Court papers filed in Austin are urging the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals to suppress statements an accused child killer made to police. The case in question involves a Lake Highlands toddler whose body was found in a landfill.
In July 2019, police found the body of 18-month-old Cedrick Jackson in a Rowlett landfill. Court records show 32-year-old Sedrick Johnson, the boyfriend of the child's mother, was indicted for capital murder and injury to a child.
Police say Johnson gave a confession about swaddling the child too tight, then when he stopped breathing he took the toddler and put him in a dumpster.
But the trial judge and an appeals court have ruled that the statement from Johnson cannot be used because while he was in custody, Johnson asked for a lawyer, but police continued their questioning without the lawyer present.
Now the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals has agreed to hear arguments over that suppressed statement and has received briefings from both prosecutors and defense attorneys.
It's not clear how the state's case may be affected if the confession cannot be used.
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