.
A No, I don't think so.
Q Never met with him?
A I don't think so.
Q Never talked with him?
A I don't think so.
Q Do you use drugs?
A No, I don't.
Q Are you addicted to drugs?
A No, I'm not.
Q Are you an alcoholic?
A I think so.
Q Sir?
A I think so.
Q You think so. I am going to show you what is marked as Commonwealth's Exhibit Number 46.
MR. MASSA: Move for the admission of Exhibit 46.
MR. SMITH: No objection.
THE COURT: Admitted.
Q Mr. Sischo, this is a statement given by Bonnie S. Welder to Detective Welch on July 20, 1990. Do you recognize that signature at the bottom?
A Yes.
Q Whose is that?
A That's Bonnie Welder's.
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Q Can you see where the typed portion of the statement begins?
A Yes.
Q "Question, Bonnie, the State Police and District Attorney's office from the State of Pennsylvania are continuing their investigation in the homicide of a Jamestown woman by the name of Kathy Wilson who had been reported missing on May 18, 1988. We have recovered some information that you may have information" that's Bonnie Welder, "involving a person. What, if anything, can you tell us about this person?" Would you read her answer?
A "Some time between the 18th of May, 1988 and the 6th of June, 1988, in the late morning I was at home at my apartment with by boyfriend, Albert Sischo. We were living at the Sinclairville Hotel, Apartment Number One. I was in the bathroom when I heard a knock at the door and I told Albert to see who it was. When I came out of the bathroom I noticed a guy sitting with Albert at my kitchen table. Albert introduced him as Billy. The two of them drank several cups of coffee and they decided to go across the street to the store and get some beer. The two of them went and came back with a 12 pack of Milwaukee's Best beer. I sat down with them for a while and had my back to the TV set, I was watching
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Channel 2, as I was always watching my soaps in the afternoon. The noon news came on and the missing woman report came on. I had heard about this missing woman a day or so before on SE-93, a Jamestown radio station. I turned to Albert and told him there it's on the TV and we all looked towards the TV set. A moment later this Billy leaned over to Albert and told him, "I got paid to do it.". Albert and I told him he was ling, he just looked at us and took more beer to drink. Albert and this Billy went outside and talked for a short time then Albert came back into the house. I then asked Albert who was that guy and he told me Billy Buckley and that he was a friend of his. I asked him about that conversation Billy had with us and what did it mean. Albert told me that Billy told him that he got paid to kill the woman. A short time later, I believe in two weeks, I was at the Sinclairville Park when I noticed Billy Buckley and some other guy riding horses. My daughter asked him if she could get a ride on his horse and he told her sure. I grabbed her and told her no. I never spoke with Billy that day. Albert and Billy talked for a while and then Billy left. Later that evening Albert tole me that if Billy came around the house for me to tell him that he was not home, he said he was concerned for me and my kids and did not want him around because of the woman that got killed. About one week later Albert was
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outside when Billy came and talked with him, but they never came in the house. I asked Albert about the conversation with Billy and he never mentioned what was said that time. That was the last time we spoke of the woman."
Q Billy Buckley refers to who?
A Jay William Buckley.
MR. MASSA: Let the record reflect that Mr. Sischo identified the Defendant Jay William Buckley.
Q Mr. Sischo, do you recall being in the Sinclairville ark when you encountered Mr. Buckley?
A Yes, I do.
Q Do you recall the conversation you had after Buckley left with Bonnie welder?
A No, because I didn't talk to her then, I went and talked to my ex-wife.
Q You were living with Bonnie Welder at the time?
A Yes.
Q But you didn't talk to her?
A Right after Billy had left me I went over and talked to my ex-wife about getting the kids.
Q Did you have a conversation later that night wherein you told if Buckley ever came around and asked for you you instructed Bonnie Welder that you weren't around
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because you wanted nothing to do with him?
A No.
Q Did you tell Bonnie Welder, sir, did you not, that you did not want Jay Buckley around Bonnie welder and her child because of what he told you about killing the woman?
