Page 2 - Hookah Cafe News Today

>> as police gathered evidence, bit by bit, asking around about paul, one of them noticed something a little odd. paul told a friend, also a policeman, by the way, two slightly different stories about his whereabouts the day of the fire. first conversation, day of the fire, reported the cop friend, paul said he wasnt home all day. then, second conversation, next day, paul said he stopped briefly at home en route to his hookah cafe. as we say, odd. but peoples memories can be tricky. was that one...

They took a closer look at the victims boyfriend paul. and there was a curious moment in that police interview the day of the fire when paul admitted he wasnt always the best sort of boyfriend. >> me and my girlfriend were broke up, and thanks to palo alto pd, put a restraining order on me because they said paul threatened me, blah, blah, blah. i said, no, she came to the cafe and broke the door. we always have problems like this. i never touched a girl in my life. you can see the police reports...

At this point, nobody had told him that jennifer was in that fire. >> im worried about my house. what about my girlfriend? what caused the fire, and i dont care about this. i just want to know about jennifer right now. >> im not sure i know anything more than you do. my job is to talk to you and find out what exactly you know because you probably know more than me at this point. >> no. no. >> so, together, police and zumot talked about the hours before the fire. where had she been? what had she ...

>> as police gathered evidence, bit by bit, asking around about paul, one of them noticed something a little odd. paul told a friend, also a policeman, by the way, two slightly different stories about his whereabouts the day of the fire. first conversation, day of the fire, reported the cop friend, paul said he wasnt home all day. then, second conversation, next day, paul said he stopped briefly at home en route to his hookah cafe. as we say, odd. but peoples memories can be tricky. was that one...

Opportunity to tell us where he was and what he was doing, he chose to basically lie to us three times. and we were able to prove he lied to us by the hard evidence we had with the phone records and with the video surveillance and those items. and i just -- to me, that hurt him very badly. >> if he hadnt testified, i cant say for sure, but i dont think i could have convicted him. >> inside his jail cell, his friends say, paul zumot is trying to say strong, waiting for his sentencing, his lawyer ...

Bit by bit, asking around about paul, one of them noticed something a little odd. paul told a friend, also a policeman, by the way, two slightly different stories about his whereabouts the day of the fire. first conversation, day of the fire, reported the cop friend, paul said he wasnt home all day. then, second conversation, next day, paul said he stopped briefly at home en route to his hookah cafe. as we say, odd. but peoples memories can be tricky. was that one little difference enough to add...

What caused the fire, and i dont care about this. i just want to know about jennifer right now. >> im not sure i know anything more than you do. my job is to talk to you and find out what exactly you know because you probably know more than me at this point. >> no. no. >> so, together, police and zumot talked about the hours before the fire. where had she been? what had she and paul been doing? >> well, yesterday was my birthday. we went out, and everything was fine, you know. >> whos "we"? >> m...

The other was at frys electronics and home depot 20 minutes away. we have videotape and receipts from both of those locations. >> so once the ghanma brothers were in the clear, cops do what they always do in cases like this. its practically police work 101. they took a closer look at the victims boyfriend paul. and there was a curious moment in that police interview the day of the fire when paul admitted he wasnt always the best sort of boyfriend. >> me and my girlfriend were broke up, and thank...

Lied to us by the hard evidence that we had with the phone records and with the video surveillance and those items. and i just -- to me, that hurt him very badly. >> if he hadnt testified, i cant say for sure, but i dont think i could have convicted him. >> at his sentencing, an angry paul zumot again protested his innocence but he was sent away 25 years to life for murder, plus eight years for arson. the cottage was repaired. young people were still coming to the cafe to smoke hookah. >> i can ...

Evening. >> there was traffic, i got to the cafe because thats when they open. i had to log into the computers. as soon as i sat down -- i have a hookah lounge. my landlord calls and says your house is on fire. i flew through the red lights and im here. im really frustrated and confused and exhausted and i want to know what happened. i care less about the house but jennifers safety. i cannot think anything right now. i just cannot think anything. >> then in the middle of his conversation with de...