Judge says ex-Baker Fire Chief Brian Easterling's murder confession is admissible in court

After a near hour-long hearing Thursday, an Escambia circuit judge ruled that ex-Baker Fire Chief Brian Easterling's videotaped murder confession can be presented to a jury.

Easterling and his attorneys, Randy Etheridge and Robert Dees, filed a motion back in April to suppress the firefighter's statement confessing to killing 63-year-old Michael Evers at Maaco Auto Body Shop and Painting on June 2, 2022.

The defense's main objection to the law enforcement interview being shown to a jury is that they believe Easterling was under the influence of his prescribed medication Clonazepam, a narcotic used to treat severe insomnia. According to Easterling's testimony at Thursday's hearing, he had taken the medication roughly two hours before Okaloosa SWAT arrested him at his Crestview home around 11 p.m. June 5.

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"The controlled substance Clonazepam taken by the defendant, along with other sleep aids, caused impairment of defendant's normal faculties and judgment," Easterling's attorneys wrote in their motion. "He was incompetent to make a valid assessment of his circumstances due to the medication; thus, the defendant was unable to formulate a valid waiver of Miranda rights."

Easterling's attorneys also said he was slurring his words and was visibly and audibly under the influence of his prescription medication.

What is the prosecutor's argument for Brian Easterling's interview?

Assistant State Attorney Trey Myers argued that although Easterling took Clonazepam just hours before his arrest and interview, his willingness and ability to speak was voluntary since Escambia County Sheriff's Office investigators did not coerce him.

"To be voluntary, the defendant's statement must a free and deliberate choice rather than intimidation, coercion or deception, but generally, judge, intoxicants would affect the credibility not the voluntariness," Myers told the court.

He then referenced case law to argue that despite intoxication Easterling was aware and able to communicate rationally, therefore he argued Easterling's interview should be admissible during a trial.

Why did the judge rule against Brian Easterling's motion?

Neither the defense or prosecution objected to Circuit Judge Coleman Robinson viewing Easterling's interview with investigators, but despite Etheridge saying his client did not have the faculties to voluntarily sign the waiver of Miranda rights, Robinson said he didn't see any of the things the defense outlined in their suppression motion.

"I didn't see what the defense alleges they saw," Robinson said. "I saw no slurring, I saw no mumbling, I saw no grogginess, I saw responsiveness, I saw alertness, I saw appropriate answering of questions.

"I can only use what the court believes is indicators of grogginess that I did or didn't see," he added. "I didn't see anything. He didn't bow his head, he didn't put his head on the table, he sat there."

Robinson then denied the suppression motion, admitting the interview to be used as evidence. Easterling's next court date is Sept. 6

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What happened between Brian Easterling and Michael Evers on June 2, 2022?

Easterling allegedly drove to the Maaco Auto Body Shop and Painting, owned by Evers, off Creighton Road and was seen with the shop owner around 5:15 p.m., according to a report. Easterling was identified on surveillance footage by members of Evers' family.

"Easterling is seen standing outside of the door looking around nervously … before entering the building," a report noted, referencing the surveillance video details. "Within minutes of entering the building, Easterling walks up behind Evers, Evers then falls immediately to the ground. Easterling can be seen on video getting a car cover and covering Evers."

Three days later on June 5, Pensacola police officers responded to a welfare check for Evers because his neighbors hadn't seen him in a few days.

The officers entered Evers' residence where they found blood on the floor, but did not find the shop owner.

Family members escorted officers to Evers' shop and let them inside. Once officers entered the shop, the police report notes they found the body lying underneath a car cover.

Easterling was arrested that night on June 5, and he was indicted by a grand jury on July 7 for first-degree premeditated murder.

This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Baker Fire Chief Brian Easterling's Pensacola murder confession admitted