Attorneys For Defendant In Good Friday Killings Case Say His Rights Were Violated

Attorneys for Jake England, one of the men charged with murder and hate crimes following a deadly shooting spree on Good Friday, say his constitutional rights were violated by Tulsa Police detectives.

The preliminary hearing in that case began Wednesday.

"During the time he is talking to Mr. England, he promises that it's going to be maintained as confidential and nobody is going find out about it," said defense attorney, Clark Brewster.

England's attorneys say even though the teenager was read his Miranda rights, police comments during the interrogation negate the part about, "anything you say may be used against you."

"You can make that statement to them and then if you take it right away, you don't have a proper Miranda, and I think it's constitutional in dimension. I suspect the court is going to sustain that," Brewster said.

7/18/2012 Related Story: Witnesses: Accused Tulsa Good Friday Shooters Confessed Killings

That's one of many arguments a judge will hear as he decides whether Jake England and Alvin Watts should stand trial for murder and hate crimes.

Doug Drummond, a Tulsa County Assistant District Attorney, said, "As prosecutors, we too are ministers of justice and so we are not here to trample anyone's constitutional rights. And so as this moves forward, we certainly believe the statement will be admitted."

The preliminary hearing will reconvene in three weeks, on August 14.

In the meantime, the judge will watch England's interrogation video and be ready to hear arguments about whether he was legally arrested.

Attorneys for Alvin Watts declined to comment.