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Last updated on Friday, September 21, 2018
(BEDFORD) - Public Defender Joseph Lozano questioned Indiana State Police Detective Stacy Brown about the interviews of the Pickett children this morning in the murder trial of Lincoln Picket
Pickett is charged with killing 29-year-old Kami Ratcliff on Jan. 21, 2016 in the back seat of his red Blazer after an argument. Police say he then waited a week before burning her body in a burn pit at his home at 3413 US 50 West.
Detective Brown testified the three Pickett children were interviewed at Susie's Place, a child advocacy center, in Bloomington. The interviews took place on Jan. 29, 2016.
While the children are being interviewed, law enforcement was in another room watching.
Detective Brown testified all three children were cooperative during their interviews. He also said detectives learned new information during those interviews.
The oldest child said the children were told to stay out of the garage area by both Lincoln and their mother Jasmine Pickett.
Police say Kami's body was in the back seat of the Blazer that was backed into the garage after Kami's alleged murder. The vehicle was parked there for more than a week before Lincoln allegedly placed her body in a burn pit in the backyard on Jan. 28, 2016. Her remains were found that same day and the Picketts were arrested.
The oldest child said during her interview, that she overheard her mother saying Kami was missing and that they were looking for Kami in the woods behind their home.
The second oldest child said during his interview that his mother had said Kami was dead. After making the statement the child refused to say anything else about Kami.
He also told interviewers that his father had purchased him a .22 caliber rifle and his father had a double-barrow shotgun which Lincoln had sold and a silver gun with a dark handle which his father carried all the time for protection. That information led police to seek a warrant for Lincoln's mother's home, Veda Pickett, to try and recover those weapons.
The child also told interviewers he was hiding in the laundry room while his parents were in a verbal fight about Kami. During that fight, the child said Jasmine was yelling about how Kami was being mean to her.
The youngest child told interviewers that Kami was a nice person and was his dad's friend. He did say that Kami would do whatever chore his mother asked her to do.
He told interviewers his mother told the children they were not to talk about Kami or about things that happened at their home. He said if they did they would get a "spanking on the face." He then avoided any other questions about Kami.
When Jasmine was asked by detectives in a later interview, about the spankings on the face, she said she was the one that would administer that punishment.
Lincoln Pickett then took the stand outside the presence of the jury. His attorney asked him if he understood he had a right to testify and a right not to testify on his own behalf. Lincoln chose on the advice of his attorney not to testify.
The jury then returned to the courtroom and the defense rested.
The jury was dismissed for the day and will return Monday morning to hear closing arguments, jury instructions, and deliberations.
Closing arguments will begin at 8:30 a.m. in Lawrence County Superior Court II with Judge William Sleva presiding.
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