BEVERLY MARIE JEFFERS, being first duly sworn, testified as follows during DIRECT EXAMINATION by MR. PANOSH:

Q    Would you state your name, please.

A    Beverly Marie Jeffers.

Q    And where do you live, please?

A    128 Piedmont Way, which is Burlington, North Carolina.

Q    Who do you live there with?

A    Rodney Woodberry and my two boys.

Q    Going back to summer of 1995, did there come a time when you started seeing Rodney Woodberry -‑

A    Yes, sir.

Q    -- in a romantic relationship?

A    Yes.

Q    And drawing your attention then to October of 1995, October the 9th of 1995, do you remember that particular day?

A    Yes, sir, I do.

2608

Q    And how is it you remember that day?

A    Because that's the date that -- well, I had went to work that morning, which I go in at 5:00 and get off at 1:00 in the afternoons. And Rodney was there keeping my two kids.

Q    You say you went to work. Where were you working at the time?

A    At McDonald's in Graham.

Q    Were you also living in Graham?

A    Yes, sir. 711 Oakley Street.

Q    And there came a time when you went to work, and where did Rodney go?

A    He was there at the house, baby-sitting, until I got off.

Q    What time did you get off?

A    1:00 o'clock.

Q    What time did you get home?

A    Probably about 15 after, because it was like 10 minutes, 10, 15 minutes -- well, not even 15 minutes from where I work at to my house.

Q    Is that a 15-minute drive, a 15-minute walk, or what are you talking about?

A    A 15-minute drive, because I got there about 1:15.

Q    So at 1:15, you returned to your house; is that correct?

2609

A    Yes, sir.

Q    Who was there when you returned?

A    Rodney Woodberry, my sons, which is Brandon and Travis, and Sarah Haith.

Q    And how old were Brandon and Travis at the time?

A    Brandon was nine and Travis was seven.

Q    And what did you do after 1:00 or 1:15 in the afternoon on October the 9th?

A    I came in, I took a bath and changed clothes, and I went in the kitchen and started cooking supper.

Q    And do you know where Rodney was?

A    In the living room, talking to Sarah Haith and watching TV.

Q    Was he still watching the boys?

A    Yes. Well, they was outside playing when I got there, in the front yard.

Q    Did there come a time when he left the house?

A    He left about between 7:00 and 7:30, went to Carolina Temporaries, because he was in the process of trying to find a job.

Q    Do you remember how he got to Carolina Temporaries?

A    Yes, sir. My sister and her boyfriend took him.

Q    And do you know how long he was there at Carolina Temporary Service?

A    He got back to the house probably like quarter past

2610

8:00, because I think that -- well, they closed at 8:00. So she came -- she took him there. And about quarter to 8:00, she came back to get his Social Security card, while he was there filling out information. And when she -- when he returned to my house, it was 8:15. But they had closed at 8:00 o'clock.

Q    Now, on the next day, did it come to your attention that Patricia Kimble had been killed?

A    We seen it on TV, yes, sir.

Q    And at that time, did Rodney tell you that he knew her?

A    Yes. He said that was Ted's wife.

Q    Did you know Patricia?

A    No, sir, I do not.

Q    Did you know Ted?

A    I met Ted once or twice. When me and Rodney had started dating, I went down to Lyles, to pick them up, to go on lunch break. Other than that, no, sir, I never know who he was until then.

Q    Now, the following day, which would have been October the 11th, do you remember where Rodney was? I'm sorry. Following day, which would have been October the 10th, do you remember where Rodney was?

A    He had went to -- Carolina Temporary had sent him to a one-day job at the outlets, with the -- it was a -­something like a linens place, where he had stack-- was

2611

stacking up stuff, because they were off the truck and stuff. BMOC outlets in Burlington.

Q    You said BMOC outlet?

A    Outlets, uh-huh, in Burlington.

Q    And how do you know that he went to BMOC outlets on October the 10th?

A    Because he left there that morning -- that's the -­they had gave him a paper, to report to that job. So he left that morning going there. I think he worked like 10 hours that day, and he came back from work.

Q    Do you also know his former girlfriend?

A    Yes, sir, I do.

Q    And who is that?

A    Laura Shepard.

Q    And how do you know Laura Shepard?

