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Informant's Affidavit Alleges Dennehy Shot by Teammate

Aired June 30, 2003 - 20:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: A dramatic new development in the search for a missing college basketball player. Baylor University forward Patrick Dennehy was reported missing by his family back on June 19. Now authorities are suggesting he may have been shot and killed by a teammate. Ed Lavandera has the very latest from Waco, Texas. Ed, what have you learned?
ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Paula. Well, CNN has learned late this afternoon that an affidavit filed here in Waco suggests that Waco investigators now believe that one of Patrick Dennehy's teammates, by the name of Carlton Dotson, shot Patrick Dennehy in the head with a 9 mm handgun. This affidavit, which we should also stipulate at this point, all this information in this affidavit comes from an informant that is telling this to Waco investigators, and by no means this -- does this affidavit suggests that this is actually what happened, but this is a sworn statement from an informant to authorities, saying that back in early June, Patrick Dennehy and Carlton Dotson were in the Waco area shooting guns. Exactly where isn't clear at this point either. But the two men became engaged in some sort of altercation, and during that altercation, Patrick Dennehy pointed the gun at Carlton Dotson. Carlton Dotson pointed the gun back, the 9 mm, and fired at Dennehy, hitting him in the head and killing him.

The affidavit also goes on to say that Carlton Dotson disposed of the two guns on his way back up north. Carlton Dotson, according to the Baylor officials here, is from the Maryland area. And we had also been told by sources here in Waco that Carlton Dotson's scholarship to play basketball here at Baylor was not renewed and that he would no longer be enrolling here at Baylor because his playing time on the court had been cut back. But here the news that is breaking here this afternoon, it's very dramatic here for the Baylor University community -- Paula.

ZAHN: So, Ed, finally, there was a lot of talk about the kind of friction that existed between this young man and players at his former school. What else have you learned about any other tensions that might have existed outside of what you have just described to us?

LAVANDERA: We haven't -- I personally have not heard of any tensions between Patrick Dennehy and any of his teammates here at Baylor. In fact, many coaches and professors and other friends here in the Waco area didn't know of anything like that. There was a much publicized incident with his team back in New Mexico. He was kicked off that team for disciplinary reasons. But we're told by his girlfriend over the weekend that had nothing to do with this particular incident whatsoever.

So suggesting to us to really kind of stay way from that and focus more on what had been happening here at Baylor.

ZAHN: Ed Lavandera, thanks so much for the update. Appreciate it.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com






Aired June 30, 2003 - 20:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: A dramatic new development in the search for a missing college basketball player. Baylor University forward Patrick Dennehy was reported missing by his family back on June 19. Now authorities are suggesting he may have been shot and killed by a teammate. Ed Lavandera has the very latest from Waco, Texas. Ed, what have you learned?
ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Paula. Well, CNN has learned late this afternoon that an affidavit filed here in Waco suggests that Waco investigators now believe that one of Patrick Dennehy's teammates, by the name of Carlton Dotson, shot Patrick Dennehy in the head with a 9 mm handgun. This affidavit, which we should also stipulate at this point, all this information in this affidavit comes from an informant that is telling this to Waco investigators, and by no means this -- does this affidavit suggests that this is actually what happened, but this is a sworn statement from an informant to authorities, saying that back in early June, Patrick Dennehy and Carlton Dotson were in the Waco area shooting guns. Exactly where isn't clear at this point either. But the two men became engaged in some sort of altercation, and during that altercation, Patrick Dennehy pointed the gun at Carlton Dotson. Carlton Dotson pointed the gun back, the 9 mm, and fired at Dennehy, hitting him in the head and killing him.

The affidavit also goes on to say that Carlton Dotson disposed of the two guns on his way back up north. Carlton Dotson, according to the Baylor officials here, is from the Maryland area. And we had also been told by sources here in Waco that Carlton Dotson's scholarship to play basketball here at Baylor was not renewed and that he would no longer be enrolling here at Baylor because his playing time on the court had been cut back. But here the news that is breaking here this afternoon, it's very dramatic here for the Baylor University community -- Paula.

ZAHN: So, Ed, finally, there was a lot of talk about the kind of friction that existed between this young man and players at his former school. What else have you learned about any other tensions that might have existed outside of what you have just described to us?

LAVANDERA: We haven't -- I personally have not heard of any tensions between Patrick Dennehy and any of his teammates here at Baylor. In fact, many coaches and professors and other friends here in the Waco area didn't know of anything like that. There was a much publicized incident with his team back in New Mexico. He was kicked off that team for disciplinary reasons. But we're told by his girlfriend over the weekend that had nothing to do with this particular incident whatsoever.

So suggesting to us to really kind of stay way from that and focus more on what had been happening here at Baylor.

ZAHN: Ed Lavandera, thanks so much for the update. Appreciate it.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com