Co-defendant turned witness describes robbery gone wrong
NORWICH – A key witness and co-defendant in the homicide case of a slain Oxford man took to the stand Thursday as part of a plea deal and testified Jeremy Coates, who is charged with first degree murder, was the one responsible for the crime.
Melissa Crispell, a co-defendant turned witness, was previously charged with murder but pleaded guilty to first-degree robbery. She told the jury Coates was the one responsible for David Green's death.
Coates, 47, of Green, has pleaded not guilty. He was charged with first-degree murder, assault, and robbery on September 23, 2016 and has maintained his innocence.
Melissa Crispell, 43, of Oxford, was Coates girlfriend at the time of the alleged crimes, and was originally charged with second-degree murder, assault and robbery. She accepted a plea deal on May 12, 2017. Crispell is facing 15-to-25 years in state prison and will be sentenced after Coates’ trial, and after giving sworn testimony in court.
In her testimony Thursday Crispell said on September 23, 2016, she had a text conversation with Coates, and they made plans to rob Green later that night. She said during the robbery, things took an unexpected turn when Coates kicked Green, and hit him with a piece of slate.
According to Crispell, she waited 20 minutes for Coates to leave the home. When Coates left the home he threatened to do harm to Crispell and her children if she "talked," said Crispell. She added after being threatened she lied to police because she was scared of Coates, but after speaking with an attorney she told the truth, and did so before receiving a plea deal.
Crispell testified she had no intention of harming Green, and when asked how Green died she responded, “Jeremy Coates killed David Green.”
Defense Attorney Brett Cowen asked her on cross if she killed Green, and she replied, "No."
She said the plan was just to take his gun collection, but earlier that day Coates had asked her, “'How would you feel if something happened to Dave?'”
She said she responded that she would feel terrible, and that Dave was a good guy.
According to Crispell, Coates joined her that night as she went to Green’s home for dinner, and after a conversation about money her ex-husband owed him, Green laid down on the ground to get comfortable.
“He didn’t have a couch at that time, so he laid on the floor to help his back,” said Crispell.
As Green laid on the floor, Coates approached him and kicked Green’s head, she testified.
She said as Coates grabbed a nearby piece of slate, she ran to get out of the house, but just before she left, she saw Coates hit the slate against Green’s head.
The defense attorney pointed out Crispell said in the past that she heard – not witnessed – Coates hit Green, and she responded, “I know what I saw.”
Crispell testified after seeing Coates hit Green she waited 20 minutes outside, and after waiting she heard Green say, “Why are you doing this to me,” and heard Coates respond, “Where is the weed and the money?”
Crispell said shortly after Coates emerged from the home, and loaded up the vehicle with stolen goods. The two then traveled to collect newspapers to use in the burning of evidence at a nearby state park.
She was seen driving along with Coates on camera as the two stopped to collect newspapers, and she noted Coates burned evidence once they arrived at the park. According to Crispell, the only thing she burned was a small bag of garbage that was in her vehicle.
She said after burning the evidence they returned to her home, and she noticed a blood spot on Coates’ neck.
On cross she testified it was dark out, but she had a small front porch light on, and that allowed her to see the spot regardless of his shoulder length hair.
After collecting only her clothes from her home, she said she traveled with Coates to the laundromat.
The two were shown on camera at a laundromat hugging and kissing early morning the day after the murder, and Crispell said she put the shirt she had worn to Green’s home – along with other random laundry from her home – in the washing machines to be cleaned.
She said on that morning, the two also visited Coates' apartment, where Randy Buck helped Coates carry in several bags of guns, knives, and other stolen objects as she stayed in her vehicle.
She noted a blue and white guitar was stolen from Green, contradicting Buck's testimony from the day prior.
Buck said the guitar in court belonged to him before trading it to Coates for jewelry.
Melissa Crispell, a co-defendant turned witness, was previously charged with murder but pleaded guilty to first-degree robbery. She told the jury Coates was the one responsible for David Green's death.
Coates, 47, of Green, has pleaded not guilty. He was charged with first-degree murder, assault, and robbery on September 23, 2016 and has maintained his innocence.
Melissa Crispell, 43, of Oxford, was Coates girlfriend at the time of the alleged crimes, and was originally charged with second-degree murder, assault and robbery. She accepted a plea deal on May 12, 2017. Crispell is facing 15-to-25 years in state prison and will be sentenced after Coates’ trial, and after giving sworn testimony in court.
In her testimony Thursday Crispell said on September 23, 2016, she had a text conversation with Coates, and they made plans to rob Green later that night. She said during the robbery, things took an unexpected turn when Coates kicked Green, and hit him with a piece of slate.
According to Crispell, she waited 20 minutes for Coates to leave the home. When Coates left the home he threatened to do harm to Crispell and her children if she "talked," said Crispell. She added after being threatened she lied to police because she was scared of Coates, but after speaking with an attorney she told the truth, and did so before receiving a plea deal.
Crispell testified she had no intention of harming Green, and when asked how Green died she responded, “Jeremy Coates killed David Green.”
Defense Attorney Brett Cowen asked her on cross if she killed Green, and she replied, "No."
She said the plan was just to take his gun collection, but earlier that day Coates had asked her, “'How would you feel if something happened to Dave?'”
She said she responded that she would feel terrible, and that Dave was a good guy.
According to Crispell, Coates joined her that night as she went to Green’s home for dinner, and after a conversation about money her ex-husband owed him, Green laid down on the ground to get comfortable.
“He didn’t have a couch at that time, so he laid on the floor to help his back,” said Crispell.
As Green laid on the floor, Coates approached him and kicked Green’s head, she testified.
She said as Coates grabbed a nearby piece of slate, she ran to get out of the house, but just before she left, she saw Coates hit the slate against Green’s head.
The defense attorney pointed out Crispell said in the past that she heard – not witnessed – Coates hit Green, and she responded, “I know what I saw.”
Crispell testified after seeing Coates hit Green she waited 20 minutes outside, and after waiting she heard Green say, “Why are you doing this to me,” and heard Coates respond, “Where is the weed and the money?”
Crispell said shortly after Coates emerged from the home, and loaded up the vehicle with stolen goods. The two then traveled to collect newspapers to use in the burning of evidence at a nearby state park.
She was seen driving along with Coates on camera as the two stopped to collect newspapers, and she noted Coates burned evidence once they arrived at the park. According to Crispell, the only thing she burned was a small bag of garbage that was in her vehicle.
She said after burning the evidence they returned to her home, and she noticed a blood spot on Coates’ neck.
On cross she testified it was dark out, but she had a small front porch light on, and that allowed her to see the spot regardless of his shoulder length hair.
After collecting only her clothes from her home, she said she traveled with Coates to the laundromat.
The two were shown on camera at a laundromat hugging and kissing early morning the day after the murder, and Crispell said she put the shirt she had worn to Green’s home – along with other random laundry from her home – in the washing machines to be cleaned.
She said on that morning, the two also visited Coates' apartment, where Randy Buck helped Coates carry in several bags of guns, knives, and other stolen objects as she stayed in her vehicle.
She noted a blue and white guitar was stolen from Green, contradicting Buck's testimony from the day prior.
Buck said the guitar in court belonged to him before trading it to Coates for jewelry.
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