james_buzbee020810-1109am.htm

A Personal Collection of Found Materials

Abraham Shakespeare MURDERED - Plant City, Florida (Hillsborough Co.) April 2009
Abraham Shakespeare (42) won $31 million dollars in the Florida Lottery in 2006. He took a lump sum payout of approximately $17 million. He remained a frugal person as he had before his lottery windfall, but after numerous failed real estate transactions, loans, and friendships Abraham has suddenly gone missing. He was last seen in the Lakeland area in April 2009. Dorice Emma Donegan Moore (AKA Dee Dee Moore) stated in the media that she bought out Abraham's debts to enable him to move away to escape paying child support arrears for a second child that was born after the lottery windfall. Law Enforcement believes there may be more to this story. Abraham Shakespeare's body was found on January 28, 2010 buried beneath a cement slab on the rear property of Shar Krasniqi located at 5802 S.R.60 East, Plant City, Florida 33567. Shar Krasniqi was the boyfriend of Dorice Emma Donegan Moore (AKA Dee Dee Moore). On February 2, 2010 Dee Dee Moore was arrested, first charged with Accessory after the fact and later with First Degree Murder of Abraham Shakespeare.

Contact Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office (http://www.hcso.tampa.fl.us)

James Hardy Buzbee Interview 02/08/2010 11:09am
Data From Public Records, the Media, and Found Materials
http://www.acandyrose.com/james_buzbee020810-1109am.htm

Front Page Main Directory

CLICK HERE to return to: Transcript Page Directory

James Hardy Buzbee Interview 02/08/2010 11:09am
Transcribed to text by www.acandyrose.com from .pdf file Binder #5 Public Discovery 09/16/2010

Abraham Shakespeare Case
002/08/2010 - Transcript of Sworn Statement
Of James Buzbee

DISCOVERY BINDER #5 PAGES 92-99
09/16/2010 DISCOVERY BINDER #5 PAGES 2-31

1 IN THE OFFICE OF THE STATE ATTORNEY
2 IN AND FOR HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, STATE OF FLORIDA
3
4 ----------------------------X
5 IN RE: SOA INVESTIGATION
6 ----------------------------X
7
8
9
10 SWORN STATEMENT OF: James Hardy Buzbee, ESQ.
11 TAKEN: Pursuant to Notice
12 TIME: Beginning at 11:09 a.m.
Concluded at 11:20 a.m.
13 DATE: Monday, February 8, 2010
14 PLACE: Law Office of James H. Buzbee
15 802 W. Marin Luther King, Jr.
Boulevard - Suite D
16 Plant City, Florida 33563
17 BEFORE: RALPH D. MILLS, CVR, CP
Notary Public
18 State of Florida at Large
19
20
21
22
23
24
25

PAGE 92 (2050)

Mills Reporting Group, Inc. (813 272-1814)

1 APPEARANCES: 2
2 On behalf of the State:
3 HON. JAY PRUNER Assistant State Attorney
4 419 N. Pierce St., Third Floor Tampa, Florida 33602
5 (813) 272-5400
6
7 ALSO PRESENT:
8 MR. TERRY DELISLE, SAO INVESTIGATOR
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19 CONTENTS
20 PAGE
21 Examination by Mr. Pruner 3
22 Certificate of Oath 14
23 Certificate of Reporter 15
24
25

PAGE 93 (2051)

Mills Reporting Group, Inc. (813 272-1814)

1 JAMES HARDY BUZBEE, ESQ.,
2 was called as a witness, and being duly sworn by the
3 Notary, was examined and testified as follows:
4 EXAMINATION
5 BY MR. PRUNER:
6 Q Please state your name and occupation,
7 sir.
8 A James Hardy, H-a-r-d-y, Buzbee,
9 B-u-z-b-e-e. I'm an attorney, 802 West Martin Luther
10 King, Jr. Boulevard, Suite D, Plant City, Florida.
11 Q How long have you been licensed to
12 practice law in Florida, sir, approximately?
13 A Thirty-eight, 39 years.
14 Q Do you know a fellow by the name of
15 Howard Stitzel?
16 A Yes, sir.
17 Q In February of 2009 how would you
18 describe your relationship with Mr. Stitzel at that
19 point?
20 A Strained.
21 Q Okay.
22 A Yeah, I, at that point I thought that he
23 may have stolen a watch from me so I didn't have
24 anything to do with him at that, on a normal basis. We
25 had been real close friends, but for maybe almost

