http://www.getbig.com/news/2006-02/060402tituschastain.htmRyan Chastain, boyfriend of Lauren Amanda Polk, testified to the Grand Jury that he himself had purchased the Taser gun for Craig Titus. Since he was feeling under the weather, we didn't hear much about the night that Craig & Kelly spent at their house after Melissa's death from his perspective. For that, perhaps we will need to wait until the trial. Here is the Las Vegas Grand Jury transcript with Ryan, taken around the middle of March.
Q: The state's next witness is Ryan Chastain. Mr. Chastain, I understand you're a little under the weather today.
A: A little bit.
Q: I'm going to ask you some questions. I understand you have other information pertinent to this case and we'll get to that another time. First of all, let me ask you do you know Craig Titus?
A: Yes, I have met and seen him.
Q: When did you first meet Craig Titus?
A: First met him moving out her in October as far as meeting him on a personal basis. I met him before at an expo bodybuilding event. As far as meeting him on a personal basis was October of this last year.
Q: October of 2005?
A: Yes
Q: Where did you move from?
A: Memphis, Tennesse.
Q: Did you move here with anyone else?
A: Yes, girlfriend Mandy Polk.
Q: What was your relationship with Craig Titus when you moved here?
A: Landlord
Q: Was he your landlord?
A: Yes. He was supposed to be my landlord.
Q: You rented a house or apartment from him.
A: House.
Q: Where was that house located?
A: 9045 Quintessa Cove. That's Fort Apache and Blue Diamond.
Q: Did your girlfriend Mandy live there with you?
A: Yes
Q: Do you know the specific day that you actually drive into Las Vegas from Tennessee?
A: I can't recall the specific day. I could probably look it up through some phone records or bill records or something like that.
Q: Was it early or late October 2005?
A: Early October, probably the 5th or 5th, somewhere in there. The first few day of October.
Q: When you actually arrived in Las Vegas, as you were driving, do you have a telephone conversation with Craig Titus?
A: Yes. He was asking me where I was located in the city. I was asking him for directions how to get to his house. I had gotten the directions wrong and wound up on the opposite end of town and it was East Tropicana.
Q: During this telephone conversation in October of 2005, did Craig Titus request something of you?
A: Yes, he asked if I would stop by and pick something up for him.
Q: What did he ask you to pick up for him?
A: A Taser located at spy ware store.
Q: Did you actually drive to the spy ware store?
A: Yes, it was right around the corner from where I was.
Q: And you mentioned you were somewhere on East Tropicana.
A: Yes
Q: Do you recall the name of the spy ware store?
A: I'm wanting to say Fox's Spy Ware maybe, but I know spy ware was aprt of the name.
Q: You actually went to Fox's Spay Ware and went inside the store.
A: Yes. He had it waiting.
Q: You say he. You mean Craig Tits?
A: Yes
Q: Did you actually purchased this Taser gun?
A: Yes, I did.
Q: What did you use to make that purchase?
A: My Bank of America credit card.
Q: Other than the Taser, was anything else purchased?
A: He asked me to pick up two extra cartridges for the Taser.
Q: When you say he, you mean Craig Titus?
A: Yes.
Q: Were you asked to fill out any paperwork when you purchased the Taser?
A: Yes. You had, to get the Taser someone had to be the owner of it and because i was there, I explained that this is for someone else, they said that's fine, you can sign it over to them upon purchasing it.
Q: Did you actually fill out the paperwork yourself or did you provide the information?
A: I provided the information to the clerk.
Q: Let me show you Grand Jury Exhibits 55 and 56. Tell me if these are copies of the registration cards for which you provided information and the clerk completed.
A: Yes.
Q: Okay. You see the name Ryan Chastain on these documents?
A: Yes, I do.
Q: Did you provide the clerk with a driver's license?
A: Yes.
Q: Is that or was that your driver's license number?
A: I'm pretty confident it is. I don't remember the number, but yes.
Q: Okay. You had an out-of-state driver's license?
A: Louisiana.
Q: Is that reflected on these exhibits?
A: Yes, it is.
Q: Is there a phone number written on these exhibits as well?
A: My personal cell phone.
Q: And that's information you provided to the clerk?
A: Yes.
Q: After you purchased the Taser gun and the additional cartridges, did you then drive somwhere and meet with Craig Titus?
A: Yes.
Q: Was that the same day?
A: Yes
Q: Where did you meet with Craig?
A: At the Chevron gas station on West Tropicana and Fort Apache which was located around the corner from their house.
Q: From the gas station, where did you go?
A: To their house.
Q: When you say their house, who do you mean?
A: Craig & Kelly's.
Q: Kelly Ryan?
A: Yes
Q: Was the Taser gun that you purchased then provided by you to Craig Titus?
A: Yes
Q: As well as the cartridges?
A: Yes
Q: Did you see what Craig did with the Taser gun?
A: Opened it up, inspected it, and was thoroughly excited about it and happy that he had what he wanted.
Q: Other than the Taser gun that you've just described, did you ever see Craig Titus with a stun gun?
A: Yes, later he showed him a handheld stun gun.
Q: The same day or a different day?
A: Uhm, I beleive it was a different day.
Q: Can you describe that stun gun?
A: Probably six to eight inches long, three to four inches wide, reciprocating prongs at the top of it. I wouldn't say chrome, more of a silver-ish color if I recall right, silver-ish black.
Q: As far as you know, how was the stun gun different from the Taser gun that Craig had you purchase?
A: The Taser would obviously, shoots out electric current, this one you would walk up and strike someone with it.
Q: Did you explain to Craig Titus that you had to fill out paperwork or provide information to indicate that the gun was now registered to you?
A: Yes. Because I didn't want any ownership of it, I wanted him to take care of that paperwork.
Q: Was it your intention to have Craig Titus put the Taser gun in his name?
A: Certainly.
Q: Do you know if that was ever done?
A: Not that I know of and from the looks of this - obviously not.
Q: And I would admonish the members of the Grand Jury not to hold that information against Craig Titus. I'm simply asking to explain why the Taser gun was still in Ryan Chastain's name. My. Chastain, you told me initially you were feeling under the weather today, correct?
A: Yes.
Q: Is is true to say that you have additional information about this case based on conversations you had with Craig Titus and Kelly Ryan?
A: Yes.
Q: I'm not going to ask you about that today based on how you feel. So I have no additional questions for Mr. Chastain at this time.
