Accused molester’s alleged confession attacked

Finger Lakes Times:

Ronald Spoor… faces charges of predatory sexual assault against a child and criminal sexual act, both felonies, for allegedly touching [two] boys’ private areas while they were sleeping at his house. The predatory sexual assault charge, a class A-2 felony, is punishable by up to life in prison….

Spoor’s attorney, Steven Getman, is arguing police improperly gave Spoor his Miranda warning in Farmington and should have given him the warning in Waterloo. Getman is seeking to have the audiotape suppressed and not played at Spoor’s trial.

Spoor’s trial hasn’t been scheduled.

Spoor also testified at the hearing. Under questioning from Getman, he said he had several beers before [New York State Police] arrived at his house and had trouble understanding the Miranda rights. He claimed police coerced him into a confession after he repeatedly denied the allegations.

“They kept questioning me and saying I did it,” Spoor said. “They twisted it around when I said I might have touched him”

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“He felt he had to confess or he would be arrested,” Getman said. “It was a tainted statement.”

During his testimony, Spoor said he has no prior criminal record other than a DWI arrest in the 1980s.

[Seneca County Judge Dennis] Bender will issue a written decision on whether the tape can be played at Spoor’s trial.

The charges against the defendant are accusations and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless he is proven guilty in a court of law.

Watkins Glen teen placed in detention

FingerLakes1.com:

A sixteen year old from Watkins Glen was placed in juvenile detention on Tuesday by the Schuyler County Family Court, at the request of the Schuyler County Attorney’s office.

According to Schuyler County Attorney Geoffrey Rossi, the teen had been found to be a juvenile delinquent and placed on probation on charges of “Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle” earlier this year. According to police reports, the teen had taken a motor vehicle without the owner’s permission and gotten into an accident, damaging the vehicle in excess of $800.00. The boy was placed on juvenile probation in May of this year, ordered to pay restitution and to stay out trouble.

However, probation officials allege that the teen failed to pay restitution and continued to misbehave in school.

Based on these allegations Assistant County Attorney Steven Getman asked that the teen be placed in detention pending further court action. Family Court Judge David Brockway granted that request, finding that the teen was at risk to commit further misbehaviors.

If the court upholds the probation violation charges, the teen faces up to one year placement in a state secure facility, which can be extended until his eighteenth birthday.

The charges against the respondent are accusations and a respondent is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.

Presentation: avoiding online consumer headaches

Cornell Cooperative Extension will be hosting a Consumer Issues program on Thursday, December 12 at 11:00 am.

The topic will be Avoiding Consumer Problems on the Internet. Speakers will explore ways for consumers to protect their identity, financial accounts, and personal information, and what to do to resolve problems if they occur.

Cornell Cooperative Extension is located at 615 Willow Avenue, Ithaca, New York. The program is free and open to the public; no registration is necessary.

For more information, click here or call the Consumer HelpLine at 607-272-2292 weekdays between 10:00 am and 2:00 pm.

Pretrial hearings to begin for alleged sexual predator

Finger Lakes Times:

WATERLOO — Pretrial hearings for a town resident accused of sexually abusing at least two young children will be held next month.

Ronald T. Spoor appeared briefly in Seneca County Court Monday (November 25). County Judge Dennis Bender scheduled Huntley and Sandoval hearings for Dec. 13.

A Huntley hearing reviews the manner in which police obtain statements and evidence from a defendant, and whether they can be used at trial. A Sandoval hearing determines which portions of a defendant’s criminal record can be addressed by the prosecution if the defendant testifies at trial.

No date has been set for Spoor’s trial.

Ovid-area attorney Steven Getman is representing Spoor.

The charges against the defendant are accusations and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless he is proven guilty in a court of law.