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At This Hour
Michael Dunn Testifies in "Loud Music" Shooting Case.
Aired February 11, 2014 - 11:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MICHAEL DUNN, ACCUSED OF MURDER: We might be in trouble with the local gangsters but not -- I didn't do anything wrong.
CORY STROLLA, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Let me ask you this. At some point, did you take Charlie down stairs to use the bathroom?
DUNN: Yes. We went upstairs and she changed. We were both wearing eveningwear. I took Charlie down to go potty. By the time I got up, she had just finished changing.
STROLLA: Let me ask you this. We kind of talked about walking the dog. Did you take Charlie out for a walk?
DUNN: No. I took him to just go potty. He was ready to go.
STROLLA: Did you walk him around the parking lot?
DUNN: No. This wasn't an exercise walk. This was just to go potty.
STROLLA: Can you explain to the jury once you go down stairs in the hotel, where is this area that the animals and the pets could use the bathroom?
DUNN: It was right outside the door. Right around the building.
STROLLA: Was it in front open to the public on a public road?
DUNN: No. It was kind of like to the side.
STROLLA: Was it extremely close, you said, right outside that door?
DUNN: Yes.
STROLLA: Did Charlie have to use the bathroom?
DUNN: Yes, it was immediate.
STROLLA: Did you let Charlie walk around and smell the grass or play?
DUNN: No. I didn't want to be outside right then.
STROLLA: Did you immediately pick up Charlie and go back to the room?
DUNN: Yes, we did. Yes, I did. Excuse me.
STROLLA: At some point, there was some discussion about ordering a pizza. Please tell the jury who ordered the pizza.
DUNN: Well, I made the phone call but it was Rhonda hadn't -- Rhonda didn't eat a lot for dinner. Rhonda was upset and her stomach was in knots and I suggested maybe she needed something to eat, to put in her stomach.
STROLLA: Did she agree with that?
DUNN: She did in theory.
STROLLA: Who actually got the information to order the pizza?
DUNN: I believe Rhonda did.
STROLLA: At that point, did you go down stairs to get it?
DUNN: Yes.
STROLLA: Did you have to go outside and meet somebody outside in the public parking lot?
DUNN: No. It was in the lobby.
STROLLA: Is that lobby secured and locked?
DUNN: Yes, it is.
STROLLA: Explain to the jury how that area works?
DUNN: Rhonda started talking about a key card? The elevator is locked. You have to have a room key to operate the elevator.
STROLLA: So the pizza guy couldn't come up.
DUNN: Correct.
STROLLA: Again, did you ever go outside other than the area of the elevator to get that pizza.
DUNN: No, I did not.
STROLLA: When you brought the pizza up, did Miss Rouer try to eat the pizza?
DUNN: She did. She tried to eat a slice.
STROLLA: Did you eat any of the pizza?
DUNN: No. I had no appetite.
STROLLA: At that point, you guys still had some alcoholic beverages in the room you could make?
DUNN: Yes, we did.
STROLLA: Did you make them? DUNN: Yes, I did.
STROLLA: Can you tell the jury was it to have a night cap and put your head on a pillow and watch a movie?
DUNN: No. It was trying to calm down, trying to -- we were both so upset.
STROLLA: At that point, were your hands still shaky?
DUNN: Absolutely.
STROLLA: Was your body still shaky?
DUNN: Yes, it was.
STROLLA: What about Ms. Rouer?
DUNN: She was quaking.
STROLLA: Visibly?
DUNN: Visibly quaking.
STROLLA: Is that the reason why you poured alcohol?
DUNN: Yes, it is.
STROLLA: At some point -- let me ask you this. Did you guys keep drinking all night long?
DUNN: No. I think it was the one we had.
STROLLA: Were you toasting each other, hey, what a beautiful day?
DUNN: Not at that point.
STROLLA: Was there any type of joy or occasion of what a wonderful day, let's have a drink, anything at all in those lines?
DUNN: No, no. It was all, we were stunned and horrified and just couldn't believe that things escalated the way they did over a common courtesy.
