Here are excerpts from that 57-page response.
Firearm Evidence
One expended twelve-gauge shotgun shell was recovered by investigators during the crime scene investigation at the Brookhaven Motel. (TT 1506-1507). This expended shell was received as exhibit 9E at trial. (TT 1514, 1862-1863, 2300). During the course of investigating the Brookhaven Motel murders, investigators recovered Williams' shotgun. (TT 1479-1489, 1691, 1863-1864, 1871-1872).This shotgun, a twelve-gauge High Standard slide-action shotgun bearing serial number 3194397, was received into evidence as exhibit 8. (TT 1487). In addition, a federal "Firearms Transaction Record" was received into evidence as exhibit 33. (TT 1483).
This document records Williams' purchase of the shotgun, trial exhibit 8, on February 25, 1974. Williams signed the transaction record and used his California driver's license for identification purposes when he purchased the shotgun. At trial, a certified copy of Williams' driver's license was received as exhibit 32. (TT 1485).
Fired From Williams' Gun
At trial, a firearms expert testified that the expended twelve-gauge shotgun shell that was recovered by investigators at the Brookhaven Motel, trial exhibit 9E, was fired from Williams' shotgun, trial exhibit 8, to the exclusion of all other firearms. (TT 1522-1523).Two expended twelve-gauge shotgun shells were recovered by investigators during the crime scene investigation at the 7-Eleven. (TT 1979-1980, 1984). These expended shells were received as trial exhibits 9C and 9D. (TT 1982).
Shotgun Not Ruled Out
Although these two shells lacked sufficient identifying characteristics to be conclusively matched to Williams' shotgun, the firearms expert testified that they were consistent with having been fired from that weapon. (TT 2301-2310).Moreover, the firearms expert did not find any dissimilarity that would exclude trial exhibits 9C and 9D from having been fired from Williams' shotgun. (TT 2301-2310).
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