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Updated 11/19/2008 08:45 PM

Key Witness Cross-Examined In Trial Of Cop Killers

By: NY1 News

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A key witness was back on the stand Wednesday in the trial of three men accused of killing a police officer in Brooklyn last year.

On Tuesday, Tameeka Buggs, 22, testified she was with defendants Dexter Bostic, Robert Ellis, and Lee Woods hours after Officer Russel Timoshenko and his partner Herman Yan were shot during a traffic stop. She said she heard the three talking about it.

But unlike Tuesday, when she broke down almost immediately, Buggs maintained her composure Wednesday as defense attorneys tried to poke holes in her story and in her credibility.

Edward Wilford, Bostic's attorney, quickly got her to reveal that at the time, she was working as a stripper in New Jersey, a fact she left out Tuesday when prosecutors asked her about past employment.

Wilford also tried to paint the witness as hot-tempered, bringing up an argument she had with one of her neighbors, who she said wanted to "pimp" her. Buggs admitted spitting at the man and throwing hot candle wax at him.

Attorneys for all three defendants got Buggs to admit she lied to police about her knowledge of the shooting the first time they approached her for information.

"You do know the difference between a lie and the truth, don't you?" Wilford asked Buggs.

"Yes," Buggs responded.

Later, Ellis' attorney asked her about the next time she spoke to police.

"The second time you decided to tell the truth, because now you were in trouble. Is that correct?" asked the attorney.

"Yes," responded Buggs.

"The fact is the only reason you spoke to them was under the threat of arrest," continued Wilford.

"Yes," said Buggs.

Jurors also heard from the sale manager at the car dealership where Bostic worked.

He said the morning of the shooting, a BMW from his lot was missing, as was another car's license plate. The plate was on the missing car when it was found abandoned near the site of the shooting.