Cipriano testifies, judge rules on his statements to police

By Amy Lange
Fox 2 News

PONTIAC, Mich. (WJBK) -- "At any time in that day did you consume what is known as Spice or K2?" Tucker Cipriano was asked.

"I remember smoking all day," he answered.  "It made me feel dizzy... I smoked enough of it to the point where I slumped down, really just went blank."

Cipriano took the stand and testified he was high on K2 or Spice, as well as mushrooms and alcohol in the hours before it's alleged he and Mitchell Young beat Cipriano's father Robert to death with a baseball bat and nearly killed his mother Rose and brother Sal while his brother Tanner and little sister Isabella were in the home.

Police testified after Cipriano's arrest that he made several statements implicating himself in the crime, but he was difficult, dishonest and emotional.

"He asked if he could demonstrate the position that he saw his father in.  We said he could, so he got down on the floor to demonstrate that position, but he broke down and we terminated the interview at that point," said Farmington Hills Police Officer Mark Mostek.

At issue was whether or not Cipriano understood his rights when he made those statements to Farmington Hills Police, police who had arrested him the morning of the murder at a friend's home in Keego Harbor.

"I remember getting kicked in the face," Cipriano testified.  "I remember other police taunting me saying I should've killed myself."

Cipriano's attorney wanted his confessions thrown out, but police and prosecutors said he was properly mirandized and was not under the influence at the time and reached out to police to tell his side of the story.

The judge ruled that Cipriano's statements will stay in and that he did indeed understand exactly what he was saying and, in fact, reached out to the police, who she said did properly mirandize him and really went above and beyond.