Confessions of arson suspect Anthony Baye thrown out by state's highest court

NORTHAMPTON, Mass. (WWLP-AP) - The state’s highest court has ruled that the confessions of accused Northampton arsonist Anthony Baye cannot be used in his trial.

The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court made the ruling on Monday, which overturned the decision of Superior Court Judge Constance Sweeney , which allowed the confession to be used.

The court ruled that state troopers made "misrepresentations" to Baye while interrogating him about the fires, including minimizing his crimes and assuring him he would get leniency if he admitted setting the fires.

Baye is accused of setting a series of fires in the early morning hours of December 27, 2009. A father and son, Paul Yeskie, Sr. and Paul Yeskie, Jr., were killed after being trapped inside their burning Fair Street home.

Baye quickly became a suspect after he or his car were seen in the vicinity of certain fires as they were being put out. He was questioned three times in the days after the fires and made the incriminating statements during the third interview, a 10-hour interrogation at the Northampton police station.

Baye's lawyer, David Hoose, said he's pleased the court has thrown out his client's statements.

"I think that what the decision makes clear is that it was both the number and type of inappropriate techniques and the extreme length and number of times that these things were repeated," Hoose said.

Mary Carey, a spokesperson for the Northwestern District Attorney’s Office , said that they are disappointed with the court’s ruling, but they have enough evidence other than the confessions to continue with Baye’s prosecution.

The complete ruling is available on the website of the Social Law Library.