GREENFIELD — The attorney representing the former western Massachusetts man apprehended in Florida in April 2021 — a month after being added to the Massachusetts State Police’s list of most-wanted fugitives — lobbied a Franklin County Superior Court judge on Thursday to allow him access to an unredacted audio interview in which one of his client’s fellow inmates reportedly claimed the client confessed to crimes.
Attorney Isaac Mass, has filed a motion for discovery of an interview a Deerfield Police detective conducted with an informant at the Franklin County Jail and House of Correction in Greenfield, and Judge John Agostini said he would soon render a decision. Jeffrey Cancel-Muniz, 42, faces charges of strangulation or suffocation, kidnapping, rape and aggravated rape as the result of an alleged sexual assault that occurred in Deerfield in May 2020.
Mass explained to Agostini that the interview copy provided to him was substantially redacted. Assistant District Attorney Sandra Staub, who is prosecuting the case, said the redacted portions consisted of details the jailhouse informant made about inmates that are not Cancel-Muniz and, therefore, irrelevant to this case. She held up a CD she said was a copy of the unredacted 18-minute, 40-second interview.
Mass argued that he needs to review the entire interview to determine if the allegations made by the inmate in question are consistent with what Mass called the alleged victims’ false statements. Staub requested that Agostini — if he allows the defense’s motion — stipulates the recording is for Mass’ listening only, and is not to be shared with the defendant.
Cancel-Muniz, a Level 3 sex offender, was arrested in Florida after a hotel clerk recognized him from a most-wanted poster released by the State Police’s Violent Fugitive Apprehension Section. The clerk reportedly had an issue with Cancel-Muniz, a guest at Travelodge Suites by Wyndham Kissimmee Orange, and searched his name online, finding the poster and other information about him provided to news outlets. Deputies with the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office responded just after midnight, according to a statement from Massachusetts State Police spokesperson David Procopio at the time. Deputies arrested Cancel-Muniz as a fugitive from justice after verifying the warrants against him.
Cancel-Muniz, a native of Puerto Rico, has ties throughout western Massachusetts. He reportedly had been the subject of 11 civil restraining orders in Massachusetts and has multiple convictions for violating protection orders.
The defendant is due back in court for a status hearing at 2 p.m. on May 6.
Reach Domenic Poli at: dpoli@recorder.com or 413-772-0261, ext. 262.