Tinish Bryson-Smith — Direct/Cross
90 linesThe witness, TINISH BRYSON-SMITH, was first duly sworn and testified as follows:
COURT CLERK: Thank you. Take a seat in the witness stand. State your name again for the record. Spell your last name.
TINISH BRYSON-SMITH: First name Tinish. Last name Bryson-Smith. B-r-y-s-o-n - S-m-i-t-h.
DIRECT EXAMINATION
BY MS. GOUDE:
MS. GOUDE: Good afternoon, Ms. Bryson-Smith.
TINISH BRYSON-SMITH: Good afternoon.
MS. GOUDE: Could you tell the jury where you work?
TINISH BRYSON-SMITH: Hampton County 911.
MS. GOUDE: And how long have you worked for Hampton County 911?
TINISH BRYSON-SMITH: Seventeen years.
MS. GOUDE: And what is 911?
TINISH BRYSON-SMITH: Emergency Services Dispatch Center.
MS. GOUDE: And what do you do there?
TINISH BRYSON-SMITH: Currently I am in a director position, just as stated, in December. I am over the management of the day to day operations of the 911 Dispatch Center for Hampton County including budgeting, payroll -- like I said, day to day operations -- and record keeping, recordings, et cetera.
MS. GOUDE: Does the Hampton County 911 keep records in the normal course of business?
TINISH BRYSON-SMITH: We do.
MS. GOUDE: And what kind of recordings are these?
TINISH BRYSON-SMITH: We have audio recordings from 911 phone calls, administrative line phone calls, as well as radio recordings from our radios from the field.
MS. GOUDE: Are all 911 calls recorded?
TINISH BRYSON-SMITH: They are.
MS. GOUDE: And how are these calls stored?
TINISH BRYSON-SMITH: They're stored on our NexLog Data Recording Systems.
MS. GOUDE: How long are they stored for?
TINISH BRYSON-SMITH: As long as we need them.
MS. GOUDE: And who has access to those records?
TINISH BRYSON-SMITH: I do.
MS. GOUDE: Does anybody else?
TINISH BRYSON-SMITH: No, ma'am.
MS. GOUDE: Just you?
TINISH BRYSON-SMITH: Yes, ma'am.
MS. GOUDE: Okay, and how do you access the records?
TINISH BRYSON-SMITH: There is a database in my office that I have to log into to access any recordings that is requested.
MS. GOUDE: Sometimes do calls from another county, such as Colleton County, come into Hampton County?
TINISH BRYSON-SMITH: They do.
MS. GOUDE: And why does that happen?
TINISH BRYSON-SMITH: Cell phones pick up on the nearest PSAP based upon the location of that cell phone at the time of call. PSAP meaning Public Safety Answer system.
MS. GOUDE: Okay, and why does it pick up on that -- on the, the location and send it to Hampton as opposed to Colleton?
TINISH BRYSON-SMITH: Due to the geographical location of a location -- of a phone call, or a phone when that call is made, that cell phone picks up at that tower, and the tower wherever the nearest PSAP is is where that cell phone will be routed to.
MS. GOUDE: And what do you do when you and Hampton County receive a call from -- that's supposed to be going to Colleton County?
TINISH BRYSON-SMITH: We transfer that call out to Colleton County.
MS. GOUDE: All right. Back on June 7th of 2021, did you receive a call from Alex Murdaugh?
TINISH BRYSON-SMITH: We did.
MS. GOUDE: And that call came into Hampton County. Is that correct?
TINISH BRYSON-SMITH: That's correct.
MS. GOUDE: And what happened to that call when it came in?
TINISH BRYSON-SMITH: Once it was determined that the call was located -- that the location of the emergency was Colleton County, we transferred that call out to Colleton County.
MS. GOUDE: And you determined the Colleton County location how?
TINISH BRYSON-SMITH: Based upon the numerics and the address that was given. Once we plug that information into our system, it populates in Colleton County.
MS. GOUDE: Let the record reflect I'm showing the witness what's marked as State's Exhibit 9.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: No objection, Your Honor.
JUDGE NEWMAN: State's Exhibit 9 is admitted without objection.
(DVD OF 911 CALL MARKED AS STATE'S EXHIBIT NUMBER 9 WAS RECEIVED INTO EVIDENCE.)
MS. GOUDE: State's Exhibit 9 is a disc. Can you tell us what is on that disc?
TINISH BRYSON-SMITH: The initial 911 call that came in on the night in question.
MS. GOUDE: And how do you know that call is on that disc?
TINISH BRYSON-SMITH: I was able to listen to it, and I dated it and initialed on the 23rd of January.
MS. GOUDE: Your Honor, at this time the State would move Exhibit 9 into evidence.
JUDGE NEWMAN: It's already been admitted but without objection.
MS. GOUDE: Thank you, Your Honor.
(The 911 call was played. Audio not transcribed.)
MS. GOUDE: The State has no further questions for this witness.
JUDGE NEWMAN: By the defense, cross-examination.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Beg the Court's indulgence.
(Break in proceedings.)
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Just a couple of questions, Your Honor.
CROSS-EXAMINATION
BY MR. HARPOOTLIAN:
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: So, explain to me how this works. The call came in to you in what county?
TINISH BRYSON-SMITH: Hampton County.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Hampton County?
TINISH BRYSON-SMITH: Correct.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: And how, when you dial 911, does it -- how does it determine what county to send it to you?
TINISH BRYSON-SMITH: When you dial 911, the cell phone company picks up that it's a 911 call being placed. They hit the nearest cell phone tower, and based upon the location of that cell phone tower, it's routed to the nearest PSAP, or Public Safety Answer system.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: So, the nearest cell phone tower to Moselle would be --
TINISH BRYSON-SMITH: Was Walterboro Highway tower.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Okay. Okay, and you are from Hampton?
TINISH BRYSON-SMITH: I am.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: That's not you on the phone, is it?
TINISH BRYSON-SMITH: No, sir.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Do you know the Murdaughs, or do you know Alex Murdaugh?
TINISH BRYSON-SMITH: Not too much. I mean, a little bit but not too much.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Okay.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Thank you.
JUDGE NEWMAN: Anything further?
MS. GOUDE: No, Your Honor.
JUDGE NEWMAN: You may step down. Thank you.
(The witness exited the stand.)
JUDGE NEWMAN: You may call your next witness.
MS. GOUDE: Angela Stallings.