Woman Accused of Hiring Hitman Seeks to Suppress Statements to Police

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Jaclyn Elaine Skuce, 43, of Madison, Alabama, is charged with three counts of capital murder in the 2020 killing of Anthony Larry Sheppard, 41. Skuce's attorneys have filed a motion seeking to suppress statements she made to police after her arrest, arguing investigators coerced her into talking by using her children as leverage and that her confession was not voluntary.

Why it matters

This case highlights the complex legal issues surrounding police interrogation tactics and the admissibility of confessions, especially when vulnerable individuals like Skuce, who allegedly feared for her children's safety, are involved. The outcome could have significant implications for the prosecution's case against Skuce.

The details

According to the motion, Skuce was arrested at her home around 3 a.m. on September 2, 2020, by a tactical team executing a search warrant. Skuce's attorneys argue the circumstances were 'physically and psychologically' intimidating, and that investigators used Skuce's requests to see or speak to her children as leverage to get her to talk. The motion also claims investigators contaminated the confession by feeding Skuce key facts and a narrative during questioning, and that they undermined her right to counsel by reinitiating custodial interrogation after she had invoked that right.

• Skuce was first contacted by investigators on July 24, 2020, and spoke with them at the Sheriff's Office, where she signed a waiver of rights.
• On August 12, 2020, investigator Tania Burgess called Skuce, but Skuce declined to answer.
• On September 2, 2020, Skuce was arrested at her home around 3 a.m. and questioned by investigators.

What they’re saying

What’s next

The judge in the case will hold an expedited hearing on Skuce's motion to suppress her statements to police.