Accused killer, 8, let go for Thanksgiving

Published: Nov. 20, 2008 at 7:37 AM
Order reprints
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.


© 2008 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved.



Your Daily Horoscope
The almanac
Panetta: Congress not told of CIA program
Biden goes on the road to defend stimulus
The two-edged sword of online games
Rio Tinto employees face spy charges
Ghana prepared to greet Obama
fark
Tennessee Aquarium presents a bowl full of ugly-ass baby penguin. A little milk and we'll have a...
Judge allows Twitter-using DA to 'tweet' upcoming muder trial over defense objections. Prosecution's...
Photoshop theme: The end of the universe
NY Times thinks their website users would pay five bucks per month. Listen, for the last time, no...
Fewer calories allow monkeys to live longer. Good thing you're not a monkey
"Resident found out it's not OK to shoot raccoons and gerbils...He told police that he and his neighbors...