By Shayna Jacobs
DNAinfo Reporter/Producer
MANHATTAN SUPREME COURT — An East Harlem man who admitted to stabbing a Long Island father to death in a pre-arranged assisted suicide could ask a judge to exclude his confession in last-minute hearings before the trial begins next week.
Kenneth Minor, 38, is charged with second-degree murder after admitting to killing 52-year-old Jeffrey Locker, a Long Island father who was deep in debt, prosecutors said. Locker's body was found tied up and stabbed to death inside his SUV near the RFK-Triborough Bridge on July 16, 2009.
Upon his arrest about one week later, Minor immediately claimed to police that Locker had hired him to hold out a knife that Locker "hurled himself against." In addition, Minor's lawyer said the victim had purchased a life insurance plan valued at more than $20 million in the weeks before his death.
His lawyer could seek to prevent jurors from hearing his confession in last-minute pre-trial hearings Thursday.
Minor was caught on surveillance camera shortly after the murder using Locker's credit card at a nearby bodega. He told authorities that Locker gave him the credit card before his death and authorized him to use it as his promised compensation for helping Locker. He said Locker did so in an attempt to fool investigators into thinking it was a murder and robbery.
Prosecutors initially dismissed Locker's claims of assisted suicide, but have subsequently acknowledged there there may be evidence to support his claims.
Locker was apparently researching funeral arrangements and the terms of his life insurance shortly before what appeared to be his untimely death, prosecutors said.
"Certain information has been discovered which tends to lend some support to [the assisted suicide] claim," Assistant District Attorney Peter Casolaro wrote in a letter to Minor's attorney a year ago.
They dropped first-degree murder and robbery charges against Minor after the evidence surfaced.
Even so, prosecutors are still expected to pursue their case against Minor, since they say assisted suicide is illegal in New York State.
But Daniel Gotlin, Minor's attorney, said the law is on Minor's side in this case.
Gotlin said the evidence shows "this is clearly an assisted suicide case."
"Under New York State law it is an affirmative defense to murder that you assist or cause and aid an assisted suicide," Gotlin said when reached by phone Wednesday.
Pre-trial proceedings in the case against Minor will begin Thursday before Manhattan Supreme Court Judge Carol Berkman.
The judge is expected to rule on several items, including whether the confession made by Minor will be admissible at trial.
Jury selection is expected to begin Monday.
