Page 90
“First of all, it wasn’t an interrogation,” Bosch said. “It was a non-custody interview. I was gathering facts about the victim and the circumstances of her life and death. Mr. Talbot was uncooperative and deceptive. He also showed no emotion or sympathy for the victim, whom he had been married to for fourteen years. By the time I ended the interview, my experience and instincts told me he should be looked at further.”
“So you harassed him with several more interviews. You even went to his workplace, did you not?”
“I continued the investigation, if that’s what you mean. And yes, I talked to him several times. At his home, at his work, at the police station, and at the home of the woman he was having an affair with.”
“You are referring to Gloria Talbot, Mr. Talbot’s current wife.”
“His mistress at the time and his alibi.”
Garland smiled as though he was enjoying the repartee.
“The Talbots were separated when Jennifer Talbot was murdered, correct?”
“Yes, Jennifer found out about the affair her husband was having and moved out of their home. She also engaged the services of a divorce attorney.”
“And you never solved her murder, did you?”
“Depends on what you mean by solved. It was not solved by arrest and conviction back then. But I knew who did it.”
“Isn’t it true that the district attorney’s office rejected the case on multiple occasions for lack of evidence?”
“I submitted the case twice, the second time with more evidence, but the filing deputy said the case was too circumstantial and refused to file charges without direct evidence. Like a confession.”
“And weren’t you accused of harassing Mr. Talbot and his new wife, Gloria Talbot?”
“They tried to file a restraining order against me, which was not granted, if that’s what you’re referring to.”
“How often have you lied while under oath, Mr. Bosch?”
There was Garland’s first non sequitur. Bosch paused and waited for an objection from Winston, but none came.
“I’ve never lied under oath,” Bosch said.
“But didn’t a federal jury once find that you had lied under oath in a case in which you were sued for shooting and killing an unarmed man?” Garland asked.
“No. The jury did find for the plaintiff in that case, but I had not lied while under oath and there was no such finding. The jury awarded one — ”
“Thank you, Mr. Bosch.”
Winston said nothing.
“I’d like to finish my answer,” Bosch said.
“Let the witness answer,” Leibowitz said.
“The jury in that case found for the plaintiff but awarded only one dollar in damages,” Bosch said. “The man I killed was a serial killer.”
Bosch was now glaring at Winston, who was still head down and writing.
“Are you familiar with the Frazier v. Cupp ruling by the US Supreme Court, Mr. Bosch?” Garland asked.
“I believe so,” Bosch said.
“And what is your understanding of that ruling?”
“The court said it is okay for police to lie to suspects during an interview.”
“It’s known as the police deception rule, correct?”