PAGE 94 (2052)

Mills Reporting Group, Inc. (813 272-1814)

1 year before that we had not been doing anything
2 together.
3 Q And in February of 2009 did you represent
4 Mr. Stitzel in any form or fashion as an attorney in
5 your profession?
6 A No, sir.
7 Q Okay. Have you ever had an
8 attorney/client relationship with Mr. Stitzel where you
9 represented him?
10 A I don't know. I don't think so. I
11 didn't do his divorce. I sat in on some conferences
12 with some other lawyers when he was getting divorced
13 from Veronica Stitzel.
14 And he called me when this investigation
15 heated up and wanted me to do something, and I said --
16 do something about any representing and I said, "No, we
17 have a very serious conflict here. You drug me into
18 this by getting these documents done," and I just
19 suggested that he call Mr. Lansky. That was it.
20 Q All right. At some point before February
21 of 2009, did you have a friendship with Mr. Stitzel?
22 A Yes.
23 Q And as a result of that friendship, did
24 each of you cover professional responsibilities for
25 each other, court appearances or such, things of that

PAGE 95 (2053)

Mills Reporting Group, Inc. (813 272-1814)

1 nature?
2 A Occasionally, yeah.
3 Q And were there times when you allowed
4 Mr. Stitzel access to your office to, for maybe for
5 your legal assistant to prepare documents for him or
6 anything of that nature?
7 A No, I don't think so, not before this
8 incident.
9 Q Okay. And the incident we're talking
10 about is an incident that Ms. Taylor, your legal
11 assistant, indicated occurred on February 11th of 2009
12 where Mr. Stitzel and Ms. Deedee Moore appeared outside
13 of your office waiting for Ms. Taylor, your legal
14 assistant, upon her arrival to work that day.
15 Did you know that Mr. Stitzel was, and
16 Ms. Moore were coming by your office that morning?
17 A No, sir.
18 Q Okay. Ms. Taylor has indicated that
19 she's prepared a number of documents that are attached
20 to or will be attached to these statements, Exhibits A
21 through F inclusive. Did you have anything to do with
22 the preparation of any of these documents?
23 A No. I believe everything was already
24 completed when I got here.
25 Q All right.

PAGE 96 (2054)

Mills Reporting Group, Inc. (813 272-1814)

1 A Either that or she was finishing up the
2 answer and waiver on a divorce.
3 Q Did you have any conversation that day
4 with Mr. Stitzel about these documents that Ms. Taylor
5 presented or prepared at his request and direction?
6 A Yeah, just general conversation I did.
7 And let's see, I was like, "What are you doing here?"
8 You know, "Why are you bringing this?"
9 And he told me, in summary, that
10 Ms. Moore was going to loan him $30,000 and give him a
11 place to have a law office and, you know, try to get
12 back on the right track because he had been having a
13 rough time financially and personally.
14 Q One of the documents that Ms. Taylor
15 indicated she prepared was a Promissory Note in the
16 amount of $30,000 from Mr. Stitzel to I believe Abraham
17 Shakespeare, LLC or perhaps Deedee Moore. It's not one
18 of the documents that's in this pile of documents in
19 front of you.
20 Is that what, the conversation that led
21 to him indicating that Deedee Moore was loaning him
22 30,000 is that what --
23 A I never saw the note.
24 Q Okay. You never saw the Promissory Note?
25 A No. I mean, he said he was getting to

PAGE 97 (2055)

Mills Reporting Group, Inc. (813 272-1814)

1 borrow the money from her, she was going to lend him
2 the money, but I never actually saw that note.
3 Q Okay.
4 A And I was aware that they had typed up a
5 divorce. Ms. Moore did not, didn't take part in any
6 conversation that I had with Stitzel. I didn't realize
7 that he had or was never told that he had represented
8 Shakespeare also.
9 Q Okay. You've indicated a few minutes ago
10 that sometime in the last several weeks -- well, let me
11 start that over.
12 You've indicated that you had a
13 conversation with Mr. Stitzel since February 11th about
14 him having put you in the middle of this situation with
15 the preparation of these documents?
16 A No. He called me and said, "There's a
17 helicopter over my law office and there's a bunch of
18 patrol cars here." He left it as a phone message first
19 and he didn't leave a phone number. I don't know if he
20 was too excited or he thought I had it or what, but he
21 didn't leave a number.
22 So I called my office on my cell phone.
23 April located an old number we had for him, which was
24 532-0108, and I dialed that number and he answered.
25 So, and then I told him that I felt we had a conflict

