Trautman's Lawyers Want Taped Interviews Thrown Out

He told agents he hurt Stacey Gaikowski because she hurt him, and showed them the cuts on his chest. But Monday John Trautman's attorneys asked the judge to throw those statements out, and not allow them as evidence in the murder trial.

John Trautman arrived in street clothes for the first time Monday as his lawyers argued that statements he made to investigators just days after Stacey Gaikowski's murder violated his rights and should be suppressed from his trial.

Defense lawyers questioned the two Division of Criminal Investigation agents on the stand Monday. They interviewed John Trautman as a suspect the day after Stacey Gaikowski was found dead in her home.

But Monday we learned they talked to Trautman twice that day. When he first came in for questioning, investigators say the didn't read him his rights because he wasn't the prime suspect at the time. But they say they did read him his rights when he returned for questioning later that night.

That's when Trautman refused to answer dozens of questions, and when he didn't respond, agents began calling him a "coward". They also questioned his manhood and told him he owed it to his family to give answers.

When asked why they continued to question Tratuman after he said he had talked enough, the agents said they were looking for the truth and possibly a confession. Day County State's Attorney Danny Smeins also said Trautman only indicated he was done talking about certain topics and not with the entire interview.

It could now be another month before a judge decides whether to allow Trautman's statements in his trial.