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Rivard's aunt, Betty Bittman, who testified Friday, said Jewett City resident troopers showed up at her Waterford home days after the fire. Rivard cried several times, "shaking" with fear during the questioning.

"They were very cruel, very mean," Bittman said. "I said I didn't think he needed to be getting loud, in his face."

At Bittman's home, police obtained knives stolen from the Slater Mill Mall.

Bittman said she believed police would allow her to be present when Rivard was questioned later at Troop E in Montville. But Rivard was questioned alone and eventually confessed he and Euell were involved in lighting the fire.

"I was scared to death," Bittman said. "I didn't know what was going on."

State's attorney Michael Regan, through testimony of Jewett City Resident Trooper George Muriel, tried to establish the confessions were legal. Rivard understood his rights when he signed a confession, Muriel said.

Muriel admits to using his authority to obtain information, but said, "we just wanted the truth from him." Rivard was never threatened or promised anything to get a confession, Muriel said.

Court documents show the teens used a aerosol can and a lighter as a blow torch to spark a fire. The two pointed firefighters at each other in their confessions.

"As a matter of public policy, why are we not recording what's going on behind closed doors," Pattis said outside the courtroom. "Here you gave a 16-year-old old, two veteran cops and no attorney."

Friday's hearing lacked the drama of a previous appearance, when Pattis said he was forced to disclose "bizarre" and untrue rumors there was a relationship between him and Susan B. Handy, the judge in the case.

A brief meeting was held Monday to ensure there was no conflict and to give Rivard the opportunity to choose new representation.