According to evidence released to the media, a former UM player told a detective after his arrest that he had nothing to do with the shooting death of a teammate.
The videotaped statement by Jones, 36, is the first time he has answered questions about the evidence against him in the death of Bryan Pata, who was shot once in the head outside his Miami-area apartment after football practice.
Jones was a suspect in the killing since at least 2007, but no charges were brought by Miami-Dade police. Jones was charged with murder in August of last year. He has pleaded not guilty and is scheduled for a bond hearing Monday in which prosecutors plan to question two detectives, along with a former Miami football player who said Jones threatened him with a gun.
The retired University of Miami writing instructor told police the day after the shooting that he heard a loud noise when he was approaching the north parking lot entrance. A black male, between 6'0' and 6'1' tall, who was wearing a black T-shirt and dark blue or black shorts, was jogging or trotting west through the parking lot.
In a videotaped interview from the day of Jones' arrest, Miami-Dade Police Department Detective Juan Segovia laid out the evidence he said pointed to Jones: statements from players and associates who told authorities Jones was upset with Pata over a woman and had threatened him.
Segovia asked Jones why he changed his phone number on the day of the shooting and why he was the only player who didn't attend a mandatory team meeting.
Jones said he was upset because he had been told earlier that day that he failed his second drug test and was suspended. Jones said he turned off his phone and changed his number because he was worried about his friends and family.
Jones said in the interview that he had nothing to do with him dying.
Segovia asked if the first person you would talk to would be the detective.
Jones said it was probably him.
Jones said that he and Pata had fought at a teammate's house, and that he had previously been in a relationship with Jones' girlfriend. Jones said in the interview that it was not an ongoing beef where he was at Bryan or trying to hurt him. He said the fight happened in summer 2005, but the players said it happened in summer 2006
Jones mentioned a home football game shortly before Pata's death, in which he said he helped Pata, who was in uniform and pads, by kneeling down to tie his shoe.
If I want someone dead, why am I tying their cleat? Jones said he was tying his cleat down.
Segovia asked Jones if he had any reason to be near the apartment, noting the phone records and the person who picked Jones out of a lineup. Each time he answered that he was at home. Jones said he knew where Pata lived because he was friends with her cousin who lived in the same apartment complex.
Jones was told by Segovia that police had statements from witnesses who said he had a gun, talked about owning a gun and threatened another player with a gun. Jones said they were all lies.
When Segovia asked him how his statements could fit with the cellphone location records that showed Jones wasn't home even though he said he was, Jones said it was bad luck.
I cannot explain to you. I don't know. It was just really bad luck. I'm telling you that. I have nothing to do with this guy being murdered. He said it would take 15 years for him to tell himself he didn't do it.
Jones said it was "unheard of" that police would sit on information from an alibi for 15 years, and he asked why they didn't confront him sooner.
Segovia said they want to make sure they get things right because cases take time to evolve.
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