"I was letting Isiah hit it" ; "I will shank you bro"

The first witness for the People today was Elijah Hansen, one of the alleged victims in the stabbing near the Arcata Community Center last year.

When he walked into the courtroom, you could see his youth, looked just like a kid in high school. He was 17 at the time of the incident.

The defendant, Phoenix Campbell glared as Hansen walked to the witness stand and stared at him while he testified.

DDA Roger Rees asked him, "Have you been attacked by a knife?"

"Yes," answered Hansen.

Most of his answers to DDA Rees were monosyllabic.

He identified Campbell, said he was attacked "somewhere in December" at Shay Park on December 3, 2014.

DDA Roger Rees, "Are you nervous?

Hansen: "Yes"

He mentioned Isiah and in response to a clarification by Mr. Rees, Hansen said Isiah also went by William. This is the second alleged victim William Hardnick.

"I was chillin with some people," said Hansen, at a spot by the creek, from where he usually takes the bus.

DDA Rees: "What were you doing?"

"I know I am underage but I was vaping," responded Hansen. He said a friend bought him a $200 e-ciggarette for his birthday.

Hansen said "Isiah was sitting" with Campbell. "I gave Isiah a hi-five" and he met Campbell for the first time. "Then
everything went downhill from there."

"I was letting Isiah hit it," said Hansen. "I believe I offered it to him (Campbell). He grabbed it and started walking off. He had a knife in his hand.

DDA Rees, " After the defendant took it, what did the defendant do?"

"Grabbed his stuff, walked away, pulled a knife." Hansen said he asked for his e-ciggarette and Campbell responded, "I will shank you bro."

"If he was threatening to shank you, why did you approach him?" asked Mr. Rees.

"I don't know," said Hansen. "I was scared at first. Then he threw stuff down and started to run."

"Isiah was chasing him with me," said Hansen. He said they chased Campbell for five minutes. Hansen said he stopped a couple of cars and asked them to call the police.

Hansen said he "broke off a piece of wood from the fence and then threw it to the side." He said he did this to protect himself.

Hansen said Campbell threw the knife down on Alliance street and "Isiah tried to dive for it, he (Campbell) also tried to dive for it." There was a struggle. Hansen said he pulled Campbell off "Isiah". He said he "did not remember exactly" who got the knife or whether Campbell slashed him.

Mr. Rees showed him a report "to refresh his memory." Hansen said Campbell swung at him after he "pulled him off Isiah."

"Are you tired right now?" asked DDA Rees.

"Yes," said Hansen.

"Is this a time you are not normally awake?"

"Yeah," said Hansen.

A month later in January 2015, Hansen said he got his vape-pen from APD.

Hansen told DDA Rees he did not get cut with the knife and that initially when Campbell had the knife out, he was afraid for his safety and "a little" while chasing Campbell but he was "more worried about Isiah then myself."

There was no one in the courtroom except for the jury, the court staff, the attorneys, the Judge,  three new DDAs and myself. From a few minutes, the a woman who attended the Ferrer trial was there. She had texted during that trial. I thought it was odd she was at this trial too. She arrived some time after my initial post this morning. I looked over a few,times because she had her cell phone out and eventually she left.