I attended two armed robbery trials in my home town in 1986, one trial was in July and the other in August. The first armed robbery trial started July 10, 1986. Richard Sargent was the only one being tried in July for the Nov. 26, 1980  armed robbery. He and his brother Percy Sargent were not involved in the March 1981 armed robbery with Paul Pollard and Lionel Cormier. Percy plea bargained his part in the November 1980 armed robbery in December of 1986 and his sentence ran concurrent with his rape sentence and his drug trafficking charge the night Mike was murdered. Percy was an old pro at working the system.  Richard received 14 years in prison.      The transcribed pages below start with District Attorney Christopher Almy asking Shuman "Did there come a time when you went to see an individual by the name of Paul Pollard?"       Shuman: "Yes, sir."      Almy: "And did there come a time during this time that he spoke with you about some matters that you had no prior knowledge?"      Shuman: "That is correct" but first testified of Pollard's good character "Pollard was going to the college in Massachusetts and told me that he was doing well and he had a couple of things he wanted to tell me that he just couldn't live with anymore. He wanted to clear the air and get everything  behind him so he could start his life again. And he indicated to me that he participated in two armed robberies, one in November of 1980 and one in March of 1981."

March 31, 1981, a small  article in the Bangor Daily News reported the assault on Charles Dolan and said Sgt. Ralph Pinkham said the police will continue to assume that robbery was the motive behind the crime.

Richard's attorney, Hilary Billing, asked Shuman "Why did you go to see Mr. Pollard in Massachusetts in 1985?" Shuman said "I was involved in the investigation of the death of Michael Cochran which occurred in 1981 in Dedham, Maine. Mr. Pollard was inside a camp the night it caught fire."  I could'nt believe what I was hearing when Billings asked Shuman  "Did you have any understanding with him (Pollard)  about him being free from prosecution in the murder?" and Shuman response "I didn't make those indications.  I had to talk with the District Attorney (Almy) before any type of bargain was made." Attorney Billings response was "Okay" and then asked a different question.