Wilkes Interview Under Court Review

Lawyers for a man who admitted to a triple murder in a jail house news conference want that confession thrown out. With TV news cameras rolling, Daniel Wilkes said he killed Donna Claspell and her daughters, Sydne and Avery last year. A hearing on the admissibility of the confession is underway, but we might not have a decision until tomorrow. More on the future of interviews between journalists and inmates. On April 28th of last year, Daniel Wilkes, accused of killing a west side woman and her two young daughters went before the cameras. He answered questions from several reporters at the Vanderbugh County Jail, and described details of the murder Now a hearing is underway to determine if that so-called confession can be used as evidence during his upcoming trial. Attorneys like Cole Banks would never advise a client to talk to the media, but then again, most wouldnt. One reason he says, is that journalists ask questions with a different technique and from a different prospective than would an attorney or member of law enforcement. BANKS: "they ask questions that may not be admissible in trial and its generally highly prejudicial." Sheriff Eric Williams spent hours at the courthouse today explaining how the interview with Wilkes came about, such lengthy measures could shy away law enforcement from granting such a request with inmates in the future. BANKS: "I think 3-4 years down the line here, youre not going to see this because supreme courts may say to prosecutors, you control your people and stop this pretrial publicity." "Youre people" including police officers, deputies and jailers. Banks says even if the interview is voluntary, if the state has other forms of strong evidence, many times a confession of this nature will still be thrown out "If there is forensic evidence, witnesses, pathologists, the court may look at this type of thing and say well, there could be a reversal in this case, which would cost the taxpayers money, and it might be better off to not let this kind of thing in. " The interview has already had an effect on this case. Shortly after it took place, Vanderburgh Circuit Court ruled extensive media coverage made it impossible for Wilkes to get a fair trial in the area, and moved it to Clark County. The judge did not make a decision today, but took testimony under advisement. Wilkes is expected to go to trial in October