STROLLA: At any time, talking about that, of escalating, at any time, did you ever raise your voice to the men in the SUV?
DUNN: I think when I said --
(AUDIO PROBLEM)
DUNN: Other than that, no.
STROLLA: Did you ever curse at the men in the SUV?
DUNN: Other than the last thing I said, no. STROLLA: Did you ever say anything derogatory at all to the guys in the SUV?
DUNN: No. I did not. Not even when they were saying derogatory things towards me.
STROLLA: Now, at some point, does Ms. Rouer fall asleep?
DUNN: Yeah. That was around midnight.
STROLLA: Were you able to sleep?
DUNN: I fell asleep around 5:00 a.m.
STROLLA: Why was it so hard for you to fall asleep?
DUNN: I was still processing the emotions and trying to make sense of what happened.
STROLLA: At this point, are you still upset or shaken?
DUNN: I'm upset and shaken and, again, we still don't know about the death. It is just a shooting at this point.
STROLLA: At some time, though, in the middle of the evening or the middle of that night, you do learn that somebody had passed away?
DUNN: Yes. I used my phone. We didn't have a computer with us. I would have been watching the channels for news. I found on my phone where they talked about that.
STROLLA: Can you tell the jury what you saw on your phone that led you to believe that?
DUNN: I don't remember exactly what it said. It was something about the shooting on the south side. It showed a fatality.
STROLLA: Obviously, they use the word fatality. You know what that means.
DUNN: Yes.
STROLLA: Can you tell the jury how you reacted when you saw that on the phone is.
DUNN: I ran to the bathroom.
STROLLA: Tell the jury why you ran to the bathroom?
DUNN: I vomited.
STROLLA: At that point, had you had any food in your system since the dinner at the wedding?
DUNN: Not since dinner.
STROLLA: At that point, did you decide to put on a movie or eat pizza?
DUNN: No.
STROLLA: How long were you in that bathroom sick to your stomach?
DUNN: All the rest of the night until I think I was finally able to lay down around 5:00.
STROLLA: What time -- did you have a great sleep? Did you sleep in until 9:00, 10:00 in the morning?
DUNN: No, we were up at 7:00.
STROLLA: Where were you when Ms. Rouer woke up?
DUNN: I was in the bathroom trying to get clean. I was taking a shower.
STROLLA: Because of what you had experienced physically that night?
DUNN: Yes.
STROLLA: What did you hear Ms. Rouer say to you?
DUNN: Well, I guess the TV was on and she saw the news report and that's where she was calling me.
STROLLA: How was she calling you? Was it just a soft, hey --
(CROSSTALK)
DUNN: No. It was hysterical.
STROLLA: Do you recall what she said when she said that to you or how she called you?
DUNN: Yeah. She said my name three times.
STROLLA: At that point, you knew she was awake?
DUNN: Yes, I did.
STROLLA: Did you go out of the bathroom to talk with her?
DUNN: I did. I went out and I gave her a hug and I told her I know.
STROLLA: At that point, what did Ms. Rouer say to you immediately after that hug?
DUNN: Take me home.
STROLLA: How many times did she say that to you?
DUNN: Multiple times, three, four times.
STROLLA: Was there inflection in her voice or was she calm about it? DUNN: She was quaking.
STROLLA: Was it safe to say based on your knowledge and experience, was she panicking?
DUNN: She was panicking and almost mute. She couldn't really talk to say take me home.
STROLLA: At that point, did you leave the hotel?
DUNN: Yeah. We checked out at 8:00. We were up at 7:00 and out of there.
STROLLA: And you still had to get your things together and get Charlie?
DUNN: It took about that long to get together.
STROLLA: At some point, did you guys decide, hey, let's go have breakfast?
DUNN: No.
STROLLA: Let's go have coffee and orange juice?
DUNN: No. We had plans to spend the afternoon with my son in St. Augustine. That was off the table as well.
STROLLA: So if you wanted to leave Jacksonville, you could have actually -- you had a reservation at a bed and breakfast in St. Augustine.
