Kiser Takes Witness Stand For First Time; Says He Did Not Kill Deputy Donald Bond

  • Tuesday, November 25, 2014

Marlon Duane Kiser took the witness stand at his post-conviction hearing on Tuesday to declare that he did not kill Deputy Donald Bond, who was gunned down at a produce stand in East Brainerd 13 years ago.

Kiser had not opted to go on the stand when he was convicted by a Nashville jury and given the death penalty in 2003.

He said he believes it was Mike Chattin, the man he was living with, who actually carried out the murder and then framed him. Chattin has since died.

Kiser said he wanted to testify at his trial, but he said his attorneys did not prepare him for it and continually pressed him to take a guilty plea.

He said, "I was green and I was not prepared. I said at least three times that I wanted to testify."

Kiser said he first met Chattin when he was 17 and was working for Red Food. He said he would talk to Chattin outside as he waited for his wife to get groceries.

He said after he moved back to Chattanooga he spotted Chattin coming out of a liquor store at a Food Lion shopping center and yelled to him. He moved in with him on East Brainerd Road near the end of May or early June 2001.

Kiser said he was with Chattin on one occasion when Chattin stopped to talk with Charlie Sims, who had a produce stand near where the Bond slaying would later occur. He said Sims was blaming the produce dealer across the road, Rick Nunley, for burning down his earlier stand.

He said Chattin wanted to help Sims by burning down the Nunley stand and "dragging him up and down the road."

Kiser said, "I tried to tell him that it wasn't his fight and he should just stay out of it."

Kiser claimed that while he stayed with Chattin there was frequent traffic of those buying drugs from Chattin. He said Chattin was waiting on a workers compensation settlement and was not working.

Kiser said he had never heard of Officer Bond prior to the murder. He said Chattin believed there was an officer who had an affair with his wife. He said Chattin "was outraged about that." He said the wife left and went to California, and Chattin was trying to get her back. He said, in the meantime, Chattin had a girlfriend, Carol Bishop.

He said Chattin talked about carrying out robberies at three nearby churches, saying they had a lot of jewelry as well as money in the collection plate. He said Chattin also had plans for robbing a bank in Dalton.

Kiser claimed he had given his assault rifle to Chattin because he owed him for rent. He said Chattin already had six rifles a pistol and "gobs of ammunition."

Kiser said he himself was "petrified" of police after several run-ins with them. He said he was near getting a settlement in Federal Court after suing officers who had allegedly used excessive force on him. He said he expected to get at least $90,000.

On the day before the Deputy Bond slaying, Kiser said he was at the home of girlfriend Beverly Mullis when Chattin called saying he was depressed and wanted him to come over. He said he went with Chattin, who stopped to get him his favorite beer. 

Kiser said the beer "began calling my name" so he decided to stay the night at Chattin's home rather than risk getting a ticket and losing his license that allowed him to drive a dump truck.

He said Chattin, Murphy Cantrell and Carl Hankins were remodeling the house that day. He said Cantrell and Hankins left around 10 and Chattin went to get his girlfriend, Ms. Bishop.

Kiser said Chattin and Ms. Bishop later left. He said Chattin had the assault rifle with him.

Kiser told of later hearing a number of police cars go by. He said he went outside and talked to a female neighbor about it. He said he then went to sleep. He said after he woke up, he went to toward Chattin's truck, and an officer hollered for him to "get down."

 

 

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