Natalie Martin interview

Friday, September 13, 2024 - 2:15 p.m.

Natalie Martin is the head nurse at the Yoknapatawpha Acres nursing home where Jerry Shaw was employed.

Detectives Armstrong and Murphy interviewed her at the Yoknapatawpha County Sheriff's Department.

• Detective T. Armstrong
• Detective S. Murphy
• Natalie Martin

Detective Armstrong: Welcome. Please provide your name and address for the record.

Natalie Martin: I'm Natalie Martin, 1182 Mimosa Drive, Oxford, Mississippi.

Detective Armstrong: Where do you work?

Natalie Martin: I'm the head nurse at the Yoknapatawpha Acres nursing home.

Detective Murphy: As head nurse, what are your duties?

Natalie Martin: I spend most of my clock time on administrative and supervisory tasks like managing care, assigning and coordinating nursing services, and managing the nursing and medical support staff.

Detective Armstrong: So you're the person who's ultimately responsible for the performance of the nurses and aides under you.

Natalie Martin: They are not under me. I don't think I'm better than they are. I just have more responsibility.

Detective Murphy: If another nurse or aide isn't doing their job, would that land on your shoulders?

Natalie Martin: It could. I know you're looking for a scapegoat, but I have always done the very best I can with the people I have to work with. I cannot hold their hands and walk them through their duties each and every day. I have my hands full with my own job. It is not my fault if some of the patients don't always get the care they deserve.

Detective Murphy: Are you happy with your job?

Natalie Martin: I want the best for my patients. That's why I became a nurse. I wanted to help people, to make their lives better. I know the care at Yoknapatawpha Acres is lacking sometimes. I just don't know what to do about it. I've talked to the manager, but he just blows me off. I really need to get back to work. Can I please go now?

Detective Armstrong: In a few minutes. First, let's talk about Jerry Shaw. What kind of employee was he?

Natalie Martin: He was about average at the nursing home.

Detective Armstrong: Meaning?

Natalie Martin: I'm really not supposed to talk about personnel matters.

Detective Murphy: Okay. What did you think of Jerry as a person?

Natalie Martin: I didn't care for him. I didn't like his work ethic, and I didn't like his personality. But we only had to work together. Nobody said we had to be friends.

Detective Murphy: What was wrong with his work ethic?

Natalie Martin: He was lazy. He did his job, but he wasn't efficient. He wasn't proactive about helping co-workers or residents. If you asked him to do something, he'd do it eventually, but he never did anything without being specifically asked, even if he could plainly see it needed doing.

Detective Murphy: What didn't you like about his personality?

Natalie Martin: He was rude, disrespectful, sexist, crude. He had all the annoying qualities of a teenage boy who never grew up.

Detective Murphy: How did he get along with his co-workers?

Natalie Martin: He wasn't anyone's favorite person to work with, especially the women. But no one filed any formal complaints about him that I know of.

Detective Murphy: And the residents? How did they like him?

Natalie Martin: Many of our residents don't want to be there. They're unhappy with their lives for a lot of reasons.

Detective Murphy: That's understandable, but you didn't answer my question.

Natalie Martin: Some of the residents didn't like him, but you have to take that with a grain of salt. Jerry wasn't a pleasant person or an especially good caregiver, but some of our residents would've disliked him even if he'd been Florence Nightingale or Mother Teresa.

Detective Armstrong: Where were you when Jerry died?

Natalie Martin: I don't know. When was that?

Detective Armstrong: Why don't you just tell us where you were yesterday afternoon?

Natalie Martin:: I had lunch around 12:30 p.m., and after that, I was in my office mostly. I did a walkthrough of the north wing around 2:00 p.m. I stopped for a cup of coffee in the dining room, and then I did a walkthrough of the south wing. After that, I went back to my office, which is where I was when I heard about Jerry. I'm sorry, but I really do need to get back. Is there anything else?

Detective Armstrong: Thanks for your time. We may call you again if something comes up.

Natalie Martin: That's fine. Goodbye.

Interview ended – 2:38 p.m.