Defense Drills Officers in Pre-Trial Hearing for Walpole Homicide Case

Defense attorneys for Paul Moccia and Daniel Bradley cross-examined Framingham and State Police officers extensively Tuesday about what they called was a focus by authorities on their clients in the beginning of the investigation.

Bradley’s attorney, Kevin Reddington and Moccia’s attorney, Steven Boozang, argued that police investigated their clients without letting them know they were suspects and never advised them to retain a lawyer.

The attorneys are attempting to suppress three interviews the clients individually gave to detectives in April 2009.

Moccia, of Dedham, and Bradley, of Westwood,  of a 37-year-old Framingham man, Angel Ramirez.

For the second consecutive day Reddington and Boozang took turns hammering home points that detectives didn’t follow up on leads, possible alibis or turn attention to other potential suspects and instead went after Moccia and Bradley.

“The clearly focused these guys,” Boozang said in an interview the hearing. “They were the suspects of focus.”

After testimony concludes Wednesday, Judge Kenneth Fishman will deliberate and reach his decision on whether to allow the statements at trial, which begins May 31.

What was first reported a missing person’s case on March 25, 2009 escalated up the ranks of the and eventually to the Middlesex District Attorney’s office, where several homicide investigators took the lead, according to testimony by the officers.

“The circumstances around the disappearance […] we thought we should contact the state police,” Framingham Det. Lawrence Hendry testified.

Ramirez’s boss at a construction company told police that the ex-husband of Ramirez’s girlfriend had followed him on a couple occasions, and that Ramirez’s disappearance was suspicious, Boozang said during one of the cross-examinations.

During testimony by two state police troopers and two Framingham detectives, the defense attorneys asked if anyone followed up with the ex-husband.

Hendry answered, “I couldn’t tell you.”

Boozang and Reddington also hit detectives on a failure to read Miranda rights to Moccia and Bradley during interviews in April 2009.

Each detective that testified said they didn’t see the men as suspects in the case at that time.

According to police reports read out in court, Moccia and Bradley admitted to gambling on sporting events and despite “incriminating” themselves. After questioned by the two attorneys, each officer said they didn’t read the defendants Miranda rights or advise for a lawyer to be present.

The hearing on the suppression motion will resume Wednesday, and the court will also hear testimony on a motion to toss cell phone evidence.