DUNN: Yes.
STROLLA: Did you go there, stop there?
DUNN: No.
STROLLA: Did you even go to look to see it? Maybe we will stay here and hang out?
DUNN: No. We had --
STROLLA: What were your intentions after speaking with Rhonda at that moment?
DUNN: Well, we were going to go back to Brevard where we live. I have a neighbor who is in law enforcement.
STROLLA: Is that Mr. Ken Lescolet (ph).
DUNN: Yeah. He is in Washington, D.C.
STROLLA: Did you make a phone call to your neighbor, Ken Lescolet?
DUNN: Yes. We left the hotel at 8:00. I was calling Ken at 8:30. STROLLA: What was your intent or your purpose to talk to Ken or call Ken?
DUNN: Well, Ken is a federal law enforcement official. He knows me personally. I figured if I went and I talked to him. I knew he had friends in the local Brevard County sheriff where we could go together and I could speak to my hometown sheriff to tell them what happened and, you know, hopefully, they would listen to my side.
STROLLA: Did you know anybody in law enforcement in Jacksonville, Florida?
DUNN: No.
STROLLA: Did you still have contacts with the guys on the Navy base in Jacksonville, Florida?
DUNN: No.
STROLLA: Again, in terms of your mental state, were you your normal self at this point?
DUNN: No, not even close.
STROLLA: As we sit here today, 15 months later, are you even remotely close to how you were that morning?
DUNN: No.
STROLLA: Do you recall the drive back from Jacksonville to home?
DUNN: It was a two and a half hour drive. It went -- it was over in the blink of an eye.
STROLLA: Was there a whole lot of discussion and talking between you and Miss Rouer?
DUNN: No. She was mute the whole time.
STROLLA: Did it appear she was still visibly shaken up?
DUNN: Absolutely.
STROLLA: Again, was she crying and sobbing in parts of this trip?
DUNN: Yes, she was. She had fits of silence, fits of sobbing.
STROLLA: Obviously, did this play into your mind of you still being upset?
DUNN: Yes. Again, I knew I had done nothing wrong but it was hard to get her to understand this. At the time, I was more concerned with her, getting her taken care of and go to the law enforcement later?
STROLLA: Did you have any belief or inclination you were going to be accused of murder? DUNN: Absolutely not.
STROLLA: Did you still have a pilot's license November, 2012?
DUNN: Yes.
STROLLA: Still valid, the day you were arrested?
DUNN: Yes.
STROLLA: Did you lose the ability to fly a plane?
DUNN: No. I had a valid passport as well.
STROLLA: And you had money in the bank?
DUNN: Yes.
STROLLA: And you still had friends that you knew where they lived. You could drive to their house if they had an airplane?
DUNN: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED PROSECUTOR: (INAUDIBLE)
UNIDENTIFIED JUDGE: Sustained.
STROLLA: Let me ask you this, Mr. Dunn. Did you still have friends, if at all, that owned airplanes, November, 2012?
DUNN: Several.
STROLLA: Did you drive to their house?
DUNN: No, I did not.
STROLLA: Did you call them?
DUNN: No, I did not.
STROLLA: Did you ask anybody to try to fly you to the Bahamas or another country or anything like that?
DUNN: No, I did not.
STROLLA: Did you contact the airlines?
DUNN: No, I did not.
STROLLA: Did you contact a car rental place?
DUNN: No.
STROLLA: Did you even try to stop anywhere to use your credit card? Did you do anything to buy a bus pass or anything like that?
DUNN: No, I did not.
STROLLA: Did you get a hold of Len Lescolet when you called there at 8:30 in the morning?
DUNN: I did. The purpose of my call was to make sure he was going to be home. I told him I would be there about 10:30. I had something very important to discuss with him. I wanted to make sure he was going to be there.
STROLLA: OK. Did he indicate to you he would be there to talk to you?
DUNN: Yes. And he was.
STROLLA: When you got home, you saw some pictures of where you guys used to live. Do you recall seeing those pictures?
