BY THE SIDE OF THE ROAD-Marla Bernard

moon of winter. A little before seven am, fifteen year old Anne Harrison walked to the end of her driveway on Kansas City's east side to wait for the bus to take her to Raytown South High School. Ten minutes later, she disappeared, but no one saw what happened, As if waiting for her return, her belongings were still stacked carefully

by the side of the Road. By the Side of the Road is the true crime story of the kidnapping, rape, and murder of Anne Harrison and the long journey forced upon her family who had to wait nearly three decades to see her killers brought to final justice. The book they were featuring this evening is By the Side of the Road, The True Story of the abduction and Murder of Anne Harrison, with my special guest, Victim Wright's advocate and author, Marla Bernard. Welcome to the program, and thank

you so much for this interview. Marla Bernard.

knowing the Harrisons for approximately thirty years. I was reserved police sergeant for Kansas City, Missouri, and my husband was a homicide sergeant for almost thirty years for Kansas City and worked with Bob when he started out as a reserve police officer. So we have had an association with them for many, many years. And Harrison was a very shy, very sensitive girl. She would go out after a rainstorm and rescue worms off the sidewalk. She rescued animals, she

loved pets. At the time of the incident, she I had just turned fifteen years old and was very sports minded. She loved sports. She was an honor student. She played the flute in the band at Greytown South High School. Just a very very sweet, innocent young lady who was always highly spoken of by family, friends, teachers, the community.

and was standing there waiting for the school bus. And the next thing her mother knew, Janelle Harrison knew the school bus was honking for Anne, and she was gone.

She had just mysteriously vanished, if you will. What actually had occurred in the course of the events was that two individuals who had been stealing parts from vehicles had been out cruising all night, drinking and browsing, and they saw Anne standing at the curb by the side of the road, and they abducted her within a matter of moments.

had truckers out looking for her. It was a very very active response to try and find her. A lot of times she'll see on cases, not so much since Amber alerts, but prior to that. In this time frame, departments would stand back and say, you know, is she

a runaway? Should we wait twenty forty twenty or forty eight hours to see whether or not she might have just decided to leave home for what they didn't have an explanation for at that time, and did not fit any of the criteria for that, and fortunately they were able to mobilize very quickly, but to no avail. It was as though she clearly had just vanished.

was stolen. There were actually two vehicles stolen from the same location, a white car and this blue Monte Carlo. They recovered the Monte Carlo notified the owner of the vehicle. She responded with her boyfriend and as luck would have it, there was a problem with the vehicle that it leaked annafreeze. They had brought an extra gallon to put into the vehicle.

When the gentleman the boyfriend went to put the remaining anna freeze in the trunk of the car, they opened the trunk and found that they did not have an abandoned stolen vehicle, but what they had was an active crime scene. Anne Harrison was in the trunk of that vehicle. That's when Troy Cole got notified. He was what they call the floor sergeant in homicide that evening take calls. When they determined that they did have a homicide scene, they called in what's known as the Murder Squad. That

was a newly developed program in Kansas City. A captain named Gary van Buskirk developed it and they worked generally days, but they are on twenty four hour call when they have victim and no suspects, and that specialized squad comes in and takes over the case and works that case until it is solved. And so it passed from Sergeant Troy cole to who was a seasoned, seasoned sergeant and got the case prepared to hand off to Pete Edlind

who was the sergeant on call at that time. He and his squad the murder Squad, and it's aptly named because that's what they dealt with, was just murders where there's you know, no suspect, not a lot of information, and they literally work it from the ground up.

A shoe sock were not on. She based on what the medical examiner did determined she had remained conscious for about fifteen minutes after she was stabbed and lived for approximately two hours after she was so brutally stabbed and then just left in the trunk of the car.

police noticed. Then there was a March twenty six homicide unit is Grand View police report a high speed chase that they have to abandon because it was out of their jurisdiction because it was traffic light or something. But anyway, that witnesses had also seen a couple of black meals and other witness testimony regarding the stolen vehicle tell us about.

