A Clermont County judge has yet to decide whether a confession made by Chad Doerman, the man accused of killing his three children, should be used as evidence at his trial.
But according to Ross, the individuals Doerman mentioned as being the "family's lawyers" — one being his dad, another his aunt — are not trained attorneys.
"Neither name that he gave me were even close to lawyers," said Ross.
Ross said Doerman went on to change the conversation after mentioning the family "lawyers."
"He just keeps talking about something unrelated to the lawyer issue that I was trying to clarify," Ross said.
Doerman brought up legal representation again later on in the interview, saying "Who's the lawyer?" but, according to Ross, shrugged when investigators responded.
"You tell me," Ross told the court he said to Doerman, saying it seemed like Doerman didn't care if he had legal representation. The interview moved forward.
Doerman is accused of shooting and killing his three young sons, ages 3, 4 and 7, on June 15, 2023. He faces nine counts of aggravated murder, eight counts of kidnapping and four counts of felonious assault.
Clermont County investigators said Doerman originally confessed to the murders soon after his arrest, saying he planned the murders, lining up his three children and executing them with a rifle. Prosecutors said one of the boys tried to run away into an open field before Doerman chased him down, dragged him back to the house and killed him. The boys' mother was present during the scene and sustained a gunshot wound to the hand. Despite his confession, he later pleaded not guilty to the charges in front of a judge.
Doerman's lawyers have asked Clermont County Common Pleas Judge Richard Ferenc to throw out statements made by Doerman after his arrest, saying his Miranda rights were not read in full and that detectives questioned him for hours without a lawyer present.Clermont County investigators said Doerman originally confessed to the murders soon after his arrest, saying he planned the murders, lining up his three children and executing them with a rifle. Prosecutors said one of the boys tried to run away into an open field before Doerman chased him down, dragged him back to the house and killed him. The boys' mother was present during the scene and sustained a gunshot wound to the hand. Despite his confession, he later pleaded not guilty to the charges in front of a judge.
The Miranda rights
While on the stand Wednesday, Detective Michael Ross, who led the investigation, said he read Doerman his Miranda rights verbally, though he admitted he did not read those rights in full. He said he was holding a card listing the Miranda rights at the time.
"Word for word? No," Ross told the defense attorney.
"Word for word? No," Ross told the defense attorney.
"Well, you left out some pretty important parts, didn't you?" the attorney asked Ross.
"No, I think I covered the important parts and he understood that he had the right to an attorney and that he had the right to an attorney if he could not afford one. Those are the important parts, and he understood that," Ross answered.
"You did say, 'You have a right to talk to a lawyer for advice before we ask you any questions,' but the part on the card goes on to say, '...and to have a lawyer with you during questioning,'" said the attorney. "You did not read that part, did you?"
"No, I think I covered the important parts and he understood that he had the right to an attorney and that he had the right to an attorney if he could not afford one. Those are the important parts, and he understood that," Ross answered.
"You did say, 'You have a right to talk to a lawyer for advice before we ask you any questions,' but the part on the card goes on to say, '...and to have a lawyer with you during questioning,'" said the attorney. "You did not read that part, did you?"
"No," answered Ross.
When asked why he did not read Doerman the Miranda rights card in full, he said he probably should have.
"I'm not a robot," Ross said. "I probably should have read the entire card, but I'm not a robot."
When asked why he did not read Doerman the Miranda rights card in full, he said he probably should have.
"I'm not a robot," Ross said. "I probably should have read the entire card, but I'm not a robot."
The attorney
According to the motion filed by Doerman's defense team, Doerman asked for a lawyer early on in the investigation but was not appointed one.
"I'll wait for a lawyer," Doerman told detectives, according to the motion. "Give me a couple of days and let me talk to a lawyer so I can get nice, good answers."
But according to Ross, the individuals Doerman mentioned as being the "family's lawyers" — one being his dad, another his aunt — are not trained attorneys.
"Neither name that he gave me were even close to lawyers," said Ross.
Ross said Doerman went on to change the conversation after mentioning the family "lawyers."
"He just keeps talking about something unrelated to the lawyer issue that I was trying to clarify," Ross said.
Doerman brought up legal representation again later on in the interview, saying "Who's the lawyer?" but, according to Ross, shrugged when investigators responded.
"You tell me," Ross told the court he said to Doerman, saying it seemed like Doerman didn't care if he had legal representation. The interview moved forward.
Judge Ferenc said he will review the motion case over the next month.
Doerman remains incarcerated at the Clermont County Jail on a $20 million bond.
His trial is scheduled for July. Doerman faces the death penalty if convicted.
His trial is scheduled for July. Doerman faces the death penalty if convicted.
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