Prosecutors: Statements In Colorado Man's Murder Case Voluntary

BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) - Prosecutors in eastern Montana are asking a state judge to deny a defense request to suppress the suspect's alleged confession in a high-profile murder case.

Deputy Richland County Attorney T.R. Halvorson wrote in a Wednesday court brief that law enforcement video shows Michael Keith Spell made his statements voluntarily.

Spell, of Parachute, Colo., is accused of killing 43-year-old Sidney High School math teacher Sherry Arnold during an attempted abduction in the Bakken oil patch.

He allegedly confessed to his involvement during an interrogation by FBI agents following his arrest six days after Arnold's 2012 disappearance.

Because Spell is mentally disabled, his attorneys say he was not capable of voluntarily waiving his rights to remain silent and have an attorney present.

An accomplice has pleaded guilty under a deal with prosecutors.

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