DUNN: I do. There was a little bluish/silver truck outside. Whose car was that?
DUNN: That's Rhonda's.
STROLLA: Where does Ms. Rouer normally park?
DUNN: Right where that car was at.
STROLLA: Where do you normally park?
DUNN: In the garage.
STROLLA: Why do you keep yours in the garage?
DUNN: Hers is bigger. Mine is new.
STROLLA: It is only a little one-car garage?
DUNN: Right.
STROLLA: I saw some things on the walls on the side. Why are those there?
DUNN: Those are like door protectors for the bumpers.
STROLLA: Are those in line with exactly where your door would open?
DUNN: Yeah. I installed those.
STROLLA: When you pulled in, did you close the garage?
DUNN: No.
STROLLA: Did you try to conceal your vehicle?
DUNN: Absolutely not.
STROLLA: Did you go try to ditch your vehicle somewhere else and have somebody pick you up?
DUNN: No.
STROLLA: When you get home, what's the first thing you and Rhonda do?
DUNN: We unloaded the dog.
STROLLA: Where did you go after that?
DUNN: I went, headed out to the backyard and that's how I would get to my neighbor's?
STROLLA: And kind of explain for the jury, because we don't get a lot of pictures of your neighborhood. It is where all the doors face the front like a regular house or are the doors on the side or the back?
DUNN: Most of the front doors face the road. The back doors face the ocean. The side units, the front door is actually on the side.
STROLLA: Where is Mr. Lescolet?
DUNN: He is on the side. He has a back door.
STROLLA: What's the easiest path to get to his house?
DUNN: The back.
STROLLA: Have you done that before?
DUNN: Yes.
STROLLA: Have you socialized before?
DUNN: Yes.
STROLLA: So to walk to that back door, was not going to surprise him?
DUNN: No. That was the usual.
STROLLA: At some point before you went over to Mr. Lescolet's house after unloading Charlie, did Miss Rouer get a phone call?
DUNN: Yes, she did. Her phone rang and it was a 904 area code. We assumed it was my son calling and I answered.
STROLLA: When you answered the phone, did you try to disguise your voice?
DUNN: No.
STROLLA: Did you try to muffle it and say, hey, don't use my name?
DUNN: No, absolutely not.
STROLLA: When you answered, who was on the phone?
DUNN: It was Detective Musser.
STROLLA: Did he tell you who he was or just say it was the detective of Jacksonville?
DUNN: Detective Musser, homicide detective from Jacksonville.
STROLLA: As soon as he said that, what was the first thing you said to him?
DUNN: I know why you were calling? It was self-defense. I am on my way to a law enforcement officer's home right now. My intention is to make my report to the Brevard County sheriff's.
STROLLA: What did Detective Musser respond, say I am on my way to law enforcement to make my report?
DUNN: He said that was a good idea. I had about ten minutes to be on my way.
STROLLA: You were already walking out the back door to your neighbor?
DUNN: I was.
STROLLA: When you got to his house, how close of a walk is it? Is it a mile away?
DUNN: Oh, no. It is three units away, 30, 40 feet.
STROLLA: When you get there, is he there to open the door and greet you?
DUNN: Yes, he was.
STROLLA: Do you advise him of what happened in Jacksonville?
DUNN: Yes. Without going into a lot of detail, I just kind of told him the blunt facts that were involved in the shooting and somebody is dead.
STROLLA: Did you ask him for assistance of saying, I want to contact the Brevard County sheriff's office?
DUNN: I did. I made sure he knew it was a self-defense situation.
STROLLA: Do you have your firearm on you?
DUNN: No. It was in my car.
STROLLA: Did you try to get rid of the firearm? Did you try to hide it, anything like that?
DUNN: No.
STROLLA: As a matter of fact, when you walked away from your car, you left it in your garage?
DUNN: Correct.
STROLLA: Was your garage still open?
DUNN: When I walked away, it was.
STROLLA: Now, do you know that Miss Rouer tried to follow you or was behind you?
