OFFICER NATHAN COLE: “Not in detail.”
Rebecca let the silence remain for a moment.
She was not there to argue with him. Her task was to establish what he had done, what information he had, and whether his account was consistent with the available evidence.
REBECCA SHAW: “Your report states that the woman resisted your attempt to secure her arm. Describe exactly what she did that you interpreted as resistance.”
Nathan began to explain that Evelyn had pulled away.
OFFICER NATHAN COLE: “She wouldn't turn around when I told her to. When I reached for her arm, she moved back.”
REBECCA SHAW: “Did she strike you?”
OFFICER NATHAN COLE: “No.”
REBECCA SHAW: “Did she threaten you?”
OFFICER NATHAN COLE: “No.”
REBECCA SHAW: “Did she attempt to take your equipment?”
OFFICER NATHAN COLE: “No.”
Rebecca wrote down each answer.
REBECCA SHAW: “What happened when she moved back?”
OFFICER NATHAN COLE: “I tried to control the situation.”
REBECCA SHAW: “The recording shows you pushing her backward. Is that accurate?”
Nathan stared at the table.
OFFICER NATHAN COLE: “I may have pushed her harder than I intended.”
REBECCA SHAW: “The recording also shows her falling. What did you do after she was on the floor?”
Nathan's jaw moved as he considered his answer.
OFFICER NATHAN COLE: “I told her to stay down.”
REBECCA SHAW: “Did you use your foot against her while she was on the floor?”
OFFICER NATHAN COLE: “I was trying to keep her from getting up.”
REBECCA SHAW: “Did you assess whether she was injured?”
OFFICER NATHAN COLE: “Not immediately.”
Rebecca stopped writing and looked at him.
REBECCA SHAW: “Why not?”
Nathan did not answer at once.
OFFICER NATHAN COLE: “Everything happened quickly.”
REBECCA SHAW: “How quickly did you realize that she was injured?”
OFFICER NATHAN COLE: “When people started shouting.”
REBECCA SHAW: “Did you call for medical assistance yourself?”
OFFICER NATHAN COLE: “No. The bailiff did.”
Rebecca recorded the answer.
Nathan shifted in his chair again.
OFFICER NATHAN COLE: “I made a mistake. I thought she was the person I was looking for.”
REBECCA SHAW: “We will examine the identification issue. But I also need to understand your decisions after you realized she was on the floor.”
Nathan looked down at his hands.
OFFICER NATHAN COLE: “I was trying to maintain control.”
REBECCA SHAW: “Control of what?”
He looked up.
OFFICER NATHAN COLE: “The situation.”
REBECCA SHAW: “Was there a weapon involved?”
OFFICER NATHAN COLE: “No.”
REBECCA SHAW: “Was there a threat to another person?”
OFFICER NATHAN COLE: “Not that I saw.”
REBECCA SHAW: “Was there any immediate danger that required you to continue using force against a woman who was already on the floor?”
Nathan's face tightened.
OFFICER NATHAN COLE: “I believed she might get up.”
REBECCA SHAW: “That is a possibility. What specific action did she take that made you believe she posed an immediate danger?”
Nathan remained silent.
Rebecca did not press him to fill the silence with speculation.
She moved to the next question.
REBECCA SHAW: “Did you know she was a judge before the bailiff addressed her as Your Honor?”
OFFICER NATHAN COLE: “No.”
REBECCA SHAW: “Would you have acted differently if you had known?”
Nathan looked up quickly.
OFFICER NATHAN COLE: “Of course.”
REBECCA SHAW: “Why?”
He appeared caught off guard by the question.
OFFICER NATHAN COLE: “She's a judge. She's an officer of the court.”
REBECCA SHAW: “And before you knew that, what obligations did you believe you had toward her?”
Nathan's lips parted, but he did not answer immediately.
OFFICER NATHAN COLE: “I was supposed to follow procedure.”
REBECCA SHAW: “Did you follow the instruction to verify the information?”
OFFICER NATHAN COLE: “No.”
REBECCA SHAW: “Did you explain the basis for the detention before using force?”
OFFICER NATHAN COLE: “No.”
REBECCA SHAW: “Did you stop to assess her condition after she fell?”
OFFICER NATHAN COLE: “Not immediately.”
Rebecca closed her notebook.
REBECCA SHAW: “Thank you. We'll review the records and may need to speak with you again.”
Nathan leaned forward.
OFFICER NATHAN COLE: “I want it understood that I didn't know who she was.”
REBECCA SHAW: “Your lack of recognition is part of the evidence. It does not answer every question about your conduct.”
The interview ended shortly afterward.
As Rebecca left the room, Nathan remained seated, staring at the table. His department representative spoke quietly to him, but he seemed barely to hear.