Jury hears from defendant

WORLAND — Recorded interviews with law enforcement heard during a jury trial Wednesday painted the picture of a routine cookout with family and friends that went tragically wrong.

During the third day of a jury trial in the Wyoming Fifth Judicial District Court in Worland Wednesday, jurors heard recorded interviews with Anthony Haire, the suspect in the shooting death of Washakie County resident Jamye Don SoRelle, who was shot and killed the night of April 13. The jury then later heard from Haire himself as he took the stand.

Haire, who is claiming that he shot and killed SoRelle in self-defense, is charged with manslaughter and reckless endangerment in connection with the incident. If convicted, Haire faces up to 20 years in prison, a fine of $10,000 or both.

Washakie County Sheriff’s Deputy Mike Oberth was called to testify Wednesday morning. Oberth testified that he and Washakie County Sheriff’s Office Capt. Rich Fernandez interviewed Haire the night of the incident and again the following day.

During the interviews, Haire described his version of events to law enforcement. Haire told deputies that he was trying to protect his family. Haire said that, prior to the shooting, everything was cordial between him and SoRelle.

Haire also told law enforcement that his wife, Elizabeth, and their friend, Judith Cable, were grilling at the Haire residence. SoRelle was also present.

After SoRelle left the Haire residence and returned to his trailer, which was located just yards away, Haire said he heard what he thought was SoRelle starting his vehicle. Later that evening, Cable attempted to leave, but discovered she was blocked in by SoRelle’s red and black Chevy Suburban, which he’d parked in the property’s shared driveway. The Suburban was also pulling a trailer.

Haire explained to law enforcement that SoRelle blocked the driveway “out of spite.” Haire added that SoRelle, who had been drinking and “slurring his words” at the time, was upset and thought Cable had tried to block him in.

Haire said that he attempted to contact SoRelle directly at his trailer house. When SoRelle didn’t answer his door, Haire made contact with him via landline. During the phone call, Haire said SoRelle yelled at him and accused him of disrespecting him.

After the phone call, Anthony and Elizabeth Haire, along with Cable, went back into the yard. That’s when Haire noticed SoRelle walking toward the group. Haire then noticed SoRelle was carrying a .41 caliber Smith and Wesson revolver across his stomach.

At some point, according to the interviews, SoRelle fired a shot in the group’s general direction. Haire then ushered the women back into his trailer house before retrieving a .40 caliber Smith and Wesson semi-automatic handgun from his red Hyundai.

In all of the interviews — before and after he was placed under arrest — Haire was cooperative with law enforcement. Although minute details of the night’s events varied, Haire consistently told law enforcement that after retrieving his handgun, he called out to SoRelle who was standing near the red and black Suburban.

“I think, at that point, he was trying to kill me,” Haire said during the interviews.

Haire said he didn’t know if SoRelle thought he was trying to be aggressive, and added that he was simply trying to find a solution.

After calling out to SoRelle, Haire said he thought he saw SoRelle raising the handgun.

“That’s when I shot,” Haire said. Haire shot SoRelle from a position near a white Chevy Suburban which was on blocks.

During the interviews, Haire told law enforcement that he didn’t retreat to his trailer because he knew SoRelle, who walked away, was armed. “I was scared. I didn’t know what to do,” Haire said.

Haire said that SoRelle was standing near the Suburban, possibly to move it. There was no interaction between the two until Haire called out to him.

When SoRelle appeared to raise his weapon, Haire said, he fired one shot, after which he heard SoRelle yell. Haire said he fired his weapon in rapid succession, emptying it, at SoRelle.

Authorities later discovered that Haire fired 12 shots at SoRelle, nine of which hit their target.

During the fourth of four interviews, Haire was errantly informed that one of his shots struck SoRelle in the back. Defense Attorney Rich Hopkinson pointed out the discrepancy.

Law enforcement also questioned Haire about his relationship with SoRelle. While there were some tensions between the families, for the most part, everything was cordial between the two, Haire said.

When asked about his feelings toward SoRelle the night of the tragic event, Haire reiterated that he was close to SoRelle.

“I was feeling fine about Jamye. I offered him a burger. I cooked him a burger. Jamye was a better father than my own dad,” Haire said.

Defense calls witnesses

Hopkinson revisited Haire’s interviews with law enforcement the night of the shooting when he called Haire to the stand as the defense began their portion of the case Wednesday afternoon. Haire said he was very sleep-deprived and traumatized from the events.

Anthony Haire testified that the semi-automatic .40 caliber Smith and Wesson handgun was given to him by SoRelle to “protect his home and family.”

Hopkinson asked why Haire didn’t go back into the trailer house after SoRelle’s initial shot.

“I said clearly to the officer, I wanted to get a form of protection. When I got to my weapon, he (SoRelle) was standing still, with his side to me, yelling at me,” Haire testified.

“He was still yelling. I tried to rationally talk to him. I asked him if he was going to move the vehicle, if he was going to talk to us. It was us mutually yelling back and forth for 30 seconds. It was then that he brought his arm up and I saw the glimmer of the gun. Then, he brought his gun up, so I shot again … Because he was going to kill me,” Haire added.

Haire described erratic behavior from SoRelle, adding that during the months leading up to the events, SoRelle was slipping deeper into alcoholism.

He testified that he was terrified when the incident occurred and was also terrified for the safety of his wife and children.

Through tears, Elizabeth Haire, who also testified on Wednesday, said, “I was scared for myself. I was scared for my children.”

Speaking on the law enforcement interview, Anthony Haire testified that there was no way to get away from the property and SoRelle, adding that calling 911 was not an option. When Haire called 911 after the shooting, he said it took first responders roughly 10 minutes to arrive on scene.

Because of the manner in which SoRelle had parked the Suburban and trailer, “We were trapped against our will,” Haire said.

“Calling 911 would not have provided me with protection. In that 10 minutes, he could have killed everyone in my household,” Anthony Haire testified Wednesday.

During Worrall’s cross-examination, Haire testified that the .40 caliber handgun he used in the shooting was a special self-defense model. The .40 caliber Smith and Wesson didn’t have a safety, and the trigger was designed so that the handgun could be fired rapidly.

Haire testified that he remembers very little from his initial interviews with law enforcement due to his state of shock from the events and sleep deprivation.

Oberth testified that deputies began interviewing Anthony Haire somewhere around 10:30 the night of the incident and concluded during the early hours of the next morning. Haire was subsequently interviewed midafternoon April 14.

Worrall pointed out that during the interviews — to which Haire lawfully consented — Haire said that he thought SoRelle was getting into his Suburban in order to move it, and that he may have had keys in his hands.

While questioning him, Worrall implied that Haire had a duty to retreat from SoRelle, and that his life was not immediately in danger.

When Hopkinson asked what Haire would have done differently, Haire answered, “Nothing. There was a threat on my life; there was a threat on my family’s lives. I killed a man I loved. I’ll never forgive myself for it. I loved him. He was my father. I’ll never forgive myself for the fact that he is dead by my hand.”

Closing arguments heard today

Today will be the final day of the four-day jury trial.

At 9 a.m., jurors will hear Worrall and Hopkinson’s closing arguments. They will then receive instructions on what to consider from District Court Judge Robert Skar, after which they will begin deliberation.