BOISE, Idaho — Idaho News 6 and Court TV are providing team coverage of the Trial of Chad Daybell.
On Thursday, former best friend of Lori Vallow Daybell, Melanie Gibb was called to the stand.
- A phone call between Lori, Chad and Melanie is played in the courtroom.
- Gibb says Chad Daybell told her to lie to police
- Defense counsel questions Gibb's authority
(Below is a transcript from the broadcast story)
Casting evil spirits and zombies.
Jurors heard it all as Lori Vallow Daybell's former best friend, Melanie Gibb, took the stand explaining concepts to the jurors that she, Lori Vallow Daybell and Chad Daybell, believed in.
But then, she became skeptical of Lori and Chad and began recording them.
Where were J.J. Vallow and Tylee Ryan?
Lori Vallow Daybell refused to tell Melanie Gibb.
Chad Daybell, according to Gibb, told her to lie to police.
"Just to keep him protected and everybody else," Chad and Lori are heard saying on a phone call.
"I appreciate that. Well, I was wondering why you told the police, why he was with me," Gibb is heard saying on the call.
"I just needed to have somebody that I so I wouldn't have to tell them where he really was," Lori replies.
"Is J.J. safe?," asks Gibbs.
"He is safe and happy," replies Lori.
Little did Gibb know at the time that J.J. and Tylee were no longer alive, buried in Chad Daybell's backyard.
Gibb testified that Lori told her that J.J. and Tylee had become dark.
"She told me that, the day before I arrived, that he became dark," Gibbs testified on Thursday.
"So previously she told you Tylee was dark," prosecutors asked.
"Correct. Yeah," answered Gibbs.
"And now J.J. was dark," asked prosecutors.
"Correct."
Prosecutors, following up, "Did you observe J.J. that weekend?"
"Yes," answered Gibbs.
"Did you observe any behaviors that caused you concern?"
"No," Gibbs answered.
During cross examination, defense counsel, John Prior, began to attack Gibbs credibility asking her if everything she was saying was in an attempt to protect the church.