PAGE 98 (2056)

Mills Reporting Group, Inc. (813 272-1814)

1 of interest.
2 I said, "I was going to get with you to
3 see if you'd get straight with me," and he knew what I
4 meant about the watch, "and then I was going to go to
5 Grady Judd. But since they're already there, you know,
6 you need to get another lawyer to talk to you."
7 And I suggested Glen Lansky because Glen
8 has been a Polk County prosecutor and he's physically
9 close to where Howard's home is I guess, eight or ten
10 miles apart from where the office is.
11 Q In any conversation you've ever had with
12 Mr. Stitzel did he ever indicate that there was any
13 impropriety in the manner in which the documents
14 prepared by your legal secretary on February 11th of
15 2009 in the manner they were prepared or in the manner
16 of the transactions themselves? That was --
17 A I don't even think I understand the
18 question.
19 Q I don't even think I understand that
20 question as it came out. Anytime you've spoken with
21 Mr. Stitzel since February of 2009, did he ever
22 acknowledge or imply or admit that there was something
23 shady about the transactions --
24 A No.
25 Q -- the documentation that Ms. Taylor

PAGE 99 (2057)

Mills Reporting Group, Inc. (813 272-1814)

Abraham Shakespeare Case
002/08/2010 - Transcript of Sworn Statement
Of James Buzbee

DISCOVERY BINDER #5 PAGES 100-106
09/16/2010 DISCOVERY BINDER #5 PAGES 2-31

1 prepared?
2 A No. He just told me he was borrowing the
3 money from her. When he left the phone message, which
4 I've still got saved, he said "It's about, you
5 probably read in the papers about Abraham Taylor, the
6 guy, " I mean, "Abraham Shakespeare, a fellow I
7 represented on a child support case and that Deedee
8 Moore that they're talking about on TV."
9 He said that's what he thought they were
10 coming to see him about. And I wasn't aware that he
11 ever represented Abraham himself, I understood he was
12 representing Deedee.
13 Q Has he ever told you about his
14 professional relationship or financial relationship
15 with Deedee Moore, other that the fact that she was
16 going to loan him $30,000?
17 A No.
18 Q Has he ever discussed with you in any
19 other conversation Abraham Shakespeare?
20 A No, I don't talk to him. I mean, I'm
21 through with him.
22 Q And I know from a previous conversation
23 you and I had off the record the incident concerning
24 the watch that you described. Can you tell us on the
25 record what that incident involved and what led there

PAGE 100 (2058)

Mills Reporting Group, Inc. (813 272-1814)

1 to be a rift in your relationship with Mr. Stitzel?
2 A I'm not sure which weekend it was,
3 probably Labor Day Weekend '08, somewhere in that time
4 span, he called Jill McMath, who house sits for me, and
5 wanted to get together with her.
6 And they had dated briefly right after
7 Howard had split up with Veronica. Jill fell for him
8 and he just kind of dumped her and started dating some
9 other girl and then ultimately married a girl named
10 Leah, her maiden name was Leah Miller.
11 And I noticed there's a Leah that was a
12 notary and I don't know if that's her or not. I don't
13 think so because I don't think she has anything to do
14 with him anymore.
15 But at any rate, Jill let him spend the
16 night, and she always sleeps in our bed, my wife and
17 I's bed when she's there. And my watch was on the
18 dresser and it wasn't there the next time I saw it.
19 We had never lost anything when Jill was
20 house sitting, so I assumed maybe he had taken it and I
21 asked him about it. He denied it.
22 There was one other time I thought he
23 took something and he didn't actually take it, I found
24 it later. So, a tent that he had borrowed to go
25 camping, I thought he hadn't given it back to me so I

PAGE 101 (2059)

Mills Reporting Group, Inc. (813 272-1814)

