Yang begged, pleaded with Det. Harpham not to tell his mom, not to take his photo, and have this be on social media

The most damning testimony of the day was a video of Eureka Police Department Senior Detective Ron Harpham's interview with Yang.

If you read my preliminary hearing coverage Det. Harpham's entire testimony was stellar. He did an excellent job of testifying about Yang's EPD interview as well as the entire case.

Det. Harpham is still on the stand and there are more videos the People are expected to show jurors. The use of the videos is very powerful.

Detective Harpham testified that Jane Doe and her sister had gone to the POP office on Prospect Avenue. EPD Captain Patrick O'Neill had initiated the CAST interview. Det. Harpham transported Jane Doe and her older sister to the CAST interview.

Jane Doe did a pretext call to her father. This was "to lure him back home" so the EPD team could apprehend him. Jane Doe and her sister were put in touch with Social Services. Det. Harphsm took screenshots of "messages on the girls' phones."

"The messages were coming from Jimmy. The messsges had a photo attached to them which was of Mr. Yang. He was asking Jane Doe to participate in making a video."

Exhibit 48 consisted of two video files. One was the Yang's interview at EPD and another brief file of him sitting alone until Officer Michael Huynh comes to get him. This was played in court today for the jurors.

Compared to the defiant, narcissistic, angry Yang in court , in the interview Yang acts docile.

Yang was brought into the room. His cuffs were removed.

Yang came to America in 1992. He was born in a refugee camp in Thailand. Yang is an American citizen.

Yang told Det. Harpham he had no idea why he was arrested. He said his cousin helped him look for the girls all day and he was very worried about them.

Det. Harpham told Yang that Jane Doe said Yang was having sex with her since she was 13 years old.

Yang went off on a tangent talking about how hard it was for him, burdens. Yang did not deny the allegations.

"There's love and there's making love," said Det. Harpham. He asked Yang about financial problems.

Again, Yang deflected and started talking about his brother who passed away from cancer, not directly answering Det. Harpham's questions.

Det. Harpham kept asking him questions. He asked Yang about his relatuonship with his wife Kristy Lee.

"We love each other very much," said Yang. "She was never involved. It's all on me. She had nothing to do with this."

"I don't want to talk about it," said Yang.

Yang said he was trying to be the best father. "Please don't tell my mom. I am her only son."

Yang was very concerned about his reputation in the Hmong community. He said he was very traditional. Yang said people admired him in the Hmong community.

"Please don't let this go on social media, I beg you," said Yang.

"It is not my job to talk to the media," said Det. Harpham. "There are court documents and people follow that."

"I don't know about the Hmong community but in America, it is against the law to have sex with your daughter," said Det. Harpham.

"I am sorry," said Yang.

"I know you apologized but you go back," said Det. Harpham. Yang said he did not threaten Jane Doe.

Det. Harpham asked Yang about bim videotaping while he had sex with Jane Doe. "Was it financial?"

"It is hard to explain everything. I am broke to the bone," said Yang.

Det. Harpham asked if anyone on the family received SSI. The three children that were deaf did. Det. Harpham then asked how much Yang's wife made at her job at the hospital. "Do you have a gambling problem?"

Det. Harpham asked how much Yang got for the videos. "Two, three, maybe four," said Yang. Det. Harpham clarified this meabt two hundred.

Det. Harpham asked if the videos were online. Yang said no. "I make the video and give them privately. I never see them. They view privately."

"This will be my first one," said Yang. He ssid he was not finished making the "big video." At this point Det. Harpham informed him the pice were searching his home and that Jane Doe had told him there were more videos.

Yang said he lost the USB drive. He said he was not selling clips; just "making abig video."

"Unfortunately life is going to change for a while until this gets worked out," Det. Harpham told Yang.

Yang said he did not touch the other children.

"Why her? Det. Harpham asked Yang.

"She, I don't know how to say. We are closer to each other," said Yang.

Yang gave Det. Harphan the pattern to.unlock his phone. Yang said one of his daughters walked in on them while Jane Doe and he were "getting their clothes on" and that his wife walked in on them.

"She was very mad. I apologized to her. We talked all night."

His wife said she would leave Yang. "I begged her to stay." Then he said something about suspecting his wife of having an affair in Fresno. There was something said about them forgiving each other.

At times, it was hard to hear or understand Yang. The jurors had the benefit of a transcript.

Yang said he never filmed his wife and again repeated that she never knew anything.

Yang put his head down and said, "I will never see my kids again."

"I want to thank you guys for stopping me," said Yang. He ssid this three times during the interview.

Det. Harpham told him that "Kristy told CWS something disturbing." Asked Yang what that might be and Yang said it was the time she walked in on Jane Doe and him and insisted his wife "does not know anything."

 Det. Harpham cuffed Yang, then told him to stand against the wall and tried to take his photo, Yang turned his face. He knelt on the floor and begged Det. Harpham not to take his photo. Det. Harpham told him,"don't do that", referring to the kneeling. Det. Harpham told Yang this is not for the media and that he had to take a photo to show who he had arrested. He told Yang the booking photo at the jail maybe released to news media.

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