The first conversation between April Goodman and undercover Chicago police officer Peter Bukiri took place Aug. 4, 1998, around 4 p.m., in a now-defunct Gold Coast coffeehouse. The secretly recorded conversations were played in court on Wednesday.
Bukiri: Removing him is the situation, uh, you either want him killed or you don’t want him killed.
April Goodman: Well, I do.
Bukiri: Do you want him killed?
April Goodman: Personally?
Bukiri: Yeah.
April Goodman: Yeah.
Bukiri: OK.
Voice: Do you guys need a menu?
Bukiri: Before I walk away from here–you are gonna pay me $5,000 to kill him?
April Goodman: You know, the way you summarize things it makes me feel like I’m being set up.
Bukiri: Yeah, but is that what you’re gonna do? I need to know this because I need to know before I walk out of here what’s happening.
April Goodman: That’s my idea.
Bukiri: OK, all right. Why don’t, uhm–
April Goodman: (inaudible)
Bukiri: It’s a business and it’s a business proposition. You know, you want something done and you want me to provide the service for you.
April Goodman: Right.
