GUILTY NJ - Daniel Griner Jr., 23 mos, dismembered, Bridgeton, Cumberland County, 8 Feb 2019 *Arrest*

[Niner]

Mom accused of killing, dismembering son wants her statements to cops barred from trial

Updated Jan 22, 2020;Posted Jan 22, 2020
The Bridgeton woman accused of killing, burning and dismembering her 23-month-old son last year is seeking to have her statements to police after reporting the child was kidnapped during an attack barred from being admitted at a potential trial.
[....]
During those statements to police, which are being played in a series of hearings on the suppression motion, Griner declines to take a polygraph test and says she is bring treated like a criminal. After speaking to her husband, however, she agrees to the test.
[.....]
Assistant Deputy Public Defender Kimberly Schultz filed a motion to suppress statements Griner made to police before a lawyer was assigned to her case. Griner was interviewed and charged over a weekend and Schultz wasn’t assigned to the case until the following Tuesday, the attorney previously said.
[.....]
During the hearings to determine if her statements will be barred from trial, prosecutors are presenting police witnesses who were involved in interviewing Griner and viewing a lengthy interview conducted with the woman on the day she reported Daniel’s abduction.
[.....]
In the suppression motion hearings, which began Jan. 10 and resumed Tuesday[1/21], Bridgeton Police Detective Sgt. Kenneth Leyman testified about initial efforts to locate Daniel on the evening of Feb. 8, 2019, when the case was considered a kidnapping.
[.....]
The hearing paused for the day before video of the polygraph examination was played.
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Griner attended the first hearing date on the motion, but waived her appearance for Tuesday’s session. The hearing on suppressing her statements resumes later this week.

Was going to put this on 1/24/20, but it could happen today, 1/23. I have no access to the New Jersey court site....

 

[Niner]

Thursday, January 23rd:
*Motions (Suppression) Hearing Continues (@ am ET) – NJ – Daniel Griner, Jr. (23 mos.) (reported missing @ 6:30pm Feb. 8, 2019, Bridgeton; found 2/9/19 @ 3am buried in yard, burned & dismembered in her purse) - *Nakira Monae Griner (24) arrested & charged (2/9/19) & indicted (6/19/19) & arraigned (10/7/19) with 1st degree murder, 2nd degree endangering the welfare of a child, 2nd degree desecration of human remains, 4th degree tampering with evidence & 2nd degree false public alarm. Plead not guilty. No bond.
Said beat toddler for not eating and not listening to her. Died from blunt force trauma & multiply bone fractures.
Court hearings from 2/14/19 thru 7/12/19 reference post #100 here:
Found Deceased - NJ - Daniel Griner Jr., 23 mos, dismembered, Bridgeton, Cumberland County, 8 Feb 2019 *Arrest*
8/26/19 Update on Arraignment hearing moved to 10/7. Had a competency evaluation. Found competent to stand trial.
10/7/19: Update: Post-indictment arraignment: Plead not guilty. Next hearing is on 11/18. 11/18/19 Update: Will not face the death penalty. Plead not guilty. Defense attorney Schultz said Monday that she intends to file a motion barring admission of any statements Griner made to police before a lawyer was assigned to her case. Griner was interviewed and charged over a weekend and Schultz wasn’t assigned to the case until the following Tuesday. Next is suppression motions hearing is 1/10/20.
1/10/20 Update: A video statement made by Griner was reviewed. Detectives on the case testified. Did not come to any conclusions, will continue on 1/21/20.
1/21/20 Update: Griner is seeking to have her statements to police after reporting the child was kidnapped during an attack barred from being admitted at a potential trial. Griner did not appear for the 2nd suppression hearing. Will continue later this week. Putting on 1/23/20.

 

[Niner]

@inmyhumbleopinion - too early to ask for next court date? TIA!

 

[inmyhumbleopinion]

Updated 9:50 AM; Today 7:00 AM
“Nakira Griner broke down in tears during a recorded interview with police last year as she admitted she lied about her 23-month-old son being kidnapped. After hours of telling that story, she said the boy fell down a flight of stairs in her Bridgeton home.