1 was on his butt about that. But I was wrong that time.
2 But we had done a pretty well, a total search of the
3 house and we can't find it so I assume it's gone.
4 And then my mother-in-law saw, was going
5 through the Shakespeare stuff on the Internet and she
6 saw something about a pawn shop Rolex and that perked
7 her attention right away. So she called Barbie, my
8 wife, about it. And when I turned the paperwork over
9 to the Polk County Sheriffs before they started digging
10 the thing up out there, I asked him to check and see if
11 we can find out what kind of Rolex Abraham had had.
12 It's basically a starter Rolex one, I
13 guess the lowest price or next to the lowest price,
14 around 4,500, but it's still a starter.
15 Q Okay.
16 A Anyway, my wife had given me that as a
17 present and I wanted to leave it to my son if I ever or
18 whenever I kick the bucket.
19 Q All right. Did you individually or your
20 law firm ever receive any compensation for Ms. Taylor's
21 preparation of these documents before you had the rift?
22 A No, we didn't ask for any and we didn't
23 get any.
24 Q As a matter of fact, she's told us that
25 you had to give her five dollars for the five dollars

PAGE 102 (2060)

Mills Reporting Group, Inc. (813 272-1814)

1 she gave him for gas money that day. I don't know if
2 you remember that, but anyway.
3 A I don't remember it but that's probably
4 true.
5 Q All right.
6 A And he ate some crackers in here and a
7 Coke or something. That's all I remember about the
8 visit.
9 Q Okay. Have you ever had any conversation
10 at all with Ms. Deedee Moore that you recall?
11 A No. When I got here she was wandering
12 around out front. She had a black Mercedes. She had
13 on a black business suit and she looked pretty tense, I
14 remember that. And she came in, I guess she was
15 introduced to me, but I haven't talked to her about
16 anything.
17 Q Okay.
18 A And she was about 50 or 60 pounds lighter
19 than she is now according to the TV photographs and the
20 press conference that she did.
21 MR. PRUNER: Mr. Delisle, anything more?
22 MR. DELISLE: No.
23 MR. PRUNER: All right. Thanks.
24 Mr. Buzbee. I appreciate your cooperation.
25 THE WITNESS: You're welcome.

PAGE 103 (2061)

Mills Reporting Group, Inc. (813 272-1814)

1 (The sworn statement was concluded at
2 11:20 a.m.)
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25

PAGE 104 (2062)

Mills Reporting Group, Inc. (813 272-1814)

1 CERTIFICATE OF OATH
2 STATE OF FLORIDA
3 COUNTY OF HILLSBOROUGH
4 I, the undersigned authority, certify that JAMES
5 HARDY BUZBEE, ESQ. personally appeared before me on
6 February 8, 2010, and was duly sworn.
7 WITNESS my hand and official seal this 22nd day
8 of February, 2010.
9 _________________________
10 RALPH D. MILLS, CVR, CP
11 Notary Public, State of Florida
12 Commission No. DD659841
13 Expires: May 2, 2011
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25

PAGE 105 (2063)

Mills Reporting Group, Inc. (813 272-1814)

1 CERTIFICATE OF REPORTER
2 STATE OF FLORIDA
3 COUNTY OF HILLSBOROUGH
4 I, RALPH D. MILLS, CVR, CP, certify that
5 I was authorized to and did report the foregoing sworn
6 statement of APRIL R. TAYLOR, and that the transcript
7 is a true and complete record of my stenomask notes
8 thereof.
9 I further certify that I am not a
10 relative, employee, attorney, or counsel of any of the
11 parties, nor am I a relative or employee of any of the
12 parties' attorney or counsel connected with the action,
13 nor am I financially interested in the action.
14 DATED this 22nd day of February, 2010.
15 ____________________
16 RALPH D. MILLS, CVR, CP
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25

PAGE 106 (2064)

Mills Reporting Group, Inc. (813 272-1814)

CLICK HERE To Return to Shakespeare Transcript Directory
http://www.acandyrose.com/abraham_shakespeare_transcripts.htm

The www.acandyrose.com web site is an privately owned archive site collection of found materials and organized timelines on missing and/or cold cases created for educational purposes. All personal collection of found materials have been accessed from public domains and/or quotes following the rules under the "fair use rule of copyright law." - This web site is non-profit although personal donations to help cover server costs are welcome via the PayPal donation button on the home page here
Home Page	First Amendment	ACandyRose© since 1998		webmaster e-mail	Disclaimer