Coley McCraney’s Testimony, on Day Four of His Trial in the Murders of J.B. Beasley and Tracie Howlett, and the Rape of Beasley

By Anonymous
tuesday, april 25, 2023 at 2:16:00 a.m. edt

https://www.rickeystokesnews.com//article.php/updated-at-1028-am-day-4-0907-am-monday-mccraney-trial--dale-county-197416

McCraney said he was married in 2001:

A: “Married in 2001, Jeanette.”

To a woman he met in 1998, and had been living with since 1998:

A: “March, 1998. She moved in with me June, 1998.”

So if you are on the jury you ought to notice the man is an unfaithful cad, and such people are also naturally deceitful.

A: “Saturday, worked on land and worked all day, custody of son and he stayed with his mom. Had three children at the time. One was with a white woman dated for two years, then another one. Custody of Quiz in 1998 in Dale County.”

Note “Had three children at the time.” So McCraney, the future preacher, is saying he already had three illegitimate kids in 1999 (?), including a child with a White woman he “dated for two years” (should be easy enough to verify).

What will the jury think this says about his character?

He implies she told him her name was Jennifer, perhaps to suggest she didn’t want to use her real name, which is understandable if you buy his story/the circumstances:

Q: “Did anyone call?”

A: “J.B., as I know her now.”

McCraney said he and “Jennifer” proceeded to have sex in his truck, while Tracie waited patiently.

Ridiculous, of course, assuming J.B. used “Jennifer” because she didn’t want to use her real name. But she had sex with him in a dirty pickup truck with her friend waiting outside (demurely looking away, I guess).

Don’t see how a juror can believe this story from someone with no sexual morality, which always involves deceit, no matter how credible he sounds.

Defense wants to pre-empt this and gets it out in the open:

Q: “Cheating on girlfriend.”

A: “Yes.”

So, he’s deceitful and dishonest in his intimate personal relationship, but you should believe this story he’s telling.

Claims he didn’t hear about the deaths until weeks later, when his girlfriend told him:

A: “A few weeks later girlfriend told me.”

Not believable.

Q: “Why didn’t you tell them you knew them?”

Under the circumstances, it’s perhaps understandable he wouldn’t immediately admit to the relationship when he was arrested. On the other hand, it can be seen as part of the defense strategy he made up later, maybe with his lawyer, once the DNA evidence was known.

Q: “Did you rape J.B. Beasley?”

A: “No.”

Q: “Did you murder J.B. Beasley or Tracie Hawlett?”

A: “No, I didn’t.”