Defense seeks suppression in strangulation case

Commonwealth argues Ryan R. Shiflett was properly detained and questioned.

The York Daily Record

April 2, 2009

By Rick Lee

Daily Record/Sunday News

Accused in the April 25, 2008, “sleeper hold” strangulation of a friend, Ryan Randolph Shiflett wants all evidence and statements that Pennsylvania State Police obtained from him suppressed from trial.

Shiflett, 19, is charged with first- and third-degree murder and voluntary manslaughter in the death of Eric Cook, 19. Shiflett’s family has said Cook’s death was an accident.

The defense maintains troopers improperly stopped, detained and questioned Shiflett the day Cook’s body was found along Route 851 in Shrewsbury Township near Shiflett’s house.

Shiflett is also seeking to have the first-degree murder charge dismissed for lack of evidence.

The York County District Attorney’s Office called three state troopers to the stand during Wednesday’s suppression hearing before Judge Penny L. Blackwell.

*In his filing that resulted in the hearing, defense attorney Tim Barrouk contended troopers stopped mother Kimberly Shiflett’s pickup, hours after Cook’s body was found, “without requisite reasonable suspicion.”*

Sgt. Troy Park said he and other troopers went after two cars that left the area of the crime scene while the investigation was underway. He said they were not specifically looking for Ryan Shiflett but knew by that time he was a friend of Cook’s.

Park said he followed the pickup to a nearby farm lane where it stopped. Shiflett was a passenger in the truck driven by his mother.

Kimberly Shiflett testified later in the hearing that she had pulled into the farm lane because she had forgotten her cell phone and was in the process of turning around.

Barrouk argued that troopers were deceptive in persuading Ryan Shiflett to accompany them to the Loganville barracks “to identify” Cook’s body in photographs.

Park said he only asked Shiflett to “to talk to one of the troopers and give him any information he might have about Cook.”

Cpl. Steve J. Wise showed Blackwell the Miranda card Shiflett signed at 3:12 p.m. April 25, 2008, before he allegedly admitted he strangled Cook, after a night of drinking and drugs, with a wrestling hold.

In her memorandum of law to Blackwell, senior prosecutor Karen Comery argued “the application of deadly force” supports the commonwealth’s argument for first-degree murder.

Blackwell deferred ruling on the suppression requests.

‹ Back to Press