At the highway. Police officer in Lee's Summit noticed a vehicle with a tail light out and attempted to stop that vehicle just for a tail light and ended up getting into a high speed car chase with the driver. There were two black mails in the vehicle, and once they reached the city limits of Lease's Summit where it connected into Kansas City, Missouri, he had to suspend the chase. There was no probable cause for him to continue trying to stop that vehicle because it was just an attempt

to stop for equipment. That's all the reasoning he had to be able to do that. So there was car chase number one. Unbeknownst to that officer at the time, the car was stolen and it was occupied by what would then become the two primary suspects in the case. After Anne was abducted and murdered, the Grand View police department yet another suburb, and they just kind of surround Kansas City, if you will, had found that there was a vehicle that had been stolen, and they attempted to

stop the individuals got into a car chase. The individuals abandoned the vehicle took off on foot, and what they determined was that that vehicle had been stolen at the same location that the vehicle that Anne was in had been stolen at approximately the same time, and the mo for the individual that or individuals that stole that matched

the way that the blue Monte Carlo had been broken into. Again, they had pry the driver's side door lock, pulled the dome light, pulled the radio, broken into the steering column in the same method that a number of other vehicles in that same time frame had been broken into. What they determined was that apparently these individuals were looking for t tops that they could sell at a local chop shop that provided drugs and or money for those items.

But there were patterns that the auto theft unit and the homicide unit and the Grand View officers who were working the stolen vehicles could see that there was a pattern in these that appeared to be the same perpetrator or perpetrators doing them because it was so consistent in the manner in which they broke into those vehicles and stolen.

But in June twenty first anonymous tip came in. What does that anonymous tipster say and who does he name as the perpetrators? What is the incredible murderous tale he tells? And who is he?

details that had not been released. He told of two individuals that he knew that the one individual he referred to as Roger, which the call taker was trying to get all this information down and they were looking to see what information they had available. Very astute call taker was wise enough to keep this gentleman on the line

and contact the murder squad. One of the detectives got him on the line and he agreed giving some cursory in or information, but probably one of the best leads they'd had so far, agreed to come in the next day and meet with detectives. That gentleman his name was Correne Hurley. He was very adamant that he knew Roger Nunley, a known carthief who had been brought in along with a lot of other individuals who had been brought in for questioning because he fit the mo had been in

the area. So that the detectives began connecting the dots with these individuals. Kareem Hurley was very forthcoming with details that Nunley had shared. He also knew the other occupant of the vehicle, the other suspect, whose name was Michael Taylor, and knew that he knew Roderick or Roger Nunley very well and said he will not be forthcoming. He will be a tough nut to crack. You need to talk to Michael Taylor first and see if you can get

information from him related to this case. Both Kareem Hurley and Roderick Nunley had been suspects in other murder cases, one where they were both suspects, and one particular murder case, so detectives knew that they had someone who had some inside information on Nunley and Taylor. Roderick Nunley and Michael Taylor. Roderick Nunley was out on bail for another crime that he had committed, had jumped bail and officers were aggressively looking for him, but he was able to elude them

for a few more weeks. Michael Taylor was incarcerated and in prison being held on some other charges, and so it made it a little easier for detectives to go and conduct the first interview with the first of the two suspects.

stab her. But overall, the facts of the case were pretty consistent about where she was standing she was pulled into the vehicle, that they went to Nunley's mother's home, where she was forced to crawl on her hands and knees into the basement of that home where she was raped and then forced to crawl back to the vehicle, placed in the trunk and murdered. So they were pretty consistent with that. But about that point is when the

finger pointing between Nunley and Taylor occurred. Kareem Hurley knew Roderick Nunley well enough, and other witnesses other acquaintances would stay when you were in a vehicle with Roderick Nuneley, he always insisted on driving the vehicle. Always he would not ride with anyone else. He had to be in charge of operating that motor vehicle. And that was what Nunley insisted on that he was the one driving the

motor vehicle. They were. The original intent was to grab Ann's belongings just to rob her, when Michael Taylor jumped out of the car and elected to abduct Anne instead, and they did not take any of the belongings, So he was the one that pulled Anne into the vehicle, whereas he being Taylor states that it was Nunley who pulled her into the vehicle. So that's where some of the inconsistencies are. But overall, the timeline, the location, most of the events that took place, where they took place.

These were all things that Kareem Hurley knew where the actual attack on and occurred, and those things were substantiated by both Nunley and Taylor. It was just who did what first that was conflicting in their statements.

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ame dot com promo code shocking. Now, Marla, the law enforcement has these two perpetrators, They have an incredible amount of evidence. They have testimony from three people to connect the dots to know who exactly did what despite the conflicting testimony of these two perpetrators. Now with the courts, how did the prosecutor proceed in this case?

of course ultimately murder. It was the decision of the defense attorneys, or their recommendation to Taylor and Nunley, that they go for a bench trial in lieu of a jury trial. They thought that perhaps they stood a better chance of avoiding the death penalty, and the judge who heard their case had conducted bench trials previously and had not meted out the death penalty, had elected to sentence the individuals to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

So that was the direction that the case took, and it was up to the judge at that time to determine whether or not Taylor and Nuneley would be given the death penalty, and as a turn out in this particular case, both individuals were sentenced by the judge to be executed in the state of Missouri who had and still has the death penalty.

