Harry Dean Keith
With these words “Did the Wackenhut guards have what’s known as a code of silence? […] Do you remember the saying ‘I know nothing, I see nothing, I speak only in kind words'” Assistant Attorney General Donna Pendergast begins her redirect (the last segment). I take it that the there has been a lot left unsaid; certainly in the preceding 25 years before the cold case team got after it not much was revealed.
Some observations. Keith’s sense of smell must be good. He describes the musky scent of the guards after they come out of the room where Janet Chandler lay bound, gagged, and with tape over her eyes. However, his eyesight isn’t nearly as sharp…even after looking in the room three times where and while she was being raped he was able only to identify Robert Lynch choking Janet. The rest were of the men were unidentified even though among the men were his coworkers. In fact, I believe he identifies ALL the men at the guesthouse as Wackenhut guards.
His sense of time also differs from that of others who testified. He says that he arrived between 2 and 3 p.m. with Glenn Johnson and that this “party” was over by 5:30 p.m.
It’s long (segment runs 27:31):
In cross examination by Tom Smith (for Freddie Parker) and Joe Legatz (for James Nelson) Keith manages to bring up more names:
TIM SMITH
MIKE CHANDLER (GERALD MICHAEL CHANDLER–no relation to Janet)
DALE MARION
Of the three he puts only Smith at the guesthouse and he was helping Harry Keith to clean up afterward.
As well, there is the tale related through one of the attorneys (Tom Smith) and reportedly told to the police by Robert Lynch that Keith was not only there but was dancing in his underwear and coming down the stairs with a bottle in hand (segment runs 27:06):
Interesting that he identifies the man who pushed Patty Bright Ward out of the way as caucasian.
And finally, in this redirect, we get the speaking only kind words (segment runs 9:55):
As always, Assistant Attorney General Donna Pendergast’s warning applies: It’s no crime to be at the scene of a crime.
Beyond that, all are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.