Day 3: Billings Trial
By: Jackie Smith
Updated: January 13, 2011
ODESSA -- Thursday was Day 3 of the Billings trial at Ector County Courthouse, and Thursday we got a glimpse into the history of the accused kidnapper and rapist Dwayne Billings. Billings has seemed relatively calm during this trial, until now.
Today lead investigator Sgt. David Trujillo took the stand and he brought with him the video of the initial interrogation from January 2007. What I initially noticed from the video was Billings strong speech impediment. in the tape, he seemed nervous, changing his stories multiple times to investigators. one of the stories he told was that it was in fact the little girl who touched him, saying that "she touched me twice."
I looked over at Billings during the video, and his confident demeanor was no longer there. He was sinking into his chair, as if he was trying to disappear. at one point, I overheard Billings ask his attorney, David Zavoda, if they could turn off the parts of the video where he was left alone in the interrogation room, because in that part you saw Billing tying and untying his shoes multiple times. At one point, he scrunched up in a ball near the wall.
The day only got worse for Billings, as two local television reporters who covered this story back in 2007 took the stand. One of them brought with them a video of Billings a couple days after he was arrested in jail. In this video, he confessed to the crime. saying "he was sorry he did it" and also mentioning that parents should not trust their kids around him. Billings said in the video that he was molested as a child.
Defense Attorney David Zavoda said that Billings is obviously mentally ill and has a troubled past. James Billings, Dwaynes father, that I told you about yesterday, we learned is also Billings grandfather. How is this possible? Well he had sexual relations with his own daughter, who is Dwayne's mother, when she was thirteen years old. When she had Dwayne Billings, defense attorney Zavoda said she was on all types of drugs and involved with prostitution.
Zavoda asked the jurors to consider this when deciding Billings fate. As this case progresses were learning more about the man accused and the victim. I heard that this trial is supposed to end on Tuesday, and Big 2 will be sure to bring you all the latest.
Jackie Smith can be reached via e-mail at jsmith@kmid.tv.
Today lead investigator Sgt. David Trujillo took the stand and he brought with him the video of the initial interrogation from January 2007. What I initially noticed from the video was Billings strong speech impediment. in the tape, he seemed nervous, changing his stories multiple times to investigators. one of the stories he told was that it was in fact the little girl who touched him, saying that "she touched me twice."
I looked over at Billings during the video, and his confident demeanor was no longer there. He was sinking into his chair, as if he was trying to disappear. at one point, I overheard Billings ask his attorney, David Zavoda, if they could turn off the parts of the video where he was left alone in the interrogation room, because in that part you saw Billing tying and untying his shoes multiple times. At one point, he scrunched up in a ball near the wall.
The day only got worse for Billings, as two local television reporters who covered this story back in 2007 took the stand. One of them brought with them a video of Billings a couple days after he was arrested in jail. In this video, he confessed to the crime. saying "he was sorry he did it" and also mentioning that parents should not trust their kids around him. Billings said in the video that he was molested as a child.
Defense Attorney David Zavoda said that Billings is obviously mentally ill and has a troubled past. James Billings, Dwaynes father, that I told you about yesterday, we learned is also Billings grandfather. How is this possible? Well he had sexual relations with his own daughter, who is Dwayne's mother, when she was thirteen years old. When she had Dwayne Billings, defense attorney Zavoda said she was on all types of drugs and involved with prostitution.
Zavoda asked the jurors to consider this when deciding Billings fate. As this case progresses were learning more about the man accused and the victim. I heard that this trial is supposed to end on Tuesday, and Big 2 will be sure to bring you all the latest.
Jackie Smith can be reached via e-mail at jsmith@kmid.tv.
