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Joran Van Der Sloot Remains Silent at Hearing With Judge

By Jeralyn

Bump and Update:: Joran Van der Sloot's meeting with the Judge has concluded. According to Peruvian news, he said nothing. (English Google translation here.)

Radio Programs reported, the judge stayed for nearly an hour inside the prison, and finally had to put on record the refusal of the Netherlands in a joint report with the prosecutor.

Original Post: Dutch Report: Joran Van der Sloot Says Tricked Into Confessing

According to the Dutch Newspaper Der Telegraaf, which says its reporters interviewed Joran Van der Sloot in his prison cell, Joran now says he was tricked into signing the confession. (Google translation here.) From the translation:[More...]

Joran van der Sloot said false promises by the Peruvian police force him to sign a confession, encouraged it. Dutchman accused of the murder stated this yesterday during an exclusive interview with De Telegraaf in the infamous Castro Castro prison in Lima.

"If you sign these papers, you will be extradited to the Netherlands, I was always [told]. "In my blind panic I have everything signed, but did not know what was there." The conversation took place at a table in the jail.

"I was scared during the interrogation and confused and wanted to leave," said Joran cells in the hallway where he and a Colombian assassin convicted of corruption and a Peruvian General's residence.

"I'm tricked into," says Van der Sloot on the murder of Stephanie Flores. "How it all went right, I'll tell you later," said Van der Sloot.

The National Post adds more details:

“In my total panic, I signed the papers even though I didn’t understand what was written on them,” he said. “During the interview I was horribly afraid and I felt increasingly depressed. I just wanted to leave.”

...“How all this happened, I will say later. My lawyer is interested in the first place in all the procedural errors that have taken place,” said Van der Sloot. “I should not be sitting here.”

Joran's court hearing, being held at the prison, should be getting underway about now. Updates to follow.

Full post as published by TalkLeft on June 21, 2010 (boomark / email).