October 18, 1995: Partial testimony of Raymond Rivera
Editor's Note: This is a partial, unofficial transcript.
Prosecution: The state calls Raymond Rivera.
Valdez: State you name, please.
Rivera: Raymond Rivera Jr.
Valdez: What you do?
Rivera: I am a policeman for the Corpus Police Department.
Valdez: How long?
Rivera: In April, it will be 25 years.
Valdez: What division?
Rivera: Criminal Investigation.
Valdez: Are you assigned to a particular section?
Rivera: Homicide.
Valdez: How long?
Rivera: Off and on since 1981.
Valdez: What are you duties in Homicide?
Rivera: Anytime someone is injured, we investigate that.
Valdez: Do you do that on a daily basis?
Rivera: Yes, sir.
Valdez: Did you become involved in the Selena investigation?
Rivera: Yes.
Valdez: Do you recall the date?
Rivera: March 31.
Valdez: Do you remember what time?
Rivera: About 11:50 a.m. in the morning. I had just left the police building, and I heard it on the radio.
Valdez: What did you do when you got to the Days Inn?
Rivera: When I got there other police officers were there. When I got there Paul Rivera was there and some other officers. I asked, where was the situation?
Valdez: What did they say?
Rivera: They said that it was a female in a red pickup truck.
Valdez: Did you have any conversation with that person?
Rivera: Later on that day.
Valdez: What were you doing at that time?
Rivera: I moved behind the vehicle.
Valdez: Why?
Rivera: Because I could see that the lady in the pickup had a weapon in her hand.
Valdez: What did you do?
Rivera: I was told to go to Memorial Medical Center to check on the victim.
Valdez: Who did you talk to?
Rivera: The paramedic.
Valdez: What did he give you?
Rivera: A golden nugget ring.
Valdez: If you saw that ring, could you identify it?
Rivera: Yes, sir.
Valdez sends for an envelope and shows Rivera the contents.
Valdez: Let's mark this State Exhibit #11. Is that the ring?
Rivera: Yes, sir.
Valdez: It was given to you by the paramedics?
Rivera: Yes, sir.
Valdez: After you met the security guard and paramedics, what did you do then?
Rivera: I went to the Trauma Room and checked on the victim.
Valdez: After that, what did you do?
Rivera: The nurse told me that the victim was in surgery, and I went up there.
Valdez: Who did you meet?
Rivera: I met Abraham Quintanilla.
Valdez: Did you come to find out that the victim had died?
Rivera: Yes, sir.
Valdez: What did you do?
Rivera: I interviewed with a brief statement from the family members.
Valdez: After that, what did you do?
Rivera: I went back to the police station.
Valdez: Were you working on the case?
Rivera: Yes, sir.
Valdez: When you were at the hospital, did you get the victim's clothes?
Rivera: Yes, sir.
Valdez: How long were you at the police station?
Rivera: Until about 11:45.
Valdez: How many interview rooms are there at the police station?
Rivera: Three.
Valdez: What does the interview room look like?
Rivera: There is a table and several chairs.
Valdez: Did you say that there was an observation area?
Rivera: Yes, a window.
Valdez: Who went into the room?
Rivera: Myself and Paul Rivera.
Valdez: Where did you leave the defendant?
Rivera: She was in with us.
Valdez: Was the door closed?
Rivera: Yes, sir.
Valdez: What is the first thing that you did?
Rivera: Told her of her rights.
Valdez: Did you offer anything?
Rivera: I did. Something to drink.
Valdez: What was her condition?
Rivera: A little nervous.
Valdez: Did she look hysterical?
Rivera: Not really.
Valdez: How was her tone?
Rivera: Soft.
Valdez: Did you shout to her at anytime?
Rivera: No, sir.
Valdez: Did Paul Rivera raise his voice at anytime?
Rivera: No, sir.
Valdez: Did she raise her voice?
Rivera: No, sir.
