Motion to suppress murder suspect's statements partially reversed

ST. IGNACE — An appeal by prosecution to reverse a motion to suppress statements made by a murder suspect has been partially granted.

The Michigan Court of Appeals found that the Mackinac County Circuit Court made a mistake by suppressing the statements made by 55-year-old Richard McKenzie, Jr., when he was first found by police responding to a reported shooting incident between a father and son. A Michigan State Police trooper testified that McKenzie, Jr., admitted to shooting his father — 75-year-old Richard McKenzie, Sr. — when asked where he was located.

The appeals court did not, however, find clear error in the Circuit Court’s assertion that McKenzie Junior’s high blood alcohol level and the large amounts of medication in his system rendered him incapable of intelligently waiving his Miranda rights.

McKenzie, Jr., faces a first degree murder charge for the October 2014 incident.