Accused killer, 8, let go for Thanksgiving

ST. JOHNS, Ariz., Nov. 20 (UPI) -- A judge in Arizona ruled the child who is accused of killing his father and another man can spend Thanksgiving with his mother.

The 48-hour pass from juvenile lock-up begins noon Wednesday and ends at noon Friday, the Apache County court administrator told CNN.

The 8-year-old boy is charged in juvenile court with killing his father, Vincent Romero, 29, and Tim Romans, 39, who rented a room in Romero's home in St. Johns, Ariz. Police have said the boy confessed to shooting the men.

The videotape of police questioning the boy has been made public, and legal analysts told CNN that the methods police used to question the child were suspect. Police weren't videotaped reading the boy his rights nor was a parent or attorney with him during questioning.

While the session began in a non-confrontational manner, police later became more pointed in their queries and that is when the child said he shot the two men, CNN reported.

The child's statement that he shot his father a second time "so he wouldn't suffer" came after the camera should have been turned off and the boy advised of his rights, analysts said.

"The law enforcement conduct in this case is inexplicable: from interrogating a third-grader without the presence of a parent or other adult to releasing an inflammatory videotape before a trial," said Jeffrey Toobin, CNN's senior legal analyst.

Apache County Attorney Christopher Candelaria said the tape was released because it was considered public record.