A    Well, I had seen -- I heard -- when we first started dating, I heard him talk about her. And he had -- his mother had a cookout, which her and her family was at the cookout. He invited me and my sister to the cookout, and her family was there, also. And I had knew that he was dating her and that he was living with her at the time. And then the more him and me got to seeing one another, then I got to see more of her, as far as at the club and stuff like that.

Q    Based upon your acquaintanceship with her at the

2612

cookouts and clubs and other social matters, do you have an opinion satisfactory to yourself as to her reputation in the community for truthfulness?

MR. HATFIELD: Objection. That's not a sufficient basis, seeing somebody at a cookout.

THE COURT: Overruled.

A    Yes, sir, I do. I know that she keeps stuff started, and she can tell you something -‑

MR. HATFIELD: Objection as not responsive -­

A    -- for one thing to be said -‑

MR. HATFIELD: -- Your Honor.

THE COURT: Sustained.

Q    Ma'am, just answer "Yes" or "No." Do you have an opinion?

A    Yes, I do.

Q    And based upon your opinion, is she a truthful person?

A    No, sir, she's not.

Q    Now, did there come a time in 1996 shortly after Patricia's death when you were interviewed by Detective Church? Do you remember this gentleman? (Indicated.)

A    Yes, sir, I do.

Q    Did you provide him with the information that you just provided the jury?

A    Yes, sir.

Q    And were you interviewed once or more than once?

2613

A    Probably about twice, once or twice, as I can recall.

MR. PANOSH: No further questions. Thank you.

CROSS-EXAMINATION by MR. LLOYD:

Q    Ms. Jeffers, did you indicate that Rodney Woodberry lives with you?

A    Yes, sir.

Q    All right. And does he provide for you and for your children?

A    Yes, sir, he do.

Q    All right. And have y'all talked about getting married?

A    We talked about it, yes, sir. We hadn't set no particular date or nothing.

Q    You indicated to Mr. Panosh just a minute ago that at some point, you talked to Detective Church, sitting over there; is that right?

A    Yes, sir.

Q    Do you remember when that was?

A    I don't know what -- know what dates or nothing, it's been so long, but I have talked to him, yes.

Q    All right. Well, was it a year ago?

A    I'm not for sure.

Q    All right. Was it within a year after Patricia's death?

A    It was sometime along there, yes, sir.

2614

Q    All right. And I believe you said you talked to him two times, so that would have been the first time; is that right?

A    I remember him coming to my job, which was at McDonald's. I talked -- I think I talked to him then. And it was one time they had came to my house.

Q    And had Rodney talked to you about the fact that Detective Church might be coming to talk to you?

A    No, because I think they talked to me before they talked to Rodney, I believe. If I'm not mistaken.

Q    And you were aware at that time, were you not, Ms. Jeffers, that Ronnie was a suspect in Patricia Kimble's death, were you not?

A    I don't have any idea until I heard from Mr. Church and them that he might be questioned about it, due to some stuff that something about Laura had said.

Q    Now, Ms. Jeffers, did Rodney ever talk to you about having done something that might get him the death penalty?

A    No, sir, he never.

Q    Talk to you about coming to see him in prison?

A    No, sir, he have not.

Q Ever talk to you about being able to supply you -- keep you well cared for, even if he was in prison, because he was coming into some money?

A    No, sir.

2615

Q    Now, you indicated that back on October the 9th, Rodney was baby-sitting for you at that time; is that right?

A    Yes, sir.

Q    And I believe you indicated that there was another person with him, a woman by the name of Sarah Haith?

A    Yes, sir.

Q    Were there any other people who would have seen Rodney on October the 9th, while he was baby-sitting or during the afternoon hours of October the 9th?

A    Well, my neighbors across the yard, they know that he live there, but that didn't -- he didn't really associate with nobody, because at the time, he really did not know nobody over there.

Q    But they knew what he looked like, didn't they?

A    Yeah, they knew what he looked -‑

Q    All right.

A    -- like, yeah.

Q    Did you tell Detective Church or any of the other detectives that you talked to about those neighbors?

A    I told them there's a lot in my complex have seen him, but they didn't know his name.

Q    All right. But did you give Detective Church the names of those people?

A    No, because I didn't think that he needed -- that he was wanting to need them. He didn't ask me to give him no

2616

names, so I didn't.

Q    He didn't ask you for any names?

A    Right.

Q    So you didn't give him any names; is that right?

A    Right.

Q    You indicated that at that time, you were working at McDonald's; is that right?

