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Murder suspect’s statement will stand

LISBON — Columbiana County Common Pleas Court Judge C. Ashley Pike denied a motion by attorneys to throw out a statement made to a sheriff’s detective by murder suspect Terry Brown.

Brown’s defense attorneys Jennifer Gorby and Terry Grenga had filed a motion claiming the statement made to Detective Steven Walker in March did not include the required reading of his Miranda rights, because it was not on a tape of the statement given to the attorneys. Additionally, the attorneys claimed Brown, 48, had been left in a patrol vehicle with the heater on for a long period of time and was not given his pop or cigarettes until after he asked for them several times.

Pike overruled the motion this week. Walker testified at a suppression hearing on Oct. 13, he did make certain Brown was given his Miranda rights before he was interviewed, and had him mark a form that he understood each right and that he was able to read and write. Walker said he did not have the tape recorder running when he read the Miranda warnings however, because he was not certain he was about to start the interview yet.

Deputies had been at Brown’s home on Hillcrest Road investigating a missing persons report on Scottie Johnson, which led to the discovery of Johnson’s body reportedly in a trash pile near the house. Johnson was determined to have died by a gunshot wound to the head.

Brown, who was placed in a sheriff’s police cruiser so he would not be outside in the cold while investigators were inside his home, gave a statement to Walker.

Brown is charged with aggravated murder, murder, aggravated robbery, complicity to aggravated murder, abuse of a corpse and tampering with evidence. A status conference is scheduled for Brown on Monday, and a jury trial set for Oct. 31.

Co-defendant Alicia A. Rogenski, 30, Hillcrest Road, Wellsville, pleaded guilty to murder and aggravated robbery on Thursday. Sentencing is set for Jan. 5.

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