Klaiber v. Orzel

The pertinent facts follow. On a day early in June, 1983 defendant and a companion, "Spike" Martinez, did some yardwork for a Mrs. Williamson, the next door neighbor and landlady of the victim. Several days later, when Mrs. Williamson returned from a hairdressers appointment, she found her home had been burglarized. Sometime during the night of June 18 to 19, intruders entered Mrs. Wilsons home, took various possessions, and attacked and beat her with a pair of pruning shears. She was comatose when admitted to University Hospital and she died approximately two weeks later. In October of 1983, while under arrest on other charges which were later dropped, defendant admitted under interrogation to having entered the victims home on the night she was attacked. He did not admit to the murder. He later recanted his confession to the burglary. At trial, defendants attorney relied mostly on the argument that defendants confession was coerced by the Tucson police.