CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA (WWBT) – On Friday, jurors in the George Huguely murder trial heard from Huguely for the first time, as the prosecution played an interrogation tape from the morning Yeardley Love was found dead.
The interrogation tape lasted just a little more than an hour and at times, brought Love's family, jurors, even Huguely himself to tears.
For much of the tape, Huguely is unaware that Love is dead.
Detective Lisa Reeves first sat down with Huguely in the interrogation room at 7:52 a.m. on May 3, 2010. When Reeves first went to Huguely's apartment to ask him to come to the police station for questioning, Huguely was cooperative. However, when Reeves noticed bruises on Huguely's knuckles and what appeared to be a fresh cut on his arm, he was read his Miranda Rights.
At the beginning of the tape, Huguely identified Yeardley Love as his "former girlfriend". He said he "just wanted to talk to her" and repeated that statement several times throughout the tape.
In the tape, Huguely described Love as "defensive" and "freaking out" at his arrival to her apartment. At one point, Huguely told Reeves that Love became aggressive and admitted to shaking her.
However, Huguely told the detective, "I never struck her or anything."
Huguely said the two ended up wrestling and at one point he pushed Love down. Huguely said he was holding Love by her arms and shoulders, when her nose began to bleed.
Huguely told Detective Reeves he may have grabbed Love's neck at one point, but said, "I never, like, strangled her."
In tape, Huguely admits to consuming a large quantity of alcohol in the hours leading up to his final encounter with Love.
Towards the end of the tape, Huguely is informed of Love's death.
"I have something to tell you. She's dead. You killed her," said Reeves in the interrogation tape.
"She's dead?" Huguely questioned after a pause lasting approximately ten seconds. "She's dead?" Huguely repeated louder and with more emotion in his voice. Moments later, Huguely can be heard sobbing on the tape.
Huguely repeatedly questions the revelation of Love's death. Saying "she's not dead" numerous times.
"I never did anything that would have done that to her. Tell me she's not dead," Huguely said in the tape.
Detectives then ask him how he knows Love isn't dead. Huguely pauses, is heard weeping, then shouts again, "She's not dead."
Huguely's reaction on the tape brought members of Love's family to tears in the courtroom. At least one juror was seen wiping tears. Huguely also began crying in court, covering his face with his hands.
"I didn't kill her," Huguely shouts multiple times in the tape.
Tara Morgan was inside the courtroom and will have much more on this story, beginning tonight at 5.
Right now, Huguely faces six charges, including first degree murder. His trial is expected to continue through the end of next week.
NBC12 will continue to bring you the very latest updates, on-air and online. We'll also be posting live updates from the courtroom on our Twitter feed: @NBC12LiveTweets.
All of our previous trial coverage has been posted on nbc12.com/uvamurder.
Copyright 2012 WWBT NBC12. All rights reserved.
Artist Art Lien
All content © Copyright 2000 - 2012 WorldNow and WWBT, a Raycom Media Station. 