State v. Wright

The opinion of the Court was delivered by

HANDLER, J.

This case requires that we determine whether statements made by a defendant, subsequent to his request for counsel issued in the context of his refusal to submit to a polygraph examination, were properly suppressed on the ground that they were obtained in violation of his fifth amendment right to have counsel present at an interrogation.

I

Defendant, Robert Ray Wright, is charged with arson and murder, as a result of a fire he allegedly set on January 14, 1981, in which three children died. Defendant was taken into custody on February 6,1981,…