In a significant legal development, a judge has ruled that the confession of Chad Doerman, accused of killing his three sons in front of his wife and daughter, must be suppressed. This decision was made after it was determined that police violated Doerman’s rights during his arrest and subsequent interrogation.
he ruling, handed down by Clermont County Judge Richard P. Ferenc, states that Doerman’s rights were violated twice: once when authorities failed to advise him fully of his Miranda rights before interrogating him, and again when they continued to question him after he stated he wanted an attorney.
Detective Michael Ross admitted that he did not read the entire card detailing all of Doerman’s Miranda rights before the interrogation, specifically neglecting to inform Doerman of his right to have a lawyer present during questioning. This failure to fully and properly advise Doerman of his Miranda rights led to the suppression of all statements obtained during the custodial interrogation.
The defense argued that police coercion was a factor in Doerman’s alleged confession, claiming that an arresting officer was allegedly heard on body camera saying, “Is that the motherf–ker? Shut the door so I don’t f–king kill him,” after placing him in a cruiser.
However, the judge ruled it was “unlikely” Doerman actually heard those comments, as the air conditioning inside the cruiser had been turned up and the deputy was a good distance from the car when he said them. The judge also found no evidence that detectives used coercive tactics during the subsequent interrogation.
#ChadDoerman CONFESSION TOSSED & WONT BE ALLOWED AT TRIAL‼️
— ADRIIENNE F. (@itsadriienne) March 18, 2024
judge ruled Clermont County Sheriffs Office violated his rights twice when it failed to advise him of Miranda Rights before interrogating him & when detectives continued to question him after saying he wanted attorney! pic.twitter.com/piq478rdGK
Doerman is facing nearly two dozen charges in the June 15, 2023, murders of his three sons, aged 3, 4, and 7. He is charged with nine counts of aggravated murder, eight counts of kidnapping, and four counts of felonious assault. The prosecution is seeking the death penalty due to aggravating factors in this case.
The ruling to suppress Doerman’s confession means that any recordings from his interrogation cannot be used in the trial. This decision underscores the importance of adhering to legal procedures, especially regarding the rights of individuals under investigation. It also highlights the potential consequences of violating these rights, as seen in this case where the confession is deemed inadmissible.
