Murder suspect wants statements tossed

2012-08-18T01:00:00Z Murder suspect wants statements tossedBY CALEB HALE, The Southern thesouthern.com

PINCKNEYVILLE — The final suspect in the 2010 murder of a Pinckneyville teen is seeking to toss statements he gave to police during what his attorney describes as an illegal interrogation.

Charles Stegmeyer, attorney for defendant Robert D. Mueller, has filed a motion to suppress "any and all statements" the then-15-year-old gave to Pinckneyville police officers during a July 29, 2010, interview about the death of Sidnee Stephens, 15, who had been found strangled and shot in a creek south of town July 25.

Court documents Stegmeyer filed Thursday in Perry County Courthouse state Mueller's mother, Rhonda, twice told police officers her son needed an attorney before answering questions. The motion alleges police used "coercive tactics" to keep Mueller talking.

Stegmeyer contends Mueller was coerced into making certain admissions and confessions that violated his Fifth, Sixth and 14th Amendment rights under the U.S. Constitution.

Mueller now fears prosecutors will attempt to introduce those statements during his upcoming trial, according to the motion.

Mueller is charged with four counts of first-degree murder, a count of aggravated kidnapping, two counts of home invasion, one count of residential burglary, one count of kidnapping and one count of concealing a homicide in relation to Stephens' death. He is the last of three defendants charged with murdering Stephens.

A hearing on the motion is set for Aug. 23 before Judge Richard Aguirre.

James Glazier, 19, was found guilty of first-degree murder during a bench trial last month in Perry County. He faces 20 to 60 years in prison and has a sentencing date set for Sept. 13.

Another suspect, Carl Dane, pleaded guilty in 2011 to Stephens' murder and was sentenced to 60 years in prison. Authorities found him dead in his jail cell the morning he was scheduled to be transferred to Menard Correctional Center.

caleb.hale@thesouthern.com

618-351-5090

On Twitter: @bycalebhale

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