Defense moves to suppress statements Joseph made to detective

A circuit judge will consider a motion to suppress statements a Cape Girardeau murder suspect made to a detective a few days after his wife and son were found shot to death in their beds.

George Joseph, 48, faces charges of first-degree murder and armed criminal action in connection with the May 30 shooting deaths of his wife, Mary, and 18-year-old son, Matthew, at their home on West Cape Rock Drive.

Joseph's attorney, Bryan Greaser, filed a motion to suppress statements Joseph made to Sgt. Don Perry, a detective with the Cape Girardeau Police Department, while Joseph was in a St. Louis hospital, undergoing treatment for an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.

On Monday, Judge Benjamin Lewis put the motion on his Oct. 18 docket.

Assistant prosecuting attorney Angel Woodruff offered to provide Lewis with a videotape of Joseph's statements before the hearing to save time in court.

Greaser did not object to showing Lewis the 20- to 30-minute video ahead of time.

Lewis said he might need to play it again during the hearing.

According to a probable-cause statement Perry filed in the case, Joseph was aware of his surroundings and knew why he was in the hospital when Perry spoke with him June 4.

"Mr. Joseph stated he was in the hospital because he had shot himself. George Joseph told me the police did not need to look for any other perpetrator," Perry wrote. "When I advised Mr. Joseph that it appeared that he had shot his wife, Mary, and son, Matthew, in order to save them the shame of the financial ruin, Mr. Joseph responded that I was correct."

Outside the courtroom Monday, Greaser confirmed the videotape discussed in court contains the conversation Perry mentioned in the probable-cause statement.

"This was a statement that was given within days of the alleged incident, while he was still hospitalized," Greaser said.

He declined to elaborate on why he felt the videotape should be suppressed.

"If you come to the hearing, it'll be apparent. I'll tell you that much," Greaser said.

Greaser said his client is recovering from his injuries, which police at the time characterized as non-life-threatening.

"He's doing very well," he said.

During a preliminary hearing in July, witnesses testified that Joseph had been facing health problems and serious financial issues in the weeks leading up to the shooting, and he was worried because he was under investigation by the federal government.

epriddy@semissourian.com

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Pertinent address:

1220 W. Cape Rock Drive, Cape Girardeau, MO

100 Court St., Jackson, MO