Opinion ID: 2257779
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Defendant's Second Statement

Text: After reviewing his first statement, defendant said, This is not coming out right. The jury will never believe me.... This sounds bad. I did enough lying to cover it up. I'm tired of lying. Captain King agreed with defendant that the first statement was incredible. To demonstrate his agreement, King cut up a blank tape, which defendant believed to be the tape of his statement. Defendant then proceeded to make a second statement, which Captain King and Detective John Stefanoni again recorded. The material facts of defendant's second statement are as follows: Early in the evening, Bryant asked defendant if he was down on doing something, which involved not just going out, but getting paid, which meant committing robberies. Defendant suggested that they wear surgical gloves so as not to leave any fingerprints. Defendant and Bryant unsuccessfully tried to purchase guns from neighborhood drug dealers. Instead, each armed himself with a knife. Defendant described his knife as a regular seven-inch knife. Their plan was to go to the parking lots of some bars and clubs and rob wealthy-looking patrons as they left their cars. Defendant stated, I knew what I was getting into.... One indication of the night being a murderous night was when `Lonzo cut a guy.... This statement was made in reference to the Chrostowski stabbing. Defendant explained that he and Bryant were in his car outside of the Doll House when they decided to roll Chrostowski. Defendant blamed himself for Chrostowski's escape, stating that he did not open his door in time to completely block Chrostowski's path. Although defendant said he didn't touch Chrostowski, he sure to hell made up for that on that old man [Eck]. Defendant and Bryant then decided to hit Francine's, a Cherry Hill nightclub. They targeted that club because of its wealthy clientele. A valet parking system at Francine's, however, foiled their plan. As defendant said he explained to Bryant, We can't roll nobody here because we will have to kill a whole lot of motherfuckers ... you cannot do that with these motherfuckin' little fuckin' knives we got. After leaving Francine's and returning to Burlington on Route 130, Bryant told defendant to pull into the Delran Amoco. Once there, they waited by the air pump until a limousine departed. When Eck approached their car, defendant and Bryant attacked him. Defendant stated: Alonzo was out there before me. Alonzo had took the guy and was in there.... While he was getting cartons of cigarettes, I was stabbin' the man, too. And I can't give no accurate account who got the most stabs in and all that shit. This is only `cause we was stabbing the guy.... I'm a fuckin' killer. I did it. I'm sorry but that don't bring the man back and due process get what I deserve.... Who am the fuck am I to take a man out that ain't did nuttin'. While stabbing Eck, defendant's knife closed, penetrated his glove, and cut his left index finger. Defendant repeated that, during the attack, Eck offered no resistance. Eck begged defendant and Bryant to leave him alone and told them to take all they wanted. When asked why he and Bryant continued to stab Eck, defendant stated: You know what I wanted to do? Like I was telling you before, yeah. Don't have no witnesses around. Not torture him, dismiss him off ... off the planet. .. . We're acting like ... how can you put it? Somebody is working for an Italian family. They got a contract out and you gotta get ... kill a person. Like it's a bid. It's like it's a job. Like you have a job and everything to do. It's a job. That's how we action'. Like this is all businesslike. Like emotional, it isn't that. Just taking somebody out. .. . No emotion. After the attack, Bryant took a wad of money from Eck's front pocket, went into the station building, and took several cartons of cigarettes. Defendant, however, did not take anything. Defendant explained, While [Alonzo] was in there, I didn't motherfuckin' take the money or nuttin'. I wasn't concerned about money. You know what I was concerned about? Huh? Making sure he's dead. Stabbed.... Because I didn't wanna motherfuckin' witness. Defendant and Bryant left the gas station and went to Annie Edwards's house. Somewhere between Delran and Willingboro, defendant threw the surgical gloves from the car window. After arriving at Edward's house, defendant and Bryant bragged about the robbery. Bryant described how he had stabbed Eck in the genitals. Because defendant was still bleeding, Bryant took him to see Bryant's aunt, a nurse, at her apartment. On her suggestion, Bryant took defendant to the hospital. At some point during the evening, Bryant discarded defendant's knife. Defendant was annoyed that Bryant had thrown away defendant's knife, but cleaned and kept his own knife.