September 10, 2008

The time is 7:40 p.m., the date is September 10th, 2008. This is in reference to Case
#08197, speaking is Sergeant Denny Butler with the Louisville Metro Police Homicide Unit.

Butler And, I am with, if you would state your full

name for me?

Sweat Charles Sweat.

Butler Charles Sweat? Can you spell your last name?

Sweat S-W-E-A-T.

Butler And, your date of birth?

Sweat
Butler Okay. And, your address?

Sweat x

Butler And, phone number?

Sweat
Butler And, your mom is also present, is that correct?

Sweat Yes.

Sandlin Yes.
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Statement: Charles Sweat / Case #08197(d)
September 10, 2008

Butler And, mom what is your full name?

Sandlin Kimberly Sandlin.

Butler And, this statement is being tape recorded,

does that meet with both your approval?

Sandlin Yes.

Sweat Yes.

Butler Okay. Uh, I’m taking this statement in

reference to the events on August 20th, 2008.
That occurred during the PRP football practice.
Uh, please describe the events of that day that
practice from the beginning to the end as you
remember ‘em?

Sweat Well, it started out any other day, you know we

went out, we did team stretch. First we lifted
and watched film. And, uh, then we went in the
locker room, we got dressed, and went to the
field. We did our 10 stretch, our team take offs
and everything. Everything was pretty normal,
and uh, then right after the 7 on 7 period? We
got ready to go to teams. Well, when it was our
second water break, I had just turned the water
off. I started to run over to the practice, and I
heard him, I heard coach yell get on the line.
We was gettin’ ready to run, so I got there and I
looked at my friend I said, what are we
running for? He said, I don’t know I guess
they was walking. So, and we started running
and we ran for a long time. Uh, we ran
probably 10, then he let us take our helmets
off. And, we ran probably, I don’t know, 9, 10
more. And, let us take our shoulder pads off,
and uh. It was right before our last warning,
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Statement: Charles Sweat / Case #08197(d)
September 10, 2008

Max kept like. Whenever we would get back

from a run, he would like fall down to his
knees or something, we’d help him up. You
know, well about, it was almost the last one.
We had one more left, and he got back and
dropped to his knees. And, I looked over at
him, he had his hands up on his head like that.
And, looked over to me, and he looked and
suddenly he just fell. And, uh, me and another
player picked him up off the ground. And, was
holding him up, and uh, they told the big guys
that we had to run again. So, I told one of the
defensive backs, I said come here hold him
while I run. Well, while we was running we
came back, and then we was going to a team
meeting. And, uh, coach told us to just lay him
down in the field. And, they brought the gator
over and we picked him up and put him in the
gator. And, they drove him over to the water.
But, right before that a few players went over
to get a drink. And, uh, he yelled at em, told
‘em to get away from the water. And, he would
tell ‘em when they could have water. And, uh,
so they came over with the team, had Max in
the gator and they unscrewed the water hose
and started spraying him down. Trying to wake
him up or whatever. And, uh, well team
meeting was over, and I walked back to the
locker room. I got dressed and I left, and the
ambulance was just now gettin' there, when I
left. And, that’s pretty much all I can say.

Butler Okay. I wanna ask you some specifics about it.

How are water breaks giving usually, are they
individually or by the team?

Sweat Uh, it depends on what group you’re with.

Like defense gets a different water break than
everybody else.
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Statement: Charles Sweat / Case #08197(d)
September 10, 2008

Butler So, it’s per position?

Sweat Yes.

Butler Okay. Excuse me, on uh, August 20th, how

many water breaks do you think you took?

Sweat Me, I took I think 2.

Butler Okay. And, what position do you play?

Sweat I play defensive end.

Butler Defensive end, now do you practice with the

like the defensive linemen?

Sweat Yes.

Butler And, the offensive linemen?

Sweat The offensive linemen practice with the

offense line. And, the defensive line with
defensive line. The linebackers and defensive
backs and the wide receivers. And, then the
quarterbacks.

Butler Okay. Uh, after the last water break, what did
practice consist of?

Sweat Running.

Butler Okay. And, you’re with the defensive line,

offensive line?

Sweat Just the defense line.

