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Video consists of two tapes. There is a break after an hour and 22 minutes where the officers claim they ran out of tape and were unable to locate another right away. The interrogation continues undocumented for 40 or so minutes before another tape is located and begins recording just in time to conveniently capture the last 14 minutes of "confession". At the begining of the second tape, Jason pulls a small card from his pocket which contains the notes that Stearns wrote for him to aid him in dictating a confession - that Stearns told him had no choice in giving. At this point, Jason is very tired and confused, but he's been told that afterwards, he would be allowed to get home in time to deliver the morning newspapers. Which, of course, never happens.

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Transciption

Proof of Deliberate Deceipt in Tape Gap

Tape 1, that begins follow approx. a half hour of questioning recorded only on audio. As Stearns continues with leading "questions", Jason eventully starts trying to guess what he's suppose to say. Yet no matter how many clues Stearns drops - he doesn't get the answers he wants. You can hears his frustration with Jason grow to impatience right up until the tape abruptly ends. That is an hour and 22 minutes on a VHS tape. VHS tapes were usually standard - the very minimum of recording time was 2 hours on "slow play". These tapes, as later brought out in depositions of the two officers, were never recorded and maintained by the evidence department until after they were released for transcription. According to testimony - the Mason City Police Department had no set protocol on tape recordings - so they were kept in the private possession of the officers - at their homes, cars or lockers - until then. Stearns testifies in _____ _____ ____ that during the 40 minute gap between tapes- that Jason finally confesses and that the second tape starts where they begin to write out the confession. This directly contradicts Linkenmeyers' testimony that the 2nd tape was running at 2:40 when Jason confesses for the FIRST time. These officers are so brazen that they don't even make sure their stories match - and of course, this is never pointed out by the defense. Susan Linkenmeyer testifies_____ _____ that she watched every moment of the interrogation and claims that Stearns questioning continues exactly as on the first tape. She hears the click of the tape running out, yet never tells Stearns. She's watching by herself when Officer Tyler comes along and sees her. He asks if she's taping it, she claims the tape ran out so he goes and locates her another one. She testifies that she inserts the 2nd tape at 2:30 and that she wrote down the exact time that Jeremy confessses for the first time.

There is no doubt that they both are lying, otherwise how could she have watched the entire time? Stearns claiims of what happened during the 40 minutes does NOT aliign with Linkenmeyers.

Jason entire demeanor has changed during the unrecorded time. When the 2nd tape begins - he is angry in a manner that only happens when someone threatens him, yells at him and accuses him of things he don't understand. Jason told his public defender that he was told he had no choice but to make the confession and that Stearns wrote down the details for him to admit too. Jason also claimed that Stearns removed his gun from the holster and laid it down on the table. He was told that if he did as Stearns wanted- he could be home in time to deliver the morning papers. But in the end - Frank Stearns either hasn't taken the time to get his facts straight on exactly what the little girl states- OR they've already figured out that the timeline doesn't work. Because Jason's "confession" is that he picks her up behind the Jefferson elementary, rather than on her home street. Time wise, this the only way it was remotely possible - and even that would mean that everyone else was mistaken except for the cops. it disregards entirely that the girl walks most of the way home with her friend, Charity. Esther even points out the exact spot that she's taken from to Linkenmeyer and the Chief on the drive that takes place before the rest of her statement is recorded. By this time, the officers must have realized that if Esther was taken from where she claims (one of the few claims that she never changes) - that would mean Jason was getting his ticket at the same time. So, the ONLY conclusion that was obviously assumed from here on out was that the girl was mistaken both in where she was taken from and that her friend was not with her when she left the school. This would also mean that both of Jeremy's supervisors were mistaken in the time they state Jason left work. So this mentally challenged boy suddenly veers from his set routine to pull off an assault of impulse, risking the wrath of his mother:? See all possible routes here

The use of the phrases "ejaculate" and "dick" are so foreign to Jason's vocabulary that just to know him is proof that these statements were scripted. As for why the cassette recorder is by Jason when the 2nd tape starts is another mystery - Jason doesn't remember much of that night anymore. It's quite obvious that Stearns demeanor has changed from the temper that was flaring when the 1st tape runs out, to a rather happy-go-lucky cop that's got what he wants, in the 2nd. He'd already realized that Jason was willing to say whatever he wanted just to leave him alone - but because Jason didn't understand the nature of offense, Stearns had to be more direct, hence the necessity for editing that from the original tape The attitude change in Jason is from whatever he was subjected to during the 40 minutes that is missing both from audio and video.

At the end of the all this, the tape is left running and you can hear Linkenmeyer and Stearns talking just off camera. Unfortunately it's to muffled from this copy of the tape to make out what is being discussed. Jason never sees another moment freedom after this. What those two did that night is beyond criminal - for murder would have been more humane. This single night of collaboration on their part ripped every chance at a future from Jason. The Mason City Police Department is hailed in the newspaper accounts for how quickly they got this perp of the streets.