Opinion ID: 2257779
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Defendant's Interview

Text: At the Prosecutor's Office, Captain King advised defendant of his Miranda rights and asked him to read and sign a warning card. See Miranda v. Arizona, 384 U.S. 436, 86 S.Ct. 1602, 16 L.Ed. 2d 694 (1966). After answering questions regarding his unregistered car, defendant stated his belief that the officers were interviewing him for something more than a motor vehicle offense. Specifically, defendant stated, You think I killed somebody in Delran? This is just a cut on my hand. Until that point, no one had mentioned Eck's murder. Defendant answered questions regarding his friendship with Bryant, but maintained that he was not involved in the Amoco robbery. Because of this assertion, Captain King informed defendant he was ending the interview. As Captain King prepared to leave, defendant grabbed King's arm and said, I know you want to get to the nitty-gritty. I was there with Alonzo in Delran when he did what he did. I know it was a bad move. I know I'm done. I'm going to jail. Defendant then agreed to make a tape-recorded statement regarding the events of February 23 and 24.
In his first statement, defendant acknowledged the attacks on both Chrostowski and Eck, but identified Bryant as the aggressor. In this statement, defendant explained that on leaving the Doll House bar and entering his car, Bryant decided to roll Chrostowski, who had just parked his BMW near defendant's car. As defendant opened his door, Bryant walked around the car and stabbed Chrostowski. When asked why he had opened his door, defendant explained, I was going to be an accessory to that bad boy ... even though I knew it was wrong. After stabbing Chrostowski, Bryant and defendant were distracted by the sound of sirens. Defendant and Bryant then went to an unnamed club in Trenton, where defendant got into an altercation with another patron. Next, they proceeded to Francine's, a Cherry Hill nightclub. On arrival, however, Bryant decided not to enter the club. After leaving Francine's, they approached the Delran Amoco station. Bryant instructed defendant to pull into the station. Defendant agreed because he needed gas. Defendant saw a limousine parked at one of the three rows of gas pumps, and decided to park his car by the air pump to put air in his tire. After placing air in his tire, defendant drove to the gas pumps, at which point the attendant came to assist him. Bryant immediately jumped out of the car and began stabbing the attendant. Defendant claimed he had tried to stop Bryant by grabbing Bryant's knife, thereby cutting his own finger. The attendant begged Bryant to stop, and told them that they could take anything they wanted. Bryant, however, continued to stab the attendant like a pinata to make sure he was penetrating the attendant's thick winter coat. Bryant later explained to defendant that he killed the attendant because he did not want to leave any witnesses. After stabbing the attendant, Bryant went into the station building and took some cartons of cigarettes.
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.