Statements not coerced in Crystal Lake murder case

Finding that police did nothing to coerce or threaten a Crystal Lake man charged in what has been called a one-punch murder, a McHenry County judge today rejected defense efforts to bar a videotaped interview in which the accused makes incriminating statements.

Judge Sharon Prather ruled that prosecutors could play the videotape for jurors if Dustin P. Goy, 31, goes to trial for first-degree murder in connection with the Sept. 9, 2007, incident outside a Crystal Lake tavern.

Authorities say Goy sucker-punched Anthony Carlsen early that morning during a dispute that erupted as they each left The Cottage, 6 E. Crystal Lake Ave., with separate groups of friends. The punch, police said, knocked Carlsen, 45, of Crystal Lake, backward onto the street, causing him to strike his head on the pavement and suffer a fatal brain injury.

Speaking to police later that day, Goy admitted punching Carlsen, according to court documents.

His defense was asking Prather to bar those statement from court, arguing that Crystal Lake detectives misled Goy about his rights before questioning him.

The judge, however, denied those claims, saying that the videotape shows detectives repeatedly explaining to Goy his rights and asking him whether he understood them.

"The defendant was advised of his Miranda rights prior to any questions, he said he understood those rights and he proceeded to answer questions without asking for an attorney or asserting his right to stop the interrogation," Prather said.

In a related matter, Goy's defense recently filed court documents indicating they would claim he acted in self-defense. The documents say Carlsen outweighed Goy by about 145 pounds the night of their altercation and note grand jury testimony claiming that Carlsen was acting aggressively before being punched.

Goy, who is free on a $500,000 bond, is scheduled to return to court Oct. 1 for a pre-trial status hearing. No trial date has been set.