'THE FIRST 48 HOURS': JESSIE DOTSON INTERVIEW HARMFUL TO SURVIVORS

An A&E crew films police in March in the front yard at 722 Lester where six people were found slain. "They wanted Memphis because Memphis has the greatest homicide division in America," said Police Director Larry Godwin. Members of the local news media were kept behind crime scene tape.

Mike Maple / The Commercial Appeal

'First 48' airs confession, draws criticism from Lester guardian
By Trevor Aaronson (Contact),
Memphis Commercial Appeal / Wednesday, July 16, 2008

In an interrogation aired on national television Tuesday night, Lt. Toney Armstrong of the Memphis Police Department drew a confession from 33-year-old Jessie Dotson for the Lester Street mass murder.

The confession came at the end of an hourlong episode of "The First 48," an A&E Television reality show that follows homicide detectives in several cities, including Memphis.

(snip)

The day of the killings, Dotson told Armstrong, he and his brother, Cecil Dotson, were together.

"We got to arguing," Dotson told him. "We argued all the way to the house. Then we got out and went in the house. He was still shooting off."

Soon, Cecil reached for a 12-gauge shotgun behind the couch, Dotson said.

"I just started shooting," Dotson explained.

"How many times did you shoot him?" Armstrong asked.

"I don't know."

"Then what?"

"The kids saw me."

"Then what happened?"

"I tried to get rid of the kids. ... I stuck them."

After the confession, Dotson crossed his arms and looked down.

"I wanna talk to my momma," he said.

CHILLING WORDS FROM THE KILLER...
http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2008/jul/16/first-48-airs-confession-draws-criticism-from/