Carter Nichols interview

Wednesday, October 19, 2022 – 3:55 p.m.

Participants:

• Detective T. Armstrong
• Detective S. Murphy
• Carter Nichols

Detective Murphy: Thank you for taking the time to talk to us.

Carter Nichols: No problem. I don't know what you think I can tell you, but hey, I'm game.

Detective Murphy: Could you please state your name and address?

Carter Nichols: Carter Nichols, of the Greenville Nichols --

Detective Armstrong: Yeah, yeah. Where do you live, kid?

Carter Nichols: I live at 164 Courthouse Square. Got a great balcony, right on the Square, above the Village Tailor.

Detective Murphy: Did you know Kimberly Pace?

Carter Nichols: Yeah, I was in one of her classes. Although it's going to be a helluva lot different with Franklin teaching.

Detective Murphy: How would you characterize your relationship with Dr. Pace?

Carter Nichols: She was okay.

Detective Armstrong: Just okay?

Carter Nichols: She was your typical English teacher. What do you want me to say?

Detective Murphy: When was the last time you saw Dr. Pace?

Carter Nichols: Couple weeks ago. I missed a couple classes.

Detective Murphy: Why did you miss them?

Carter Nichols: You know what? I can't quite remember.

Detective Armstrong: Look, kid, I can assure you this is no acting class. Now, I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt and assume you're being evasive because you think this is a joke. Because you're screwing around. I know it, and you know it. But you'd better start taking this seriously, or I'm going to think your evasiveness is a sign that you're lying to me.

Carter Nichols: All right. It's not every day you get interrogated by the police. I was just trying to have some fun.

Detective Murphy: Answer the question.

Carter Nichols: I missed one class because I just didn't feel like going. And I missed the second class because I was getting ready for a party at the fraternity.

Detective Murphy: And you hadn't seen Dr. Pace since the last time you attended class?

Carter Nichols: Negatory, Detective.

Detective Armstrong: Your sarcasm's noted.

Detective Murphy: Are you aware of the letter to the editor published in The Daily Mississippian?

Carter Nichols: I thought that was great.

Detective Murphy: What was great about it?

Carter Nichols: Oh, I just thought it was a riot.

Detective Murphy: What do you think of the name attached to the letter? I believe it was Richard— Patrick Richards. Do you know Patrick?

Carter Nichols: Yeah, I know him. Weirdo. Very studious. Always in the library. Very intense. He's just the type of kid to pull this.

Detective Murphy: Well, certain people seem to think that he didn't write that letter, that someone else wrote the letter and signed his name.

Carter Nichols: That's awfully X-Files.

Detective Murphy: In fact, we've been told that you were probably the one who wrote the letter.

Carter Nichols: Who? Me? I wouldn't even know how to begin to be so eloquent.

Detective Armstrong: But you are a Drama student, right?

Carter Nichols: Yes. But, alas, for I am only the mouthpiece. I try to recite lines that were written by more brilliant people than myself.

Detective Murphy: To be honest, I'm not buying it. Did you have some kind of ax to grind with Dr. Pace?

Carter Nichols: No. And I didn't write that letter.

Detective Armstrong: We'll see about that. Mr. Richards gave us a writing sample so we can do some analysis. Would you mind giving us a sample?

Carter Nichols: Yes, I would.

Detective Murphy: That's okay. I'm sure we can get some of your papers from your professors.

Carter Nichols: Correct me if wrong. Don't you need some sort of court order or something for that? Wait. I'll just call my dad.

Detective Murphy: That's okay. You see, Dr. Pace's entire home is a crime scene, and we've been going through it in detail for several days now. I'm sure we'll find some of your papers there.

Carter Nichols: What's the big deal? It was a silly letter! How bad can that be?

Detective Murphy: Not bad at all if the person told us about it. But if someone wrote that letter and then lied about it, that could be very bad indeed.

Carter Nichols: All right. I wrote the damn letter. What's the big deal? It was just a joke.

Detective Murphy: What did you hope to gain by writing that letter?

Carter Nichols: Nothing! I was just trying to have some fun. What's the big deal with that?

Detective Armstrong: There's nothing wrong with a little fun, but you lied, you framed another student, and a professor's dead. Is this your idea of fun?

Carter Nichols: I didn't have anything to do with her death!

Detective Murphy: Just a minute ago, you said you didn't have anything to do with the letter either.

Carter Nichols: But that was different!

Detective Murphy: Did you and Dr. Pace ever talk about the letter?

Carter Nichols: No.

Detective Murphy: Did she ever say she thought you might be behind it?

Carter Nichols: I'd have to be stupid to talk to her about that.

Detective Armstrong: Are you sure about that? You don't sound too sure.

Carter Nichols: I'd have to be an idiot to lie right now.

Detective Murphy: Yes, you would.

Detective Armstrong: Maybe when you're in front of a judge facing a murder charge, you won't think it's so funny.

Carter Nichols: Me? Murder? What are you talking about?

Detective Murphy: Where were you?

Carter Nichols: I was at the fraternity house, getting ready for a party.

Detective Murphy: Okay, well, we'll swing by there to see if there's anyone who can corroborate that. We'll be talking to you again, so try to behave yourself, okay?

Carter Nichols: Yeah. Okay.

Interview ended – 4:11 p.m.