Officer: Man admitted challenging co-worker to duel before slashing him to death

By Matt Pordum

DETROIT (Court TV) — James Flemons calmly admitted to police that he had slashed his co-worker to death after challenging him to a duel, according to a police officer who testified Thursday.

Flemons allegedly told the officer that on Oct. 27, 2004, he handed his co-worker a piece of metal in a "valiant and honorable challenge."

Flemons then went to his car and returned with a 38-inch samurai sword and began chasing his co-worker, Anthony Williams, with it. He killed Williams, 46, as other employees at the Peerless Metal Powders & Abrasive plant looked on.

Flemons, 32, pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. His lawyers say that he is schizophrenic and has a dangerous obsession with fantasy role-playing games, like Dungeons & Dragons. They have argued that he was acting out a fantasy when he slashed Williams to death.

"A person inside me took over," he said, according to Officer Charles Zwicker, who relayed the interview to jurors Thursday as Flemons sat, staring blankly, at the defense table.

Prosecutors argue that Flemons was lucid, well aware of his actions and acted out of revenge.

Flemons allegedly said that Williams had been bullying him for months. "I just snapped. I was pissed off and I wanted to hit him with something," he said, according to Zwicker.

Flemons told the officer that he chased after Williams, swinging the sword. He said he couldn't remember how many times he slashed Williams.

Zwicker testified that Flemons seemed "calm and normal" when gave his voluntary statement after the killing. He never mentioned hearing voices, experiencing delusions or hallucinations, Zwicker said.

A co-worker at the metal plant testified that Flemons was a responsible worker who seemed to live a quiet life. But on the day of the attack, something changed.

Henry Tabb, who worked closely with Flemons, asked him what was wrong, and Flemons responded simply that "he had problems."

Tabb cried as he recounted seeing Flemons return from his lunch break carrying the sword. He recalled watching him slash Williams' neck more than 10 times as the victim lay face-down.

Tabb said he tried unsuccessfully to stop Flemons.

"I had a shovel and tried to poke him with it to try and slow him up and help [Williams] get away," Tabb testified.

Flemons turned and calmly told him to "stay out of his business," Tabb said.

Tabb said Flemons had dated his sister-in-law for a short time and, although Flemons would sometimes "say something a little strange," he never talked about Dungeons & Dragons, voodoo or other mystical interests prosecutors say he pursued.

Flemons' supervisor, Rodney Hopwood, testified Wednesday that Flemons was a reliable worker who never caused problems.

Hopwood admitted that he had told other co-workers that he thought it was strange that Flemons painted his fingernails black and burned incense at his work station, but said he had never spoken directly to Flemons about it.

Flemons' defense is expected to begin its case Monday morning.

The trial is being streamed live on Court TV Extra.