About Discovery
Listen for yourself
09/08/07 Joseph Vrooman
Michael Benton and Joseph Vrooman were given the entire case handed to them before they testified against Jesse Brooks in what is legally referred to as discovery. They were able to review each other’s statements, phone records, photos, etc. It would be the equivalent of showing your hand in a game of cards, except, for Jesse, the stakes were much, much higher. These were thousands of pages of documents they could use to doctor their own testimony. Not only were they completely familiar with each other’s testimony, they met dozens and dozens of times with police and prosecutors who could manipulate their testimony prior to them taking the witness stand against Jesse. They also kept abreast of the colossal newspaper and television coverage of the case. After two high profile trials had already taken place, they were well-rehearsed.
Listen for yourself
01/12/2008 Michael Benton
With so much opportunity - and incentive - to fabricate a story, was their testimony truthful?
2/23/08 Joseph Vrooman’s Jail Call to Sue Sargent
"The prosecution don’t care if they lie. They want to make it look as bad as they can for Brooks. You know, so, I just, I don’t know, I think they’re going to take whoever’s story fits their theory and then they’re gonna - you know, just ram it up everybody else’s ass.
You know, they don’t - they don’t give a f**k about the truth."
Listen for yourself
The two star witnesses competed for the best deal but also worked as a team for the State. As damning as their testimony was against other co-conspirators the went easy on each other. Joe Vrooman never revealed in Jesse’s trial that Benton had threatened everyone at the barn in Deerfield and again when they met for their supposed cover story meeting - despite the fact that Benton had previously admitted to both threats (link). He told the others, “if you call the police I’ll kill you too.” (25786) Vrooman also made the statement below which demonstrates how committed he was to working with Benton to satisfy the State as well as get the best deal for himself.
3/24/08 Joseph Vrooman Recorded Interview with prosecutors Janice Rundles, Karen Huntress, Kirsten Wilson, Michael Lewis and Sgt. Robert Estabrook and Sgt. James White.
"I know that Mike Benton has made a deal and if he said that was the plan, then that’s - that’s what the plan was."
Listen for yourself
Mike Benton reciprocated by offering up a new revelation which he made 1-1/2 years after his arrest.
6/12/08 Mike Benton UNRECORDED Interview (“new” information)
"I didn’t see Joe ever sit or jump on JR (Jack Reid)."
Jesse Brooks has always maintained his innocence. He would not accept a plea deal because he was not involved. From the day Jack Reid’s body was found to this day, he was never sought for an interview by police or prosecutors - ever. The ONLY evidence against him was the testimony of two men who were desperate to avoid the death penalty.
