Dennis Oland pressured to confess to father's murder by police

Saint John police pushed hard to get Dennis Oland to confess to his father's murder, just hours after Richard Oland's bludgeoned body was discovered, newly released evidence reveals.

"You are without a doubt the person that's responsible for your father's death," Const. Keith Copeland told Dennis Oland on July 7, 2011, afterhevoluntarily went to the police station to give astatement to help with the homicide investigation.

"The whodunit is gone, it's out the window. We know whodunit," said Copeland."So it comes down to, really Dennis, all it is, is [it] a question of greed, or passion?"

Copeland made the comments during the second half ofOland'svideotaped statement, which was made public on Thursday, after CBC News petitioned the Court of Queen's Bench.

The estimated 2-hour video was not seen by the jury that found Oland guilty of second-degree murder on Dec.19.

Oland, 47, was sentenced on Thursday to life in prison with no chance of parole for at least 10 years.

His lawyers are appealing theconviction, calling it an "unreasonable verdict." They are alsorequesting he be released on bail, pending his appeal. A bail hearing is scheduled for Friday at 10 a.m., at the Court of Appeal in Fredericton.

On Thursday afternoon, Justice John Walsh ruled Oland'sfull videotaped statement to policeshould be released, citing the importance of openness and transparency incourt proceedings.

Only the first portion was entered into evidence at Oland's trial last fall, but all of it had been submitted to the court during his preliminary inquiry, held to determine if there is enough evidence to proceed to trial.

The second half of the videoshows two officers takingturns interrogating Oland in what appears to be a good cop-bad cop technique.

The first officer, Const. Stephen Davidson,asks Oland about his "strained" relationship with his father and what it felt like growing up being"belittled" and "embarrassed" all the time. He suggests Oland is a "good person," but said resentment can build up over the years andeveryone has a breaking point.

Copeland, who was the second interrogator, tells Oland he's in "way over" his head,that his body language suggests he's guilty and that his story about the events of July 6, 2011, when he was the last known person to see his father alive at his uptown investment firm office, is "full of holes."

Officer tells victim's son to 'man up'

Copeland contends Richard Oland, 69, was a "mean son of a bitch," who was controlling and tight with his multimillions, and a "dirty pig," who "disrespected" his family by having an extramarital affair. Copelandsuggests no one in the family seems terribly upset about his death and floats the theorythat Dennis's wife or mother might have been in on the slaying.

He also hints that if Olanddoesn't "man up," police will be forced to dig into the lives of everyone in the family and leave "no stone unturned."

You just accused me of being the cause of death of my father,so I don't like that at all.- Dennis Oland to police

Olandmaintains throughout the five-hour interview he did not kill his father. He asks to speak to hislawyer, asks the officers to "back off," then largely ignores them, even closing his eyes at times, until they release him shortly after 11 p.m.

The newly released portion beginswhere the first half presentedat the trial left off, around 8:25 p.m., whenOlandwent from being considered a witness, to being deemed a suspect, according toDavidson's testimony.

In the video, Davidson tells Olandthere are inconsistencies inhis story. He advisesOlandof hisright to contact a lawyer and asks him if he wants to exercise that right.

"Given how uncomfortable I'm feeling, yes, I would, sure, exercise my right," Oland responds.

Lawyer called

They exit the small interview room and return minutes later afterOland called lawyer and family friendBill Teed, who specializes primarily in corporate and commercial law.

"Dennis, given our conversation, there's no doubt in my mind that you did this," Davidson says.

"Did what?" asksOland, showing no emotion.

"You had involvement in this death. And I want to know why," saysDavidson, urging him to take advantage of the opportunity to have a conversation and explain what happened.

"Because of your tone, what you just said, I choose not to take advantage of that opportunity," saysOland. "You just accused me of being the cause of death of my father,so I don't like that at all."

Davidson persists.

'I'd like you to back off,' Oland tells police

Olandsays he wants towait for his lawyer to get there, butDavidson says he already had his opportunity tospeakto his lawyer.

"I understood, from what you were telling me, that if I wanted to have a lawyer, that I should get a lawyer So all I did wasjust say, 'They're telling me I should have a lawyer, can you come in?' So that's all I did," saysOland.

There's a knock at the door because Teed has called back. Oland and Davidson leave the room again for a few minutes.When they return, Davidson resumes his questioning.

"My lawyer advised me over and over on the phone, 'Don't talk to these people, don't say another word.'" saysOland."I'd like you to back off," he adds, appearing to become increasingly agitated.

I don't think you're a bad person, I think bad things happened.- Const. Stephen Davidson

"Listen, I understand the relationship you and your father had wasn't a good one," continuesDavidson, picking up on some comments Oland had made earlier in the interview.

"He was hard on you. You never amounted to what he wanted. That bothered you. I'm sure that resentment you carried through, your whole life, even till now."

"I never said that," countersOland. "He was very proud of me."

"OK, you guys had a strained relationship," saysDavidson. "It wasn't a regular father-son relationship."

The officer asks if "it" was spontaneous, or planned. Oland doesn't respond.

"I don't think you're a bad person, I think bad things happened," saysDavidson. "You get a feel for a person I don't think you're cold, heartless."

Good cop-bad cop

There's another knock at the door around 8:55 p.m.and Davidson leaves.Oland, who is sitting with his legs crossed, yawns, scratches the back of his head and casually rotates his foot in the air.

About a minute later,Copeland enters, introduces himself as being a member of the major crime unit, and shakes Oland's hand.

Right away, Copelandaccuses Oland of lying. He sayswhat Olandtold Davidson about July 6 differed from what he had put in a written statementbefore the interview started, including the sequence of events and how many trips he made to his father's office that night.

Copeland suggests the reason Olandleft the first time before even seeing his father was not because he forgotagenealogy document, as he claimed, butbecause he went there to confront his father, likely about money, and "chickened out."

"If I grew up in your circumstances, with money all around you, at this stage of my life I would expect to be sharing in some of that, not battling with that son of a bitch every single day and having him control every aspect of my life because he wouldn't give up any of his God damned money," Copelandsays, raising his voice.

"You didn't plan this Dennis. He brought this on. Pushed you, pushed you, pushed you. Squeezed you. Rubbed your face in the fact that he controls it all."

Copeland pulls his chair closer to Oland, leans toward him, with his elbow on his knees, but Olandavoids eye contact, sitting with his arms and legs crossed, or sometimes doubled over.

"Do you want the evidence to show that you sat in a chair and closed your eyes and for all intents and purposes appear to be sleeping while I'm trying to talk to you about this?" Copeland asks him. "Is that the image you want to project?No remorse. 'And guess what copper, I'mgonnahave a snooze while you're talking to me about being a cold-blooded killer.'"

Copeland suggests the best way to deal with a mistake is to acknowledge it and move on.

"If I did anything wrong, the lawyer will likely tell me to fess up. If I didn't do anything wrong, the lawyer will," Oland says before Copeland interrupts.

Copeland says Oland's opportunity to tell his story is "growing wings. Will you tell me what happened? It's a yes or no."

"No," says Oland.

"We're done," Copeland says, leading Oland out of the room.

The body of Richard Oland, 69, was discovered lying face down in a pool of blood in his office. He had suffered 45 sharp and blunt force injuries to his head, neck and hands. No weapon was ever found.