PINE BLUFF, Ark. (AP) - A jury will be able to hear an admission made to police by a man accused of kidnapping and killing a 17-year-old Pine Bluff girl.
Circuit Judge Sam Pope on Thursday turned away an attempt by lawyers for Kenneth Ray Osburn, 47, to bar the statements on grounds that police used coercion. Pope did rule that one statement by Osburn should be kept out of trial, but he allowed at least five others.
Osburn is charged with capital murder for the slaying of Casey Crowder, who was killed on Aug. 27, 2006. Her body was found six days later. Authorities say Crowder ran out of gas on U.S. 65 near Dumas while she was returning to Pine Bluff after visiting her boyfriend at Pickens.
Jury selection is scheduled to begin Sept. 20 in Arkansas City. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty.
Defense attorney Herbert Wright said the statements allowed at trial include incriminating "yes or no" responses to questions by investigators. Lawyers for Osburn argued earlier that police continued questioning Osburn after he asked for an attorney.
Prosecutor Thomas Deen would not comment Thursday, but said at an earlier hearing that Osburn spoke voluntarily.
An order by Pope says the statements allowed at trial include two interviews Osburn gave to police on Sept. 4, 2006, neither of which can be termed a confession, and a video interview taken the day of his arrest, "which contains admissions."
Testimony in an Aug. 23 hearing revealed that Osburn told Desha County Sheriff Jim Snyder the day of his arrest, "Jim, that was not me that did that to that girl."
Snyder, who was then a deputy, said, "It wasn't?"
Osburn replied, "No, I was outside myself."
Osburn has since said he is innocent.
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Information from: Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, http://www.arkansasonline.com
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