DUNN: She showed up at Ken's eventually.
STROLLA: At some point, were you in your neighbor's house drinking a glass of water?
DUNN: Yes, I was.
STROLLA: Was Mr. Lescolet on the phone?
DUNN: Yes. He had a business card for one of the local sheriff deputies. We met him. I don't remember his last name but that was the gentlemen. So he was calling to speak to that detective or deputy specifically because he had personal knowledge.
STROLLA: And that was somebody Mr. Lescolet could trust.
DUNN: Yes.
STROLLA: During that conversation and don't go into what Mr. Lescolet is on the phone, is it obvious he is talking to law enforcement?
DUNN: Yes.
STROLLA: At some point, does the phone ring again for Ms. Rouer?
DUNN: Rhonda's phone rang and now it is a 321 area code. That's the local for where we were at. It was the Brevard County deputy sheriff on the phone for me.
STROLLA: And then did you get on the phone and talk?
DUNN: I spoke with him.
STROLLA: What did he say to you when you got on the phone? Did you describe to disguise your voice or your name?
DUNN: No.
STROLLA: What did you say? Did he give you instructions?
DUNN: He did. I was a little confused, because I thought ken, Mr. Lescolet, was on the phone speaking with him and he was here at our request but he was actually there to execute a high-risk arrest.
STROLLA: Did he tell you that on the phone?
DUNN: Well, he said I need you to come outside with your shirt off and your hands up. STROLLA: When you said high-risk arrest, that's because the witness that testified was that same one?
DUNN: Yeah. I just learned that today or the other day, sorry.
STROLLA: So he didn't say that to you on the phone.
DUNN: You are right. He said I want you to come outside with your shirt off and your hands up.
STROLLA: Did you ever say anything back to him or resist in any way, saying, I'm not coming out?
DUNN: No.
STROLLA: What did you do with your shirt?
DUNN: Took it off.
STROLLA: What did you do with the phone?
DUNN: Set it down.
STROLLA: What did you did with your person?
DUNN: I went outside.
STROLLA: When you walked outside, you walked outside ken's front door or did you walk out his back door?
DUNN: I went out his front door, which is the side.
STROLLA: That would be closest to the road?
DUNN: Well, actually, it was -- there was a wall dividing our area with another condo. So it was closest to a wall on the north side of the compound.
STROLLA: Let me ask you this. If you wanted to flee, could you have hopped that let me ask you, tell the jury, why you think that. When you walked outside of ken's house, what direction was the county sheriff's office facing?
DUNN: They were facing my front door.
STROLLA: Were you actually behind them?
DUNN: Yeah, he has an extended cab pickup truck so it's like 30 feet long, so I had to walk past the truck to get out to the parking lot. And that put me 20 feet behind the sheriffs.
STROLLA: And because they were focused on your unit?
DUNN: Yes, with rifles.
STROLLA: All right. And at that point, did they know you were behind them?
DUNN: I high -- they did not until I announced my presence.
STROLLA: Did you try to run?
DUNN: No.
STROLLA: Did you try to flee or hop a wall at that point?
DUNN: No.
STROLLA: OK. At that point, how did you get their attention?
DUNN: I think I called out to them.
STROLLA: OK.
DUNN: I don't recall what I said, but it was something like "I'm over here."
STROLLA: OK. And did that take them off guard when they turned around?
DUNN: Very much so. They seemed surprised.
STROLLA: OK. And, again, you're standing there with your shirt off?
DUNN: In my hand.
STROLLA: As instructed by law enforcement.
DUNN: Yes, sir.
STROLLA: And what instructions did they give you at that point? If you recall.
DUNN: I think they wanted me to kneel with my ankles crossed.
STROLLA: And did you do that?
DUNN: Yes, I did.
STROLLA: Did you comply with all of their instructions?
DUNN: Everything.
STROLLA: Did you ever resist, become aggressive, verbally challenge them, anything?
DUNN: No, I had no reason to.
