Boy was pressured to confess, family says

The boy’s attorney said he will seek to prevent the use of the alleged confession.

CINCINNATI (AP) — A 10-year-old boy accused of deliberately setting a house fire that killed his mother, sister and three other children was alone when questioned by police and was not told of his right to an attorney, the boy’s step-grandfather said Friday.

“They just kept pressuring him,” Rocky Reed told The Associated Press. Reed’s wife is the maternal grandmother of the boy, who faces five delinquency counts of murder and one delinquency count of aggravated arson in the Sept. 16 duplex fire in Greenville, about 30 miles northwest of Dayton.

Reed said Greenville police questioned the boy alone three times behind closed doors at the police station. Each time, Reed had to remain outside despite his request to be present, he said. “They told me I would influence his answers,” he said.

Reed said the boy wasn’t told of his legal right to have an attorney present.

“He wasn’t told. I wasn’t either,” Reed said by telephone. “I did not even know he was a suspect.”

Reed said the last round of questioning lasted two hours. Police have said the boy confessed deliberately setting the fire.

The boy’s attorney said Thursday he will seek to prevent use of the boy’s alleged confession as evidence. Attorney David Rohrer also said he plans to deny all charges on behalf of the boy.

“I believe there was coercion used by the officers in getting this confession,” he said.

Messages for comment were left Friday with Greenville police and Darke County Prosecutor Richard Howell. On Friday, Rohrer said he could not comment further because of a court order.

A Darke County juvenile court judge on Friday barred prosecutors and defense attorneys from discussing the case outside of court. Judge Michael McClurg also ruled that upcoming court hearings, including one scheduled Monday, will be open to the press and public but that news organizations cannot publicly name the boy or publish his images.