Valdez: Did she cry at anytime?
Rivera: Yes, but they were dry tears.
Valdez: Did she acknowledge the shooting?
Rivera: Yes, sir.
Valdez: Did you force her, at anytime, to sign the papers?
Rivera: No, sir.
Valdez: Did Paul Rivera force her to sign the papers?
Rivera: No, sir.
Valdez: Who was taking notes?
Rivera: Paul was.
Valdez: Once you have your notes down, what do you do with them?
Rivera: I have them transcribed.
Valdez: After that, what do you do with your transcribed notes?
Rivera: Take them back to see if everything is correct.
Valdez: Did you ask her did she need to go the bathroom or did she need anything?
Rivera: Yes sir. I think she had three or four cups of water.
Valdez: After that, what was done?
Rivera: She was photographed.
Valdez: Did you talk to her at anytime when the statement was being typed?
Rivera: Yes sir.
Valdez: Did you ask her anything?
Rivera: Yes, sir. I asked her if she was all right. She said yes, that she was a registered nurse.
This transcript resumes with Valdez asking about Exhibit #39 (brown envelope) and #39a.
Valdez: Did you fine any money in it (Yolanda Saldivar's purse)?
Rivera: $1300 in cash and a $25 check.
Valdez: Did you find any bullets?
Rivera: Five bullets.
Valdez: If you see her purse today, would you recognize it?
Rivera: Yes, sir.
Valdez: Sergeant, I would like to show you State's Exhibit #39 (the brown envelope). Do you know what's in Exhibit #39?
Rivera: Yes, sir. He looks in it. The purse that I got from the motel room.
Valdez: Let's make this Exhibit #39A.
Valdez: Will you check to see if all of the evidence is in there?
Rivera: Everything except the money.
Valdez: We would like to mark this Exhibit 39 and 39a.
Defense: We do not object to the purse, but to the bag because it has writing on it.
Prosecution (Valdez): We will move the bag.
Valdez: We would like to enter State Exhibit #40 and 41. (#40 is a brown envelope, #41 is $1,300.)
Valdez: What do you see?
Rivera: $1,300 and a check for $25.
Valdez: We would like to enter this into evidence.
Defense attorney Hagans objects to Exhibit #40 because of the writing on it, but agreed to the check and cash as Exhibit #41.
Valdez: Where was the check gotten from?
Rivera: The safe.
Valdez: How did you open the safe?
Rivera: Rosa Gonzalez had to use the master key, I think.
Valdez: You didn't have a key to the safe?
Rivera: No, sir.
Valdez: Pass the witness.
This transcript resume with the defense questioning Rivera about a letter that is found.
Defense attorney Hagans: Let me show you the sheet that has been marked as Exhibit 39a. Let me take the item out of the purse. Can you tell me what it is?
Rivera: It is a letter from Mr. Arnold Garcia.
Hagans: Who is the letter for?
Rivera: Selena.
Hagans:: What date is on the letter?
Rivera: March 13, 1995.
Hagans: Please read it.
Rivera: It reads: Dear Mrs. Perez:(Selena), Miss Yolanda Saldivar is at great regret that she resigns her employment.
Hagans: What is the date of that again?
Rivera: March 13, 1995.
Hagans is asking Raymond Rivera about a picture of Selena.
Hagans: Paul Rivera had a poster of Selena in his office, didn't he?
Rivera: Yes, sir.
Hagans: Did it ever enter in your mind that this officer was too closely involved in this case because of the victim.?
Rivera: No, sir.
Prosecution questioning:
Valdez: The letter of March 13, 1995, the letter of resignation, were you aware of that?
Rivera: No, sir.
Valdez: Do you know that March 13th was also the day that Yolanda picked up the pistol at the Gun Shop?
Rivera: No, sir.
Valdez: Don't you remember Yolanda told you that she was still working for Selena?
Rivera: Yes, sir.