STROLLA: OK. At some point, did they put you in the back of a patrol vehicle?
DUNN: Yes.
STROLLA: Did they take you to the Brevard County Sheriff's Office?
DUNN: They did.
STROLLA: OK. Did they tell you why?
DUNN: I'm sure they did.
STROLLA: Do you recall what they said?
DUNN: No.
STROLLA: What was your state of mind at that point?
DUNN: Well, after -- what happened the night before and the two hours of sleep, I think it's safe to say I was not in my normal state. I don't know how to describe. It was a surreal experience, to say the least.
STROLLA: OK. Had you ever been in that mental or emotional state your entire adult life?
DUNN: Never. Never had anything traumatic like that happen.
STROLLA: OK. And at some point, were you put into an interview room?
DUNN: I was.
STROLLA: OK. And obviously they had cameras. You could see they had recording devices?
DUNN: Yeah, the cameras were fairly obvious.
STROLLA: OK. And how long did they make you sit there by yourself?
DUNN: It was hard to judge time at this -- I mean, I can tell how long an hour is, but not that day.
STROLLA: OK. And at some point, do detectives come in from the Jacksonville sheriff's office.
DUNN: Yes.
STROLLA: And Detective Musser?
DUNN: Right. And Detective Oliver the other.
STROLLA: And did they ask you to give a statement?
DUNN: They did.
STROLLA: Did you talk to them?
DUNN: I spoke to them freely. I had nothing to hide.
STROLLA: Were you cooperative with them?
DUNN: Yes.
STROLLA: Were you trying to be evasive?
DUNN: No, I was not.
STROLLA: Were you sarcastic?
DUNN: No.
STROLLA: Were you rude?
DUNN: No.
STROLLA: Were you disrespectful?
DUNN: Not even a little.
STROLLA: And at that point, did you even know that they had already had a warrant for your arrest for murder?
DUNN: No, I did not.
STROLLA: Nothing further, Your Honor.
UNIDENTIFIED JUDGE: Mr. Guy, cross examination.
JOHN GUY, PROSECUTOR: Mr. Dunn, you love Rhonda Rouer.
DUNN: Yes, sir, I do.
GUY: You love her a lot, right?
DUNN: Yes, sir, I do.
GUY: And you loved her back then, correct?
DUNN: I love her today.
GUY: November 23rd, 2012, you were in love with her.
DUNN: Yes, sir.
GUY: You cared about her.
DUNN: Yes, sir.
GUY: Right. And when she got into that car, she asked you, what happened, right?
DUNN: Yes, sir.
GUY: And you told this jury, you explained it to her, right?
DUNN: Yes, I did.
GUY: And she -- as you said, was a wreck. Right? DUNN: Yes, she was.
GUY: Because she knew that you had just fired into a car with human beings inside.
DUNN: She doesn't understand self defense. But you are right. She was very upset over what I had done.
GUY: Right, right. And so you guys were together for three miles, and she was hysterical?
DUNN: Crying, yes.
GUY: Right. You did not tell her during that three miles anyone pointed any weapon at you, did you?
DUNN: I think I did. I think I was very clear that they threatened my life. I was very clear that they came out of their car, advancing upon me. And whether she comprehended what I was saying, I couldn't say.
GUY: My question was, did you tell her they had a weapon of any kind?
DUNN: Yes, I did.
GUY: You did. What did you tell her? Tell the jury the term you used to describe the weapon.
DUNN: I don't know what I said, but I told her that they had a weapon, they threatened my life, and they were -- they -- he advanced upon me.
GUY: How did you describe the weapon? Did you say they had sword? Did you say they had a machete?
DUNN: A gun.
GUY: Gun. You used the word gun with Rhonda Rouer.
DUNN: Yes, I did.
GUY: When?
DUNN: Multiple times.
STROLLA: (INAUDIBLE)
UNIDENTIFIED JUDGE: One at a time, Mr. Guy.
GUY: Sir, are you telling this jury that on the way back to the hotel, you told Rhonda Rouer that the boys in the car had a gun?
