Jury may not hear Couey's claims

Officers say he admitted killing Jessica Lunsford, but a possible misstep could keep it out of court.

INVERNESS - Now that John Couey's detailed confession in the killing of Jessica Lunsford has been made public, the question is whether a jury will ever hear it.

Legal experts say the statements may not hold up in court because Couey asked for an attorney and didn't get one.

"The potential for this issue to be explosive and determinative is clearly present," said J. Larry Hart, a former prosecutor who is now a criminal defense attorney in New Port Richey. "It's very problematic for the prosecution."

Whether the confession can be used in court is among several issues that surfaced this week when prosecutors released transcripts of Couey's interviews with investigators. The statements also renewed questions about how long Jessica was kept alive after abduction, and why prosecutors didn't file charges against Couey's housemates.

Listeners of The Pat Campbell Show knew about this weeks ago.