August 29, 2008

Today’s date is August 29th, 2008, time now is 1422 hours. My name is Detective Terry
Jones, my Code Number is 6354. I’m with the Louisville Metro Police Department. Also,
present is Danny Herald, he was, he is with the security at the uh, Jefferson County uh, School
Board. And, we are at uh, in a private office, we’re at Valley High School which is located at
10200 Dixie Highway. Uh, this interview uh, pertains to a death investigation into uhm, Max
Gilpin. File number is 08-197, and this interview is of Mr. Robert Sample.

Jones At this time Mr. Sample can you identify

yourself?

Sample Yes, I’m Robert Sample uh, in school security

guard at Valley High School. Uh, my birth date
is. I live at 6406 Mannerview Circle,
Louisville, Kentucky uh, 40272. Uh,
(inaudible)…, work here at Valley High
School, and I am a uh, High School referee on
the side as a hobby.

Jones Okay. And, you right now you are employed

with the uh, Jefferson County School Board,
correct?

Sample Correct.

Jones And, your, your this is your uh, school that

you’re assigned to?
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Statement: Robert Sample / Case #08197
August 29, 2008

Sample Yes, sir.

Jones Valley High School? Okay, and you’re aware

this interview is being taped?

Sample Yes, sir.

Jones Okay. And, we’ve already discussed uh, uh,

facts relating to what you have observed before
we went on tape. So, at this time would you
kinda elaborate what you were doing on
August 20th, uh, 2008. Uh, while conducting
uh, referee activities at the uh, at your soccer
game?

Sample Okay, okay. Uhm, I had the uh, PRP and

Waggener Soccer game uhm, on that
Wednesday. Uhm, the game started right at uh,
5:30. Uh, the clock at PRP did not work, I had
to keep the time on the field, on my watch. Uh,
it, like I said it did start at 5:30, and I noticed
uh, probably uh, hitting right out the way with
the football team. Had uh, right at 5:30,
watched ‘em practice a little bit. And, then
when the game started uhm, I went out and did
my role as a referee. Sit and referee the ball
game uh, roughly 6 or excuse me. Roughly
5:40 to 5:45 I noticed uh, a large group of uh,
football players uh. I couldn’t tell you if they
was offensive, defensive or it’s a whole group
or whatever. But, it was uh, a good number of
men walking over to the uh, watering uh, uh,
apparatus. Over that uh, the end of uh, the part
end of the uh, the soccer field there uh, gettin'
water. Uhm, not paying attention you know,
when they all came back. Uh, sometime later
they uhm, started uh, the same routine of
hitting again. And, then roughly I’d say,
between quarter till and 10 till 6, somewhere
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Statement: Robert Sample / Case #08197
August 29, 2008

around there? Uh, I noticed uhm, our, I didn’t

know, I heard a coach over on the far right
hand side of the football field from where I
was standing? Yelled something to the effect of
the way the kids were playing (excuse me)…,
that they were going to start uh, running. Uhm,
after, sometime after that you know, a few
minutes maybe? Uh, I noticed the players
stripping down uh, from their shoulder pads
and helmets. A few elected to keep on their
shoulder pads. And, they started running uh,
some type of a sprint, from sideline to side
line. Uhm, in groups of like 4 or something
like that. A long line of the guys you know,
running across the field? I noticed the uh,
coaches you know, yelling words of like uh,
encouragement. Or, like so and so you need to
pick it up. Or, come on so and so you’re
looking good. Uh, that type of thing uhm, and
I’d say, I’d say like about, about 10 minutes till
si…, or 10 minutes till 6. Uh, that they were
you know, running uh, sometime probably I’d
say sigh…, 6:00 or so. Uh, I noticed uh, an
individual uhm, I cannot remember if the
gentleman was white or black. Uh, I noticed
uh, he had a uh trouble like catching his breath.
Or, whatever uh, wheezing real bad uh,
coughing and, and carrying on? ‘Cause, it’s
on, it’s close to the sideline to where I was at.
At that time we had a, a girl injured I think uh,
about that time, that he was walking off the
field. And, I being an EMT, I was just gonna
see, you know, kinda looking to see if he was
okay. And, he proceeded to walk on uh, toward
uhm; I guess the watering uh, apparatus or
somewhere. Some players kinda helped him
uh, I think like 3 or 4 players was walking with
him. And, took him over to a shaded area uhm
over there on far end of the football field.
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Statement: Robert Sample / Case #08197
August 29, 2008