Hurley called the Tips hotline. They took his statement and in correctional facilities. Nothing is secret. Nothing happens that inmates don't find out about figure out pretty quickly. And I'm assuming I don't know this the details as they transpired, how it got communicated, but I'm assuming when corrections officers went to get Taylor to take him to be interviewed, some fairly astute prisoners were able to put together that Taylor was being interviewed for a murder case involving this

murder and murder rape abduction in Kansas City. After he was interviewed and agreed to submit blood and hair samples, Taylor was going to be sent back to his cell, and at the request of the detectives and the corrections officers, it was determined that they discretion being the better part of valor, he should be put in solitary confinement just for his own protection. However, the prison was under instructions that no prisoner could be placed in solitary confinement without

permission of the warden. They were not able to reach him. This was on a weekend, so they were not able to get in contact with him, so they put Taylor back in the general population. There is I guess you could say some honor amongst thieves or at least a hierarchy.

Pedophiles rapists are not highly thought of, shall we say, in prison Taylor because of the fact that he abducted and murdered or was you know, had confessed to abducting and murdering this little girl, was attacked in the prison by other inmates and actually was forcibly raped by other inmates and required medical care and eighty stitches in the prison infirmary. So he got his what I described as his first taste of justice for Anne and had to experience a little of what he had put a through.

So it was sort of a reckoning that the universe kind of descended upon him, if you will, and he was he was attacked in the prison.

and armed criminal action. And he was questioned the same as Nunley, and he pled guilty, asked if he was understood the proceedings, and he agreed, and he's aware that there was a risk of the death penalty, and basically he knew that there could be no appeal, there could be a good possibility or a possibility of the death penalty, and he took their chances rather than have a jury,

and they were sentenced to death, both of them. Now, what happens with the appeal process, we're talking about nineteen ninety one, when what happens in the appeal process tell us about some of the events along the way.

alcoholic drink with lunch. When they came back, he needed out the sentence, handed down the death penalty sentence to both Roderick Nunley and Michael Taylor, but by virtue of the fact that he had been observed having a drink, it laid the groundwork for the first of many appeals that Taylor and Nunley had. They wanted to be heard in front of a new judge, and they were granted

that appeal and they were heard. Their case was heard by a new judge that was appointed, and it was quite a lengthy process to find a judge, get to get a judge appointed, that there were no conflicts, no potential conflicts related to the case, so that it was going to be heard fairly and could be ruled upon, and that occurred several times. There were a number of judges during the appeals that the case was heard again and again again. This was the sentencing process, not the

entire case, but the sentencing process of the case. And on every one of those appeals, the judges upheld the original ruling, and over the course of the next twenty four years, because the original case occurred two years after Anne's murder, there was an appeals process that not only went to the Missouri Supreme Court, but went to the United States Supreme Court for each of those individuals.

the kinds of personal detail that you conveyed. But tell us about this first time, first scheduled execution, and then the process for those people that are to witness the execution, including the Harrisons.

were greeted at the front gate by corrections officers. They checked your vehicle, they radioed, they sent you to another gate. You were brought in escorted by corrections officials. They had the various groups segregated so that witnesses for the state would be brought in at a certain time. Family witnesses for the execution would be brought in separately and kept apart from those individuals, and the media and any protesters were kept outside on yet another side of the prison.

They were isolated away so that there was no potential for any conflicts, if you will, or disturbances. The individuals were walked through, there was a sign in process, you were searched, you went through a metal detector, you had to lock up all your belongings which had been searched, and you were escorted through the facility. And having been in law enforcement, to me, it was very much the process in which I would have handled a prisoner, someone

that I had under arrest for for whatever reason. And again these are the witnesses. But you are in a correctional facility. You're escorted down a long corridor. There was someone behind two way class who slid out a little drawer and you put your identification in. They it was very quiet. There was no talking except to give you an instruction on providing your identification or where to go stand.

And you were walked through and taken into a small cinder block room with some tables and chairs, and you sat there and waited. You did not get a lot of information the prison. The corrections officers were not allowed to talk to you except to give you an instruction. So it was very quiet, it was stressful, it was somber, and you waited for someone to come in and say it's now eight. You arrived at six o'clock, it is now eight o'clock. Here's what's going to happen at ten o'clock.

