"I smacked her," the young man, Corey Brown, later testified.

His best friend was Corey Brown.

In the schoolyard that August night, Corey Brown was drunk, as usual.

Corey Brown ran as well, but then returned.

"He just told me his stomach was burning," Corey Brown testified.

Corey Brown said the detective offered some help.

Corey Brown, in fact, said Bobby had told prosecutors "everything."

But both Ms. Gibson and Corey Brown say nothing was done.

That left him and Corey Brown.

Corey Brown, who lives outside the city, said he never walks the streets alone.