Butler Just, oh just the defensive line.

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Statement: Charles Sweat / Case #08197(d)
September 10, 2008

Sweat Yes, sir.

Butler Now, were, were you all given a water break

right before you started running?

Sweat Yes.

Butler Was the offensive line anywhere near you all?

Sweat Yes, everybody got a water break, because it

was right before we was going into team
period?

Butler Um-hum.

Sweat And, team period everybody gets a water

break, and then we have like kind of like a
team scrimmage.

Butler Right.

Sweat Offense versus defense.

Butler So, everybody gets a water break, and then you

come back out on the field.

Sweat Yeah.

Butler And, then it’s kinda like a scrimmage?

Sweat Yeah.

Butler Folks are watching and?

Sweat Yes.

Butler Okay.

Sweat And, uh, we turn the water off and we was

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Statement: Charles Sweat / Case #08197(d)
September 10, 2008

running back over. And, he told us to get on the

line, I guess people was walking you know?
And, uh, so we ran.

Butler Uh, what did you run?

Sweat Gassers, full gassers.

Butler Okay. And, full gasser is?

Sweat Is up…

Butler Across, back across back.

Sweat Back, up back, yes.

Butler Okay. And, your all are split into 2 groups,

light and heavy?

Sweat Yes.

Butler What group are you running with?

Sweat I’m with the big guys.

Butler Okay. How many groups do you think you all

ran?

Sweat Awe, man we (inaudible)…

Butler Or, how many, how many gassers?

Sweat We ran a lot uh, a friend of mine say we ran?

Butler No, how many you think?

Sweat About 30, I think somewhere between 25 and

30.
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Statement: Charles Sweat / Case #08197(d)
September 10, 2008

Butler Okay. How many gassers do you think you ran

before took off gear?

Sweat I think we ran probably 10 before we took off

our helmets.

Butler Okay. How about after w…, after you took off
your gear?

Sweat We probably ran about 9, 10 more.

Butler Okay.

Sweat Then we took off the shoulder pads and ran the
rest.

Butler Okay. How many you think after the last

period?

Sweat After we took off our shoulder pads?

Butler Um-hum.

Sweat I don’t know, maybe 5, 10 something like that.

Butler Okay. Uh, how long do you think you all are
running gassers in time frame?

Sweat Probably about an hour.

Butler Okay. Did you or any of your teammates ask

for water breaks or try to get water during the
running of the gassers?

Sweat I don’t know of anybody that was asking, but I

didn’t. Because, I thought if we asked, we
probably had to run more.

Butler Okay. But, did I mean did anybody, did, did

Page 8 of 14
Statement: Charles Sweat / Case #08197(d)
September 10, 2008

you hear anybody gettin’ denied water at that

point while they’re, while you’re running?

Sweat I really, to be honest I wasn’t paying too much

attention.

Butler Okay.

Sweat I was trying to catch my breath.

Butler Fair enough. Uh, did you or any of your

teammates become ill during the running of the
gassers?

Sweat A lot of guys was throwing up.

Butler Okay. Do, do, I mean who did you see

throwing up that you know?

Sweat Friend of mine Blake was throwing up?

Butler Okay.

Sweat Max threw up a few times, and I threw up

once.

Butler Okay. Now, when you say you threw up, where
did uh, was that between the soccer field and
your all’s practice field? When you all are
waiting?

Sweat Yes, yes.

Butler Okay. Was there quite a few people throwing

up?

Sweat Uh, the only people I seen was me, Max and
Blake. But, there was people all the way down
the field, you know.
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Statement: Charles Sweat / Case #08197(d)
September 10, 2008

Butler Right.

Sweat So.

Butler Now, were you where, were, you were running

across the field with who?

Sweat Uh.

Butler Obviously you’re on the heavy.

Butler But, I mean who’s, who’s right beside you

when you all are running? Is Max hear you?

Sweat Max was probably, if he wasn’t the next guy,

he was right beside him.

Butler Okay. So, one or two next to you?

Sweat Yeah.

Butler And, Blake was right beside you?

Sweat And, Blake was right next to me.