Executions are conducted at just about one minute after midnight. They do them in the early morning so that if there is a stay and an appeal that needs to go through, they have still have within that twenty four hour period the opportunity to proceed with the execution or to stop the execution based on a stay. So it was very start and stop. People would walk into the room, they would look at you, talk amongst themselves, people from

the prison. We got down to the wire with Taylor's potential execution, and someone from the prison came in said, there is an appeal that the Missouri Supreme Court was going to hear the case and there would be no execution, and you were escorted back to your vehicle and just send away, pending the next step in the process if there was an appeal, if there would be a determination that the Supreme Court would overrule the death penalty sentence and say now we're going to give them life in prison,

or so it was just a waiting gain and this occurred over and over and over with between the two individuals.

So this is two thousand and six, you talk about twenty and ten, he went through the same procedure again, for it was scheduled for execution and would be as you write, another four years to two thousand and fourteen to finally the Harrisons and the witness and the detective. One of the detectives was present at this execution. Tell us about this eventual execution two thousand and fourteen.

of windows in front of you with curtains. At the appointed time the curtain opens, you are able to see the individual who is on a journey. It's very quiet. You cannot see the other individuals who are in the room with the individual being executed. It's a very sterile environment. It is not unlike a surgical suite, although you don't have overhead lights or whatever. They are again on a journey covered from toes to chin with a white sheet. It's a very peaceful process. There is not a lot

of noise. In Taylor's case. You could see in the distance, if you will, another set of windows on the other side of the room, where the other witnesses would be. He turned his head away from us or to the left. To his left appeared as though his lips were moving, turned his head back to where he was looking at the ceiling. You waited a couple of minutes. You could

barely tell that he was possibly breathing. The curtains closed, the curtain reopened, and a few minutes later, and you were told by one of the prison officials in the room that And it wasn't said directly to the people there. It was just announced that the individual was deceased at twelve o eight am, and they read the date. Curtains

closed again, and that was it. It was understandably in the state of Missouri, the method that is used for execution is not unlike the same method that people who elect to end their own lives at Doctor Kavorkian, I think probably is the best description that I can give people

who are not familiar with the process. Your administered pentobarbital, which if you were a cancer victim or had some other disease and elected to end your life in a right to die situation a country or in the United States a couple of states that allow that it's administered exactly the same way, where they find that there are cases where someone potentially has had difficulty that the individual

being executed. Statistics show that those individuals had been lifelong iv drug users, and so their veins are very fragile to begin with, so any potential IVY hospitalization medical procedure could have resulted in in the same type of problems a blood claw, it collapsed, fain that they possibly would experience going through that process. But again, it was very quiet, it was very sterile, and it was very dignified, which is so counterintuitive to what Anne experienced, which was so violent,

so horrific, so painful and cruel and brutal. The trying to imagine the difference between the two situations, these individuals were allowed to die with dignity, whereas Anne was not.

You talk about evil as an afterword in this book, and we didn't get into a lot of the details that came up from these two perpetrators that were trying to blame each other for the crime, but in the process they gave horrendous, ghastly details of their behavior that night, such as a Nunley asking Taylor to go into the home and get a knife and get two knives, a

butcher knife and another serrated knife. Details like he said to one said to the other that when they were doing the rape that she was too tight and so he needed some grease. And so one of them went gladly and went and got some hair gel grease, some TCP grease to help out this and enable this rapist. You talk about evil in your afterword. Tell us what you had to say.

You you can't put your hands around around it. Evil clear, there's no color to it. There's I call it colorless, formless, but without evil, there's no good. It's hard to measure measure goodness. I compared it to piece of glass. Then piece of glass, if you can't see it, you walk up to it, try to walk through it. There's no warning, and like that, it can shatter and cause. This causes

a great amount of pain. I talked about evil being a four letter word, but then there are also four letter words that I think we take comfort in, and that's love and hope, heal, and I think with the execution of Taylor and Nunley, that allowed the Harrisons and their daughters and their extended family and our community an opportunity to heal. I don't thank you. I know that you don't ever get over it. So to talk about

form of closure, it's a resolution. It gave them the opportunity to close a chapter in their lives, to not have to deal with the appeals, not to have to deal with facing these individuals in court time and time again as they did. It is less justice and more retribution, But I think it did give them the opportunity to heal, and gave our community who really rallied around this family, and to this day people remember where they were, where

they when they heard that Anne was missing. It's kind of hate to liken it to the enormity of remembering where you were when John Kennedy was assassinated, but on a small scale in our community, people really do remember this case, and that was one of the reasons why I wanted to write the book, to give people an opportunity to talk about it, know the end, the outcome, the finality of it, and to heal.