Where they were practicing at. At some time

uh, the my half time was like at 10 minutes
after 6. Or, between 10 and 12 minutes after 6?
Uhm, I noticed uh, the, the, the practice was
over. Uh, players were leaving the uh, practice
field. Uhm, and at that time I noticed uh, a
green uh, gator uh, with like 3 or 4 coaches.
And, uh, a player in the back of it. Uh, I
noticed it going over to, ‘cause at halftime that
was like our time to get water. Or, whatever I
noticed the, the gator over there. At the uh,
watering apparatus uhm, they were you know.
Had the, had the gentleman uh, putting water
on him, everything like that. And, I was going
to go over there to see if everything was okay
with him. But, I noticed that I thought he sat up
on his own. I could be wrong, c…, the coaches
could’ve propped him up or whatever. But, he
was in the upright position. They were, you
know pouring water on him, everything like
that. And uhm, the assistant AD uh, Coach
(inaudible)…, Bob come over to uh, me and
said that. You know, there was water for us
here and, and everything. And, I asked him
what was going on. You know, told, he knew
that I was an EMT. And, uh, well he said uh,
the, the one kid that was under the shade tree.
Uhm, you know was having trouble uh,
running. That you know, he was over there uh,
they were administering to him, some
teammates were. And, I guess the coaches were
over there. And, then he said the other one uh,
the other player uh, which was later to. B…, I
believe was uh, Mr. Gilpin, was over there at
the water apparatus. He said he’s not doing real
good. Uh, and that’s all he said, he didn’t
elaborate. He said EMS has been called for
both of ‘em. Uhm, and they were gonna trans
both of ‘em to the hospital. Uh, basically he
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Statement: Robert Sample / Case #08197
August 29, 2008

kinda said like, one was conscious and one

wasn’t conscious. Uhm, then uh, I started my
half back about uh, 20 after to. Between 20 and
25 after, I started the second half of the soccer
game. And, at that time EMS had already been
there some time when our halftime. But, when
he started the game EMS was loading up,
looked like the last uhm, uh, patient. And, they
were transporting him to whatever hospital
they were transporting him to. And, then that’s
after the ball game was over? Uh, I asked Mr.
uh, Bob about the whole situation. And, he
said all’s he knows is that they rolls, is being
transported to the hospital. And, you know, if I
wanted to follow up with him later. He’d let
me know what he found out about the kids.

Jones Okay. So, uh, the game you were actually

referring was between who?

Sample Uh, PRP and Waggener.

Jones Okay. And, the time that you noticed the

players uh, was when your game had started?
And, you said you noticed uh, the players had
been, were in full gear at one point/

Sample Yes, sir.

Jones And, then at one point when they were

watering down, they had removed their gear?
Some of which chose to keep their gear on,
correct?

Sample Well, uh, this wasn’t during the watering down,

‘cause when they went over to get water? They
were still in full gear. And, then they came
back and they were still in full gear. And, they
started hitting, it’s when they started doing
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Statement: Robert Sample / Case #08197
August 29, 2008

their running drills. Is when they decided to,

that’s when the coaches had ‘em to strip down
to just tee-shirts and, and pants.

Jones By doing the running drills?

Sample Yeah, by doing the running drills.

Jones Uh, did was there reading ever taken in your

presence, as far as the temperature?

Sample Yes, sir uh, I asked uh, both coaches from uh,
PRP and Waggener. Was uh, concerned about
the heat uh, they wanted to know uh. By
KSHAA uh, state law that we have to give a
water break if the heat index is over so much,
as referee? And, they were asking if they were
gonna get it. I asked the uh, AD which was Mr.
Webb. I asked him if he would give me a
reading for my own personal uh. To cover me
and, and you know, if there was any type of
situations. And, uh, he said he’d be glad to. He
gave me the reading uh, it was 94 degrees at
that time. And, by our standards anything
under 95, do not have to give a uhm, a water
break. So, at that time I t…, I informed both
coaches of Waggener and PRP. That there will
not be a, a water break. Uh, unless set things
change, and apparently you know, things didn’t
change. Because, you know, the sun was going
down and it didn’t get hotter, it got cooler.

Jones (Inaudible)…

Sample And, so we didn’t want a water break.

Jones Now, who gave you the reading again?

Sample Uh, Mr. Webb, Craig Webb.

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Statement: Robert Sample / Case #08197
August 29, 2008

Jones Craig Webb? And he is who?