‘He’s bleeding and he’s bruised and he’s just laying there,’ she sobs in the recording. ‘He’s breathing, he’s OK, but there was blood and bruises on his face and chest.’

Griner, 25, is charged with first-degree murderand related offenses in Daniel’s February 2019 death. The child’s remains were found at the Griner home after she reported that she was assaulted while walking to a store and that Daniel was abducted.

The interviews Griner gave to police in the hours after she reported the abduction are the subject of a motion by her attorney to suppress those statements.

[SBM]

The interview video shows her taking a lie detector test, which she failed.

She is asked if she physically harmed Daniel, if she knows his whereabouts and if she was lying when she said she left home with him in the stroller.

She answers ‘no’ to each question.

After the test, which was administered by New Jersey State Police Detective George Williams, the detective sits facing Griner and leans in.

‘Nakira, listen to me. … There’s no doubt in my mind at this point that you did something to your son. I can only guess as to what happened. … I think what happened here was an accident. Something happened in that house and you made a mistake.’

He pleads with Griner.

‘It’s cold out. It’s freezing. Nobody deserves to be out there. We need to bring him home. … You know what happened to him and it wasn’t that some mystery men came up and grabbed him.’

Her story changes.

[SBM]

The detective pleads with her a final time.

‘Help me find him so you cannot look like somebody who is cold-blooded. Please.’

Griner says there’s no way of avoiding that perception.

‘No matter what, I’m going to look like somebody that’s cold-blooded. Not taking my son to the hospital because of my selfishness … taking him outside to leave him there. There’s no way I’m not looking cold-hearted. No matter how you want to play me, there’s no way that you’re going to make me look anything else.’

‘I’m not trying to play you,’ Williams responds. ‘All I want is the truth and you’re not telling it to me.’

Griner eventually ends the interview, saying she’s done.

Police did find Daniel, as the detective suspected, near the family home: burned and dismembered in a handbag and trash bags under a shed.

Assistant Deputy Public Defender Kimberly Schultz filed a motion to suppress statements Griner made to police before a lawyer was assigned to her case. Griner was quickly considered a suspect, Schultz argued, and should have been read her Miranda rights before any interviews began.

She was advised of her rights twice during her interview with Williams as she prepared to take the polygraph.

An earlier interview with Bridgeton Police was also recorded, but that recording was lost because of a technical glitch, another detective testified.

Schultz also argued that Griner was in no position to knowingly waive her rights because she was ‘going through a crisis and a clear mental break.’

The attorney objected to the interview videos being played in open court since much of the information presented wouldn’t be admissible in a trial and accused the prosecution of trying to taint a potential jury pool.

The prosecution countered that it was attempting to air a complete account of what Griner said to investigators, including the portions in which she was advised of her rights.

The prosecution has since filed a brief seeking to only admit a limited portion of Griner’s interview with Williams as evidence.

Williams and other detectives will be called back later this week to offer additional testimony in the suppression hearing.“ (BBM)
Much more at the link:
Court hears detective plead for murder suspect mom to reveal location of her toddler

 

[Niner]

They say later this week - that's why I put it on 1/23....

Thanks for the article snips!

 

[inmyhumbleopinion]

They say later this week - that's why I put it on 1/23....

Thanks for the article snips!

You are welcome. It is such a tragic and disturbing case.

Since the article was posted yesterday, I assumed the hearing was still ongoing. After I read your post, however, I emailed the author of the article, and he wrote back within a couple of minutes . So, it sounds like the next court date will be Friday, January 31st:

 

[Niner]

You are welcome. It is such a tragic and disturbing case.

Since the article was posted yesterday, I assumed the hearing was still ongoing. After I read your post, however, I emailed the author of the article, and he wrote back within a couple of minutes . So, it sounds like the next court date will be Friday, January 31st:

View attachment 228631

Well - I'm glad you have friends in high places!
Thanks for the info!