A    Yes, sir, I was.

Q    Did you ever show Detective Church any of your pay stubs, to indicate that you were actually working in -- at McDonald's in -‑

A    I didn't have to, because they came there. I was at work when they came to talk to me, because I was at work when he asked me to speak with him.

Q    Well, let me ask you this, Ms. Jeffers. Did you show him -- you had to punch a clock at McDonald's, didn't you?

A    I was at work -- I was working when they came to talk to me.

Q    I'm not talking when they came to see you, Ms. Jeffers.

A    Uh-huh.

Q    But as a general rule, when you came into work at McDonald's -‑

A    Uh-huh.

Q    -- you had to punch a clock, didn't you?

A    Yes, sir, I did.

2617

Q    And did you get your timecards from October the 9th, and show those to Detective Church -‑

A    We didn't have -‑

Q    -- to confirm that you were at work on October the 9th?

A    We didn't have the timecards that you can make a printout. It's just a time -- a clock that you clock in, and it goes into our company's internal computer.

Q    Uh-huh. Now -‑

A    So if he wanted -- if that was a day that he needed to see, to verify that I was at work, they could have went to their computer, pull it up, to show that I was at work.

Q    So the company would have had those records --

A    Yes, sir.

Q    -- is that what you're saying?

A    Yes.

Q    And it was perfectly all right -- Well, did Detective-_- Church ask you about that?

A    No, sir.

Q    Now, you indicated that on October the 9th, you got home about 1:15; is that right?

A    Yes, sir.

Q    And you told Mr. -- Well, what did you do?

A    What you mean?

Q    After you got home.

A    I got home, I took me a shower, changed clothes, went

2618

in the kitchen and started cooking.

Q    All right. And I believe you indicated to Mr. Panosh that you started cooking supper on that day; is that right?

A    Yes, sir, I did.

Q    What time would that have been, about 2:30 or so?

A    Yes, sir.

Q    All right. What did you have?

A    Fried chicken, Rice-a-Roni, and I think with some corn on the cob.

Q    So you had your supper meal, your evening meal, at what time, 3:00, 3:30?

A    I cooked, but my boys don't usually come in and eat until about 5:00, 5:30, something like that.

Q    And did you say -- did you just say that you were having corn on the cob; is that right?

A    Uh-huh.

Q    All right. And this was in October, October the 9th?

A    I eat corn on the cob many times, because I love corn.

Q    Now, you told Mr. Panosh that later on in the evening, at around 7:00 or 7:30, Rodney Woodberry went to someplace to fill out a job application; is that right?

A    Carolina Temporaries.

Q    And I believe you indicated that your sister and her boyfriend -‑

A    Yeah.

2619

Q    -- took him; is that right?

A    Yes, sir.

Q    Did you tell Detective Church about that?

A    Yes, sir, I did.

Q    Did you tell him what your sister's name was?

A    Yes, sir. I told him Barbara, but I didn't say no last name.

Q    Did he ask you about her last name?

A    No, sir.

Q    What about the boyfriend, did you tell Detective Church what the boyfriend's name was?

A    I said Jerry, but I didn't say no last name.

Q    He didn't ask you about any last name, did he?

A    No, sir.

Q    Now, as far as how you knew Laura Shepard, that was basically through Rodney; is that right?

A    Yes.

Q    All right. Now, when you first -- I believe you indicated that there was some sort of cookout, that's when you first met Laura Shepard; is that right?

A    I had heard of her. I think -- yeah, I think that was the first -- after they -- I first had seen her. But I heard her name several times before then.

Q    And had you and Rodney been out at that time?

A    No, sir.

2620

Q    Or had y'all dated at that time?

A    No, sir, we wasn't.

Q    Started dating after that?

A    Yes, sir.

Q    All right. So it was after that, that you took Laura Shepard's boyfriend away from her, isn't it?

A    If that's what you can call it, I guess, yeah.

Q    Well, is that what you'd call it, Ms. Jeffers?

A    I won't say actually took -- I mean, he had the choice to be with her or me.

Q    All right.

A    And I guess he just chose -- decided what he want to do.

Q    And he chose you, didn't he?

A    Yeah.

MR. LLOYD: That's all I have, Your Honor.

THE COURT: Step down, ma'am. You may step down. Watch your step.

Let me see the attorneys up here at the bench about an administrative matter, please.