MSP Homicide Detective Shuman took the witness stand next on behalf of the State and once again swore his testimony would be, the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. He again said that he was employed as a Detective Sergeant with the Maine State Police Criminal Investigative Division and was in his 18th year.
Almy asked Shuman, “ ... Do you recall at some point in time going to interview a witness by the name of Paul Pollard concerning another matter?”
“Yes, sir.”
“And first of all, where was Mr. Pollard when you went to see him?”
“He was in a college in Worcester, Massachusetts. ...I think he was in his junior year at college.”
“Tell us briefly how you made contact with Mr. Pollard at Assumption College when you got there.”
Shuman said, “I contacted the campus police at Assumption College and I asked them if he could have Pollard brought down to their office so that I may talk with him. The person in charge of the campus police facilitated that and Mr. Pollard was brought down to his office.” [The interview was done at the Worcester, Massachusetts Police Department. I spoke with Mary Jane Cavanaugh, the police office who typed up the interview and witnessed it. She told me Shuman hung over her shoulder dictating while she typed.]
“And how long would you say that you talked with him on February 12, 1985?”
“I would say at least two hours—two-and-a-half hours.”
“... [D]id you go to see him concerning these matters concerning Charles Dolan?”
“No, sir, I didn’t.”
“Could you just explain the circumstances under which this was brought up?
“Okay. I went down to see Mr. Pollard on another matter and he told me that he was doing very well in his—
Shuman was cut short when Attorney Martha Harris, Cormier’s defense attorney, objected to Shuman’s statement that Pollard told him that he was doing very well. Almy asked to see the Court at sidebar. Harris told the court, “... He’s just trying to corroborate his witness before his witness testifies.”
Almy said, “Well, I’m not asking for the details of what Mr. Pollard said.”
Judge Eugene Beaulieu said, “Well, that’s the answer you seem to be getting, Mr. Almy. If you want to rephrase your question, perhaps he can answer it in a manner not objectionable to Ms. Harris.”
Almy said, “Before we leave the sidebar, though, I would indicate that if I’m not permitted to get into this now, I’m saying right now that I intend to recall Mr. Shuman at a later time.”
“You have a right to recall him,” the judge said.
I believed that Shuman and Amy were not going to have it as easy during Cormier’s trial as they had in Richard Sargent’s July trial. Martha Harris is small in stature but she is an outstanding and feisty attorney.
Ms. Harris began her cross examination of Shuman by asking, “What specifically did you go to talk to Mr. Pollard about?”
DA Almy objected and asked to see the Court at sidebar. Almy told the Judge, “We had a previous discussion about this in chambers, and I think the Court has ruled previously on this issue.”
The Judge said, “So the record is clear that the Court had, in reviewing the Motion brought by Miss Harris requesting the Court to disqualify itself from hearing this case, discussed with Miss Harris and Mr. Almy the rulings that the Court had previously made in a prior trial, State versus Sargent; Miss Harris feeling that the court should have disqualified itself for the reasons stated. At that time, the Court commented apparently on these, indicated that the Court was acquainted with the fact that there was an investigation relative to the death of a Cochran, and the Court would allow inquiries as to whether or not the witness Paul Pollard was a suspect in ’81 and that his contact and acquaintance with those people; would not allow during this trial the collateral matter of the death of Cochran to be introduced. I assume that’s what you’re talking about, Mr. Almy, Right?”
“That’s right.”
“Okay. And this particular question that’s pending, why did you go to Worcester, Massachusetts, you already solicited from him that fact that he went to Worcester, Massachusetts, for a matter other than the Dolan matter. You brought that out in direct. I think she has a right to inquire, but again I’m going to indicate to Counsel as a guide throughout this hearing, obviously I wouldn’t allow [her] to refer to the Cochran situation or refer to the fact that Mr. Pollard was a suspect, and his contact with those people.”
Almy said, “I believe he was not a suspect.”
“Well, then he [Shuman] can answer that question.”
Almy said, “I’m going to withdraw my objection, but I would like to have it noted in front of everybody.”
Judge Beaulieu said, “For the record, the objection is withdrawn. And perhaps it would be helpful if you restated your question, Counsel.
Harris said, “Certainly, Your Honor.”
“Sergeant, what specifically did you go to talk to Mr. Pollard about?”
“I went to talk to him about a fire that happened back in February of 1981.”
Harris quickly responded, “And during that fire, the death of Mr. Cochran, a Micheal Cochran occurred as well. Is that correct?”
“That’s correct.”
“And Mr. Pollard was a suspect in that fire and death, was he not?”
“Back in ’81, he was, yes.”
“Now you’re saying to me that in 1985 he was not a suspect in that crime?”
Shuman said, “I did not think at this time he was a suspect in that crime.”
"So would it be fair to say that Mr. Pollard believed that he was a suspect still in 1985 for that crime?”
“I don’t know what he believed.”
“There was no question he knew in 1981 he was a suspect, was there?”
“At the beginning of the investigation, yes,” Shuman said.
Harris said, “Now, Sergeant, prior to your going down and talking with Mr. Pollard in February of 1985, had you received any information relating to the Dolan robberies from anyone including Federal officers?”
“I don’t understand what you mean.”
“... Did you gain some additional information—now I’m talking again prior to February 12, 1985?”
“No, ma’am, I didn’t.
“You had no information from anyone?”
“Absolutely.”
“So when you spoke with Mr. Pollard in February of 1985, you were speaking with him about Micheal Cochran’s death and the arson that occurred, the fire that occurred, when Mr. Cochran was killed?”
“That is correct.”
“So in 1981 when you talked to Mr. Pollard as a suspect for the Cochran murder, you found out the relationship between him and Mr. Cormier?”
“Yes, ma’am,” the detective answered.
With that, Harris informed the court she had no further questions.
Almy then questioned Shuman. “You said he was not a suspect at the time you spoke with him in 1985 in February. And you’ve spoken to him since that time. And you have not considered him a suspect on either of those occasions as well. Is that right?”
"That's correct, sir. He's not a suspect."