DUNN: If I told her on the way to the hotel, I told her several times at the hotel. I told her several times on the way home that this was self defense.
GUY: That wasn't my question.
DUNN: Well, the whole conversation revolved around gun, threat. They came out of the car at me. So it wasn't just they had a gun. Because when he just had a gun, I didn't shoot him. It wasn't until he made specific threats and got out of his car and came after me.
GUY: OK.
DUNN: So all of that was part of the conversation.
GUY: All right. I'm going to take this in little tiny increments now. From the time you left the gate station to the time you got to the Sheridan, how many times did you use the word "gun" to describe -- let me finish -- what the boys in the car had?
DUNN: I couldn't tell you.
GUY: Was it more than one?
DUNN: At least one.
GUY: OK. And when you got back to the hotel, she was still a wreck, right?
DUNN: That's correct.
GUY: She was upset?
DUNN: That's correct.
GUY: She didn't go into the room, right? She was sitting up on the elevator.
DUNN: She went into the room to change, and then we went out to the club room.
GUY: Right. And she -- as she testified, was waiting for the police to come, right?
DUNN: Well, we were waiting for the red SUV to come. Now, that's what I was waiting for. I couldn't tell you what she was waiting for. But that was what -- that was the sentiment that I understood that she was waiting for, retaliation.
GUY: OK. We'll get back to that. The SUV. How many times during that time did you tell her they had a gun?
DUNN: I don't think we discussed it, because we were in a public area.
GUY: OK. Well, you did go back to your room, correct?
DUNN: I'm talking about in the club room.
GUY: I understand. Now I'm talking about you go back to your room, right? DUNN: Right.
GUY: She was still a wreck.
DUNN: Yes, she was.
GUY: OK. Tell the members of the jury how many times you said to her, "They had a gun."
DUNN: At least once.
GUY: And when she woke up, she heard that somebody had been killed, right?
DUNN: Yes, she did.
GUY: OK. Tell the jury how many times you told her at that point, "Don't worry, honey, they had a gun."
DUNN: I didn't say that.
GUY: The truth is, Mr. Dunn, you never told Rhonda Rouer ever that they had a gun.
STROLLA: Your Honor -- (INAUDIBLE)
DUNN: That's incorrect.
UNIDENTIFIED JUDGE: Hang on.
STROLLA: Counsel testifying -- (INAUDIBLE)
UNIDENTIFIED JUDGE: Cross-examination, Mr. Strolla. Overruled.
GUY: Mr. Dunn, the truth is, you never told the love of your life that those boys had a gun.
DUNN: You weren't there.
GUY: Did you? You did tell her that?
DUNN: I said, "You were not there."
GUY: I get that. I know that. The truth is, you didn't tell her about a gun, did you?
DUNN: I mentioned the gun.
STROLLA: (INAUDIBLE)
UNIDENTIFIED JUDGE: Mr. Strolla, if you want to object, please stand up and make the objection loudly so everybody will stop.
(CROSSTALK)
MICHAELA PEREIRA, CNN ANCHOR: At this hour, you've been watching special coverage on CNN. We've been watching inside a Jacksonville, Florida, courtroom. Compelling testimony. On the stand right now, Michael Dunn, a 47-year-old, accused of shooting and killing a 17- year-old teen, Jordan Davis. He is being cross-examined by the prosecution at this hour and it's been really compelling to hear the cross-examination.
JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: He made the case to the defense that he was acting in self defense. He said he felt threatened by the teens who were in the car. He claimed to have seen a weapon there. Now, of course, what you're hearing is the prosecution going after him in cross. And it is getting quite hostile, quite quickly. The judge has had to step in a few times to calm things down.
You can watch this throughout the day on CNN. We will continue our coverage.
Right now, though, we go to Washington, D.C. and Wolf Blitzer with special coverage of president Obama along with French President Francois Hollande in a joint news conference there.
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Hello. I'm Wolf Blitzer, in Washington. We'll continue to monitor that trial, the riveting testimony that's under way right now.
