Published: May 24, 2007 06:13 pm      

RIDGEWAY TRIAL: Murder witness tells tale in 911 call

Jury in Ridgeway trial hears chilling call from shooting survivor

LOCKPORT — Paralyzed by a bullet wound to her spine and at times taking what seemed like they might be her last breaths, Nicole Nabors pleaded for help as a desperate 911 operator frantically tried to find her.

Listening intently, a Niagara County Court jury heard the chilling conversation that took place between Nabors and a Falls Police call taker as testimony began in the murder trial of Javon Ridgeway. Ridgeway is accused of killing Nabors’ cousin, Lanerra Streeter, and trying to kill her, but failing to finish the job.

In what prosecutors have called “an act of bloody carnage,” Ridgeway is accused of going to Streeter’s Applewalk apartment in the early morning hours of Sept. 9 and then shooting his estranged girlfriend twice in the head as she lay on the living room floor before turning his gun on Nabors. Two bullets hit Nabors, a third just missed her head.

One of the bullets hit Nabors at the base of her spine, instantly paralyzing her.

When the Falls police call-taker, Susan Hewitt, answered on the 911 line, the call was being transferred from the Niagara County Sheriff’s Department, because Nabors has dialed in on her cell phone. That meant Hewitt was unable to identify the address where Nabors was calling from.

In addition, the volume on the call fluctuates wildly making it hard for Hewitt to hear Nabors at certain points during what ends up being a nine-minute conversation.

“I’ve been shot,” are the first words Nabors says when her call is answered. Hewitt, with a bad connection, makes Nabors repeat the message that she has been shot, then asks where she is.

“I’m in Niagara Falls, New York. I’m in Center Court,” Nabors says.

“Where in Center Court,” Hewitt asks.

“Lanerra Streeter’s house. I don’t know the address. She’s my cousin ma’am,” Nabors replies.

Not knowing that Nabors is from Buffalo and that Streeter is dead on the floor next to Nabors, Hewitt tries to get a better idea of where the shooting has taken place.

Hewitt: “And you don’t know where you’re at?”

Nabors” “No.”

Hewitt: “Is there somebody there at the house that can tell me where you’re at?”

Nabors: “She got shot.”

Hewitt: “Who got shot?”

Nabors: “My cousin.”

Hewitt: “Your cousin?”

Nabors: “Yeah, the one whose house I’m at.”

Hewitt: “How are we going to get the ambulance and help to you?”

Nabors: “Ma’am I don’t know. I don’t know. Jesus, please ...”

As Falls Police Officers Sean Dunn and William Kutis race toward Center Court, the only information on Nabors’ location that is available to Hewitt is the tower that is receiving the cell phone call. That tower is at 10th and Beech streets.

Hewitt continues to try to get information from Nabors that will direct help to her. In obvious pain, and with her breath become swallow and labored, Nabors becomes increasingly frustrated.

Hewitt: “Okay. We’re gonna need an address so that we can get help to you. Is there somebody there that can help us? Give an address?”

Nabors: “No ma’am.”

Hewitt: “Where did you get shot?”

Nabors: “I don’t know. I don’t know. I can’t move.”

Hewitt: “And there’s nobody there that can tell me where you’re at?”

Nabors: “No ma’am. God.”

As she struggles to stay on the line with Hewitt, Nabors also appears to become frustrated with the call taker’s questions. Hewitt, also struggling to hear Nabors, presses for information to help officers find her.

Hewitt: “Is there somebody else in the house that’s been shot too?”

Nabors: “My cousin.”

Hewitt: “Your cousin?”

Nabors: “Yeah.”

Hewitt: “Who’s your cousin?

Nabors: “Lanerra, Lanerra Streeter.”

Hewitt: “Is she able to talk to you?”

Nabors: “No, not at all.”

Hewitt: “Can you get over to her?”

Nabors: “I can’t move. Please send help to me ma’am, please.”

With Nabors voice breaking and long pauses in her answers, Hewitt tries to find nearby landmarks or vehicles that might be near the apartment, that officers can look for. Suddenly, Nabors, who when the call began told Hewitt she was in Center Court, tells the call taker she’s in Unity Park.

Hewitt immediately redirects Dunn and Kutis to the Unity Park/Applewalk complex. At almost the same time, Hewitt enters Streeter’s name into a police computer and discovers she has been a victim of domestic violence in the past.

The files also reveals Streeter’s Applewalk address.

Hewitt: “Stay on the line with me, 3161 Ninth St., does that sound familiar?”

Nabors: “OK, OK.”

Dunn and Kutis are not far away from the apartment.

Hewitt: “OK, stay with me.”

Nabors: “I’m tryin, I’m tryin.”

Hewitt: “Are you holding your hand up against your side?”

Nabors: “I can’t move. I can’t move.”

Hewitt: “Can you talk to your cousin?”

Nabors: “I can’t move. I can barely talk to you.”

Moments later, Nabors tells Hewitt see can see the flashing lights from Dunn and Kutis’ police patrol cars.

Nabors: “Someone help me please ... Yes ... Yes ...”

The 911 call ends with the voices of Dunn and Kutis speaking to Nabors.

Later today, the jury of seven men and five woman who will decide Ridgeway’s fate will hear from Nabors in the courtroom, as the wheelchair-bound witness takes the stand to testify in the case.