A No.
Q Do you recall the incident which Bonnie Welder relates in this statement and in this courtroom under oath that on or before June 5th or June 6th of 1988 Buckley showed up at your apartment during the noon hour?
A He wasn't there at the noon hour, no.
Q He wasn't. Did you have any conversation with Buckley Between July 20, 1990 and this date?
A Not that I know of. Like I said I don't know the dates. The last time I heard from him I was walking up the street in Mayville and he yelled out the window of the jail and asked me to come up and see him and I told him I couldn't, I was too busy.
Q So you don't recall either of the two conversations you had with your live-in girlfriend, the first one June 5, 1988, and you deny that Buckley was ever at your motel or hotel apartment?
A He come to my apartment, but I don't know the date, it was the same day he was on the horse, that was the only
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time he's been there.
Q You just told us this is the only time you saw Buckley on that date was at the park?
A No, I stated earlier the park, then he come up behind my house.
Q He come up behind your house. Did he go in your apartment?
A No.
Q Were you drunk on that date?
A Yes, I was.
Q Were your drunk on June 5, 1990?
A I don't know dates.
Q Were you drunk on June 6, 1988?
A I am usually drunk every day.
MR. MASSA: No more questions.
REDIRECT EXAMINATION
BY MR. SMITH:
Q In the statement Bonnie says she is sitting at the table with you and that you and her both asked Jay Buckley what he meant by that and in her testimony at trial she said she wasn't at the table, that she was out doing other things and she overheard this a couple minutes later and asked you about it later; do you have any reason why her statement would be inconsistent later?
A I don't know why, because in Apartment One, we had
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no kitchen table.
Q Jay Buckley and you haven't conspired or talked with regard to your testimony here today; is that correct?
A No.
Q You haven't prepared any testimony with Mr. Buckley?
A No.
Q Haven't prepared it with my self or Mr. Cotten?
A No.
Q We haven't told you what to say?
A No, you haven't.
Q Do you have any idea why Miss Welder would say what she said at trial?
A No idea.
Q Jay Buckley is not good enough friends with you to come in your house? Is he more of a acquaintance than a social friend?
A He never asked to come in the house and I wasn't in the house. I never asked him in, he usually stayed outside and drank.
MR. SMITH: No further questions subject to the tape.
RECROSS EXAMINATION
BY MASSA:
Q Mr. Sischo, within the past six weeks have any law enforcement officer (sic) attempted to talk to you?
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A There was one detective from Jamestown and two people from Erie, Pennsylvania, I think it was.
Q Do you recall approximately the date that that took place?
A No, I don't.
Q Why did you refuse to talk to them on that date?
A Because I didn't want to know anything or have anything to do with the case.
Q Didn't you tell them you did not want to get involved in the case?
A That's right.
Q Didn't you tell them you didn't want to testify at trial?
A No.
Q And you didn't want to testify against Jay William Buckley?
A I said I wouldn't testify for or against.
Q You did not answer their questions; is that correct? You refused to answer their questions; is that correct?
A Somewhat, yes.
MR. MASSA: No further questions.
MR. SMITH: Just one based on that, Your Honor.
CONTINUED REDIRECT EXAMINATION
BY MR. SMITH:
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Q You didn't want to talk to us neither?
A No.
Q As a matter of fact, the last three, four days or week we have been chasing you around Jamestown?
A Yes.
Q We found you last night?
A Yes.
Q You didn't want to cooperate with either side in this case; did you?
A No, I did not.
Q Just because you didn't want to come to Court?
A Because I changed my life and I didn't want to be involved in this stuff.
MR. SMITH: No further comments.
THE COURT: You may step down.
MR. SMITH: I call Mrs. Sergeant to the stand.
JANET SERGEANT, called as a witness was sworn and examined, testified as follows:
DIRECT EXAMINATION
BY MR. SMITH:
Q Would you state your name and address for the record?
A Janet Sergeant, 1805 Shadyside Road, Lakewood, New York.
Q I want to draw your attention to May 18, 1988 and
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