 

[Niner]

Friday, January 31st:
*Motions (Suppression) Hearing Continues (@ pm ET) – NJ – Daniel Griner, Jr. (23 mos.) (reported missing @ 6:30pm Feb. 8, 2019, Bridgeton; found 2/9/19 @ 3am buried in yard, burned & dismembered in her purse) - *Nakira Monae Griner (24) arrested & charged (2/9/19) & indicted (6/19/19) & arraigned (10/7/19) with 1st degree murder, 2nd degree endangering the welfare of a child, 2nd degree desecration of human remains, 4th degree tampering with evidence & 2nd degree false public alarm. Plead not guilty. No bond.
Said beat toddler for not eating and not listening to her. Died from blunt force trauma & multiply bone fractures.
Court hearings from 2/14/19 thru 7/12/19 reference post #100 here:
Found Deceased - NJ - Daniel Griner Jr., 23 mos, dismembered, Bridgeton, Cumberland County, 8 Feb 2019 *Arrest*
8/26/19 Update on Arraignment hearing moved to 10/7. Had a competency evaluation. Found competent to stand trial.
10/7/19: Update: Post-indictment arraignment: Plead not guilty. Next hearing is on 11/18. 11/18/19 Update: Will not face the death penalty. Plead not guilty. Defense attorney Schultz said Monday that she intends to file a motion barring admission of any statements Griner made to police before a lawyer was assigned to her case. Griner was interviewed and charged over a weekend and Schultz wasn’t assigned to the case until the following Tuesday. Next is suppression motions hearing is 1/10/20.
1/10/20 Update: A video statement made by Griner was reviewed. Detectives on the case testified. Did not come to any conclusions, will continue on 1/21/20.
1/21/20 Update: Griner is seeking to have her statements to police after reporting the child was kidnapped during an attack barred from being admitted at a potential trial. Also failed lie detector test in video. Griner did not appear for the 2nd suppression hearing. Will continue later this week. Suppression motion hearing on 1/31.

 

[Niner]

@inmyhumbleopinion - any news on next court date? TIA!

 

[Niner]

Bumping this up for @inmyhumbleopinion - when you have time!

 

[Niner]

Another bump for @inmyhumbleopinion - again - when you have time - could you see if there is a next court date? TIA!

 

[Dre]

Lol @Niner I appreciate your persistence, I would help out if only I weren’t technologically challenged! (Id be open to helping out if you wanted to explain in a DM if there’s anything I could do!)

 

[Niner]

Lol @Niner I appreciate your persistence, I would help out if only I weren’t technologically challenged! (Id be open to helping out if you wanted to explain in a DM if there’s anything I could do!)

Thank you for your offer - okay - if you go to post #112 there is a link to the Jail Management site. It should have a court date & time of the next hearing!

Again Thanks! And yep - I am persistent! LOL!

 

[Dre]

Ugh @Niner i tried- gave me a list of several people with the last name Griner, but not a single Nakira. I’ll keep searching and altering what info I use

 

[Niner]

Ugh @Niner i tried- gave me a list of several people with the last name Griner, but not a single Nakira. I’ll keep searching and altering what info I use

Here's what I have in my notes - maybe try the case #

Cape May County jail / Cumberland County Superior Court Case #W 2019 201

 

[inmyhumbleopinion]

@inmyhumbleopinion - any news on next court date? TIA!

Bumping this up for @inmyhumbleopinion - when you have time!

Another bump for @inmyhumbleopinion - again - when you have time - could you see if there is a next court date? TIA!

Lol @Niner I appreciate your persistence, I would help out if only I weren’t technologically challenged! (Id be open to helping out if you wanted to explain in a DM if there’s anything I could do!)

I just saw these late last night! I’m so sorry!!

I just emailed the reporter I contacted back in January. I will post as soon as I hear back from him.

 

[Niner]

I just saw these late last night! I’m so sorry!!

I just emailed the reporter I contacted back in January. I will post as soon as I hear back from him.

Hey! No problem At least I got your attention with all those posts!

 

[inmyhumbleopinion]

Hey! No problem At least I got your attention with all those posts!

And I’m glad you did !

Attaching a screenshot of Matt Gray’s reply to my email:

 

[Niner]

Thank you very much for checking. On hold... I'll check back maybe the first of May.

 

[JrzyGirl70]

Statements made by mother inadmissable.

Statements mom made to cops after allegedly killing, dismembering son can’t be used against her, judge says