Butler Okay. And, at what point did you all become

ill, what time did. What, at what point in the
running did you become ill?

Sweat I had my every, I was just no shoulder pads or

anything.

Butler Okay.

Sweat And, uh, I came back from one and was trying
to catch my breath. And, just threw up, you
know.
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Statement: Charles Sweat / Case #08197(d)
September 10, 2008

Butler Okay. Uh, did any coaches say anything?

Sweat Not that I know of.

Butler Were there any coaches around?

Sweat Yeah. One coach was trying to help me

breathe.

Butler And.

Sweat Coach Donnelly told me, he said breathe in

through your nose, out through your mouth.

Butler Okay.

Sweat Hold your hands up try and catch your breath.

Butler Okay. And, then who gets sick next, did you
get sick first between the 3 or do you know?

Sweat No, Blake got sick before I did.

Butler Okay.

Sweat And, uh, Blake got sick about 2 times before I

did.

Butler Okay.

Sweat Max got sick.

Butler Was any coaches attending to Blake that you

could see?

Sweat Um-um.

Butler Okay. Uh.

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Statement: Charles Sweat / Case #08197(d)
September 10, 2008

Sweat And, then uh, Max got sick once or twice

before I did. And, uh, then I got sick. But,
Blake threw up about 2 or 3 times, and I know
Max threw up at least twice. I only threw up
once though.

Butler When did Max throw up?

Sweat Uh, he wasn’t wearing any shoulder pads, no

gear.

Butler Okay.

Sweat Uh, and uh, he was down on his knees and we

helped him up. And, he turned around and he
got sick. And, then he turned back around and
we had to run again .

Butler And, did all 3 of you run again?

Sweat Yes.

Butler Okay. Uh, and then you all come back from
that one, and that’s when Max collapses?

Sweat Uh, no he collapsed maybe 15, 20 minutes

after that.

Butler Okay. After he collapsed did you all continue

to run?

Sweat We ran one more.

Butler Okay. Were, were the coaches at that point,

attending to him?

Sweat Uh, a few of ‘em was, like after we pick him

up, and was carrying him? Uh, coach told us
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Statement: Charles Sweat / Case #08197(d)
September 10, 2008

just lay him down and uh?

Butler Now, you say coach…

Sweat And, we lay him down.

Butler Which, which coach?

Sweat Stinson.

Butler Okay.

Sweat Told us lay him down, so we laid him down on

the grass. Like probably from me to the tree,
by the bleachers?

Butler Okay.

Sweat And, uh, we laid him down and they brought

the gator over. And, then me and like 2 other
players picked him up. And, sit him in the
gator, and they drove him over to the water.

Butler Okay.

Sweat And, tried to wake him up.

Butler Now, now when, when you were trying to help

Max move around. Was he saying anything or?

Sweat Um-um.

Butler Was he helping you hold his weight at all?

Sweat No, we, when we was walking, his feet was

just dragging behind him.

Butler Okay.
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Statement: Charles Sweat / Case #08197(d)
September 10, 2008

Sweat His head was hanging, his eyes was closed.

Butler Okay. Uh, during any practices this year uh,

have you personally seen or heard of any
teammates being injured or quitting the team?

Sweat A few kids quit that night, and uh, a few

freshmen quit through the year. Between
summer and now and the other players that
joined, quit.

Butler Okay. Uh, has anyone influenced you in

anyway to withhold information. Or, change
any of the facts that actually occurred during
the practice?

Sweat No.

Butler Okay. Uh, what we’ve talked about, is it true to

the best of your knowledge?

Sweat Yes.

Butler Okay. And, this is a question for you too mom.

Is there anything I didn’t ask that you want me
to ask? Or, is there anything you wanna say,
and, and ch…, I’ll start with you. Is there
anything you want to say?

Sweat No, just.

Butler I mean is there anything we didn’t cover?

Sweat Um-um, that’s pretty much it.

Butler Okay. Mom do you have any questions at all?

Sandlin No.
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Statement: Charles Sweat / Case #08197(d)
September 10, 2008

Butler Okay. Uh, this concludes the taped statement.

And, the time is 7:52 p.m.

END OF STATEMENT

File #08197dbutler-dl