2842/09 - Maryland Courts

was shot Aapparently accidentally.@ Thereafter, according to appellant, Zurita exited the vehicle,
followed by Jackson, who shot and killed Zurita.
In addition to detailing the planned robbery and the fight between Jackson and Zurita, Cpl.
Mann testified that appellant described the gun that was used to kill Zurita and offered to show him
where he had thrown the gun into a river in Harford County
Recorded Statement
At approximately 7:00 p.m., following his statements to Cpl. Mann and Sgt. Becker during
the second interview, appellant provided a twenty-one minute recorded statement in which he
described the fight between Jackson and Zurita as a Arobbery gone bad.@
Motions Hearing
On February 2, 2009, appellant filed a motion to suppress Aany and all statements allegedly
made by [appellant] to police@ on April 1, 2008 at the Maryland State Police Forestville Barracks,
on the ground that the statements were not voluntarily provided by appellant. In particular,
appellant sought to suppress the statements made during the first and second interviews, as well as
the recorded statement.
The circuit court held a hearing on appellant=s motion to suppress on March 11, 2009.
Sgt. Becker testified at length during the suppression hearing regarding the first interview with
appellant, and her testimony is excerpted below:
[PROSECUTOR]:
[WITNESS]:
Prior to interviewing the [appellant], what, if
anything, did you do?
Just had a very brief conversation, basically to
determine who was going to go in to do the
interview. And it was decided that myself and
[Cpl.] Batchell would go[.]
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