Sample He is the AD at PRP High School.

Jones Okay. And, the person you talked to as regards

to the uh, illness of the players? And, EMS
being notified, who was that?

Sample That was uh, coach, or I say coach, it’s uh, he

coaches over there. But, it’s the assistant AD
uh, Dave Bob.

Jones Okay. So, uh, during the course of your game,

your game that you were referring. Did any of
your player, any of the players from either
team get sick or ill?

Sample Yes, there was one girl that got uh, but she was,
she got hurt. I don’t remember the extent of her
injury. It was something uh, like minor. But,
she was upset and she started uh, crying and,
and. I, I know her from years past. She is
asthmatic, so she was having an asthma attack.
And, uh, I, I summonsed the coach over, this,
the coach brought over her inhaler. And, some
girls brought over water, and they were.
Basically, she drank way too much water, way
too fast. ‘Cause of her condition to being upset,
and trying to catch her breath and everything
like that. Before she could get off the soccer
field, she started throwing up on the soccer
field. And, after they got her off the field, I
don’t, I don’t, don’t recall her coming back
into the ball game. But, she did get sick on the
soccer field.

Jones Okay. So, uh, back to the players just a brief

moment here. Basically, your observation on
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Statement: Robert Sample / Case #08197
August 29, 2008

the players that got sick. Uh, one of the players

you stated was uh, Max Gilpin?

Sample Yes, sir.

Jones And, the other player uh, who was, who you
identified as that being. Was he a black uh?

Sample I, like I said.

Jones White male?

Sample I, I could not, I just read, I mean that day I

could remember exactly what the, what the kid
looked like. Uhm, but I just remember him
really laboring, breathing and he would walk 3
or 4 steps. And, stop and bend over, and you
know cough and, and everything. And, then
he’d pick back up and he would go again. But,
I just cannot remember uh, ‘cause I just
remember this, this gentleman was conscious.
And, I remember the gentleman that they took
over to the watering apparatus. Uh, apparently
on, from what I could tell, he was not
conscious. And, then like I said, you know, but
then I know it’s him. I thought either, either he
set up or somebody set him up in the gator to
give him water. Or, put water on him, so but I
did say that you know, it was Mr. Gilpin.
‘Cause, I just figured now I made an
assumption that you know.

Jones And you uh, you being the trained EMT, you
offered your services. But, it was determined
that you were not needed. Because, EMS was
notified?

Sample Well, I was going to offer my services, and

then I, I seen that they. I was walking over,
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Statement: Robert Sample / Case #08197
August 29, 2008

then I see that Mr. Gilpin was in a, a upright

position. And, then I figured well, he must be
okay. ‘Cause, I figured he got up on his own,
and it he was just. It was a heat related thing,
that they were just putting water on him, ‘cause
he got hot. But, that’s when I, I decided my
own personal self, to turn back around and not
to offer any type of uh, assistance. ‘Cause, I
thought that the individual was upright. And, I
thought well I don’t need to worry about
helping him at that time.

Jones And, he, and he was receiving assistance

(inaudible)..?

Sample Yes, from the, there was, yes sir there’s was uh,
coaches and other personnel over there. You
know, giv…, puttin’ water on him.

Jones Okay. So, just clarify you did not off…, you
did not perform any assistance to either player?

Sampler No, sir.

Jones Okay. And, he was being tended to by coaches,

correct?

Sample Yes, sir.

Jones Okay. Uh, Danny go ahead.

Herald I don’t have anything.

Jones Uhm, Mr. Sample is there anything else,

anything else important we didn’t cover? Any
that, that any other parents from either team uh,
come up to your attention, and tell you what
they had observed?
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Statement: Robert Sample / Case #08197
August 29, 2008

Sample No, sir.

Jones During the course of the uh, varsity, PRP

varsity football teams practice?

Sample N…, no sir.

Jones Okay. So, no one has discussed anything with

you as far as what they saw, anything that may
arouse suspicion or anything like that?

Sample No, sir.

Jones Okay, okay. No, further questions, and again

anything else we didn’t ask you. Anything else
important that we, we, we should ask?

Sample Um…

Jones Anything else, anything we didn’t cover?

Sample N…, no sir.

Jones Okay. All right, thank you for your time, sir.
Uh, if needed we’ll get back with you. And, uh,
anything comes up, okay. Uh, the time now is
1436 hours, we will conclude this interview of
Mr. Sample.

END OF STATEMENT

File #08197jones-dl