Man’s statements to police in slaying allowed

FORT SMITH — A Sebastian County Circuit Court judge has allowed prosecutors to use a man’s confessions to police that he shot and killed a Kibler man.

Brandon Clark Fritts is charged with first- degree murder in the January shooting death of Jamie Lee Czek in Fort Smith.

Fritts has pleaded not guilty.

The Southwest Times Record reports that defense attorney John Joplin argued that Fritts’ statements that he killed Czek were not voluntary. However — Judge James Cox found that Fritts was properly advised of his rights to remain silent and to have and attorney — but that he “knowingly, voluntarily and intelligently” waived those rights.

Court documents say Fritts told police he killed Czek for undisclosed personal reasons. Both deny all allegations. Jones faces two additional counts of attempting to aid and abet the distribution of marijuana, three counts of using his service weapon while committing a crime and using a telephone to commit a felony. Robinson faces five additional charges of distributing marijuana and one count of using his service weapon to commit a crime.

Robinson resigned from the police department May 30 and Jones was fired on June 1.

Both are free under conditions they report regularly to the U. S. Probation Office and that Jones wears an electronic monitor.