AKRON, Ohio – Attorneys for an Ohio man charged in two fires that killed nine people on his street say his statements to police should be excluded at trial in the potential death penalty case.
Fifty-eight-year-old Stanley Ford, of Akron, has pleaded not guilty to aggravated murder charges in an April 2016 fire that killed two adults, and a May 2017 blaze that killed two adults and five children.
The Akron Beacon Journal reports investigators questioned Ford seven times. A judge is considering whether Ford's statements should be excluded at trial, which hasn't been scheduled.
Defense attorneys argue Ford wasn't properly advised of his rights, was improperly questioned and didn't voluntarily give his statements to police.
Prosecutors say detectives followed the right procedures. They claim Ford talked with investigators to learn what they knew.
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Information from: Akron Beacon Journal, http://www.ohio.com
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