A prisoner who was once in the cell next to
Richard Baumhammers said Tuesday that the mass shooting suspect
bragged about killing a black man and commented that Jewish women
would not have sex with him.
Baumhammers is accused of killing a black man, a Jewish woman
and three others on April 28, 2000, in a 72-minute spree in
Allegheny and Beaver counties. He is also accused of ethnic
intimidation, Pennsylvania's version of a hate crime.
After his arrest, Baumhammers was placed in a cell next to Bobby
Joe Eakles, 45, of Beaver Falls, Pa., in part of the Beaver County Jail
nicknamed the "glass cell" and reserved for mentally ill or
troublesome prisoners. Eakles said that he had been advised in advance
that his neighbor would be "complicated."
Eakles testified that he asked Baumhammers how he was doing
shortly after Baumhammers' arrival. Baumhammers responded, "I
killed great," and uttered a racial slur describing blacks, Eakles
said.
Baumhammers later commented that Jewish women would never have
sex with him and murmured, "Bleed, bleed," and, "Heil Hitler,"
to himself, Eakles said.
"It was like he was doing riddles on me. He'd say, 'KKK,' just
like that. I thought he was detoxing," Eakles said.
Defense attorney William Difenderfer asked Eakles if he had
learned about Baumhammer's alleged hatred of ethnic minorities from
a newspaper article the Sunday after the shooting.
"I didn't know it was Richard (Baumhammers) when I read it,"
Eakles testified. "I was in shock when I saw it was him."
Eakles said that he and Baumhammers talked frequently until an
argument two days after the shootings.
Eakles pleaded no contest to 12 counts each of harassment and
terroristic threats, and is being evaluated at Mayview State
Hospital, a psychiatric hospital, as he awaits sentencing. He said
that the charges related to letters he sent to a doctor who treated his
daughter before his daughter's death.
Eakles, who said that he worked for 17 years in the "antiques
business," said that he previously served three years in state prisons
for a probation violation on a gun charge. He said that he has been
taking an anti-depression drug. Allegheny County Judge Jeffrey
Manning ruled that Eakles was competent to testify.
A police officer told jurors earlier in the day that when Baumhammers stepped from his vehicle, spent shells from a .357 Magnum spilled from his lap onto the driver's seat of the black Jeep Cherokee.
Ambridge Police Officer James Mann testified Tuesday in the
fourth day of the Baumhammers' trial that he was warned
over his police radio that a mass shooting suspect was headed his
way.
The trial resumes at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday with two witnesses from
France. They are offered by prosecutors because of past conflicts
with Baumhammers.
Doctors are set to testify Wednesday about Baumhammers' mental
health.
Baumhammers, 35, of Mount Lebanon, is accused of shooting six
people, killing five, in a 90-minute racially motivated shooting spree.
Mann said that he was waiting near the Ambridge Bridge when he pulled in front of Baumhammers' vehicle, then took cover behind his squad car's door with his weapon drawn.
Mann said that he rushed the vehicle when Baumhammers reached to his
right, ignoring an order to keep his hands in sight.
"'I have to unbuckle my seat belt,' that's all he said," Mann
said.
"He had a smirk on his face -- it was almost like he was happy.
I thought we had the wrong guy. He looked like you and me," Mann
said. "Who would think somebody who had just murdered five people
would be wearing a seat belt?"
Manning also ruled on Tuesday
morning that prosecutors can play 20 tape recorded conversations
between a jailed Baumhammers and his parents, Andrejs and Inese
Baumhammers, with whom he lived.
Defense attorneys William Difenderfer and James Wymard argued
the taping violated Baumhammers' rights, and said Allegheny County
Jail guards wrongly acted as a wing of the prosecutor's office by
monitoring Baumhammers' conversations.
But Manning agreed with Deputy Allegheny County District
Attorney Edward Borkowski who argued that inmates are notified that
calls will be taped, including by a recorded message that plays
when they begin a phone call.
During one call, Baumhammers parents even warned him that the
calls were being recorded, Borkowski argued.
Baumhammers is accused of killing his Jewish next door neighbor,
Anita Gordon, 63; Anil Thakur, 31, an Indian man; two Asian men,
Ji-Ye Sun, 34, of Churchill, and Thao Pham, 27, of Castle Shannon,
at a Chinese restaurant; and Garry Lee, 22, a black man from
Aliquippa, at a Beaver County karate school.
Sandip Patel, 26, another Indian man, was wounded while working
at the store where Thakur was killed and remains paralyzed
Mann noted that Baumhammers appeared heavier and almost drowsy
in court Tuesday than he did last year.
Mann said that Baumhammers was alert and aware the day of his arrest
-- but calm, which is consistent with other witnesses who testified
to Baumhammers demeanor while he shot the victims and two
synagogues.
Defense attorney William Difenderfer said Baumhammers has gained
weight and is more docile due to drugs he is taking to control a
delusional disorder from which he suffers.
Difenderfer admits Baumhammers shot the victims, but said he is
innocent because the mental illness kept him from understanding
right from wrong.
Previous Stories:
- May 1, 2001: Man Recalls Death Of Friend
- April 30, 2001: Lone Shooting Spree Survivor Testifies
- April 29, 2001: Testimony Continues At Baumhammers' Trial
- April 28, 2001: Baumhammers Trial Opens
- April 27, 2001: Almost 1 Year Later, Baumhammers Trial Begins
- April 26, 2001: Attorneys Review Baumhammers Video
- April 9, 2001: Judge Orders Taylor Back To Jail
- April 8, 2001: Plea Bargains Offered For Baumhammers, Taylor
- March 20, 2001: Did Baumhammers Research Alleged Victims?
- January 2, 2001: Allegheny County Seeking 3 Death Sentences
- November 18, 2000: Attorney: Baumhammers Can Get Fair Trial
- September 16, 2000: Baumhammers Ruled Competent To Stand Trial
- August 29, 2000: Lone Shooting Spree Survivor Goes Home
- May 17, 2000: Heroes Honored In Beaver County
- May 3, 2000: Baumhammers Arraigned In Allegheny County
- May 3, 2000: Company Reposts Baumhammers' Site
- April 30, 2000: D.A. Says Note Could Reveal Hate Motive
- April 29, 2000: Who Is Richard Baumhammers?
- April 29, 2000: Suspect Arraigned In Shooting Spree
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