On Harrow Hill

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“Listen carefully,” said Dave Gurney, “to this eyewitness description of a murder.”

He was standing at the podium in a lecture hall at the state police training academy, conducting a seminar titled “Evaluation of Eyewitness Statements.” There was a projection screen on a low stage behind him. He held a one-page form in his hand. Some eager cadets were leaning forward. All watching him.

“This recorded statement was given to an NYPD transit officer by Maria Santiago, a twenty-two-year-old teacher’s aide at a Bronx public school:

‘I was on the northbound platform at the 138th Street subway station. I was coming home from work, so it was around four o’clock. Not very crowded. There was this skinny, dark teenager, trying to look cool. Crazy clothes, like kids wear now. Near him there were these four older Anglo guys. Like construction guys. They started looking at the kid. Bad looks. One of them, big guy in a black leather jacket, dirty black jeans, said something about the kid’s clothes. Kid said something back. I’m not sure what, but in a Puerto Rican accent, like mine. Big guy suddenly pulled a gun out of his jacket pocket, shot the kid. People were running, shouting, everyone going nuts. Then the cops came.’

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