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.
