Kimaya James, charged with witness tampering for allegedly trying to get a woman to change her story after a reputed gang leader was accused of shooting at the woman, testified Tuesday that she was not threatening the witness.
“I just wanted her to go to court and tell the truth,” James testified Tuesday. “That’s my son’s dad, and if I could do something to help, I would do it.”
James is charged with felony witness tampering because she called Kalonniann Clark days before Clark was to testify against Brian Hicks in an attempted-murder trial and allegedly tried to get Clark to change her story.
Clark told police that Hicks fired 40 or 50 bullets at her in 2005, authorities said, but James insisted that Clark often made up stories to get back at people she did not like. “If she decides she doesn’t like you, she tries to hurt you bad,” James said.
Clark was killed days before she was to testify, and Judge William Robbins dismissed the charges against Hicks on Monday because federal officials refused to make him available for trial.
Prosecutor Bruce Levin cross-examined James, pointing out that she swore at and yelled at Clark, telling her things would only get worse. That was after Hicks had been charged with shooting at Clark in 2005 and, in an incident two years earlier, putting a gun to her head. The 2003 gun charge was dropped when Clark did not show up in court.
“Wouldn’t a reasonable person see this as a threat?” Levin asked.
But James stood her ground even after Judge Martin Egelhoff admonished her for interrupting and not answering the questions.
“She’s dramatic,” James said of Clark, who made more than a dozen calls to police in 14 minutes after James called her Dec. 3, 2005.
James shed a tear when asked how she felt when she learned that Clark had been gunned down. “I’m not happy about it at all,” she said. “I don’t want to see anyone lose their life. She was family too.”
Testimony also revealed that James was a suspect in Clark’s slaying despite her being in jail at the time of the witness-tampering charge. James said she first learned Tuesday that she was a suspect. No one has been charged in Clark’s killing.
James’ mother and aunt testified that James was always truthful with them and so was Clark, although other family members felt Clark was not truthful.
Closing arguments are scheduled for this morning.
Arthur Kane: 303-954-1244 or akane@denverpost.com
