GREENFIELD — The defense motions to suppress information in an Orange double murder case have been denied.

The defendants, Brittany Smith, 29, and Joshua Hart, 25, both of Athol, are accused of murdering Thomas A. Harty, 95, and fatally wounding his 77-year-old wife, Joanna Fisher, during an Oct. 5 2016 home invasion at 581 East River St., Orange.

On March 2, defense attorney Mary Anne Stamm, who is representing Smith, argued in Franklin County Superior Court that her client’s statements in two police interviews should be inadmissible for trial in part because she wasn’t feeling well at the time.

Stamm asserted that Smith was not properly advised of her Miranda rights and that her statements were not voluntary during her interviews with Lt. Steven Funkhouser of the Rockland County (Virginia) Sherrif’s Office and Trooper Stephen Bushay of the Massachusetts State Police.

Smith also claimed she was not brought “forthwith” to a court after being apprehended in Virginia. Smith and Hart were arrested on Oct. 8, 2016, and were brought before a court until Oct. 11, a Tuesday, as Monday was a legal holiday, Columbus Day.

Hart, represented by defense attorney Brian E. Murphy, has also asserted his statements duringthe interview with Funkhouser were involuntary, and his subsequent interview with Bushay was “tainted” by the first interview.

Judge John Agostini denied the motions to suppress information obtained from both defendants.

“This court finds beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant, Brittany Smith made a valid waiver of her Miranda rights, and the statements of both Smith and Joshua Hart were made voluntarily, freely and rationally,” Agostini wrote in his decision.

Agostini found that Smith, in both of her interviews with police, understood her rights, verbalized she was willing to be interviewed and, in one case, signed her initials on a printed card next to each right.

The defense asserted that the Miranda rights were described to Smith as a “little spiel” at one point, downplaying their seriousness, but Agostini said he accepts police testimony that the intention was for the interview to take a less formal tone.

Agostini also said Smith’s statements were completely voluntary, despite Smith expressing physical discomfort in her first interview. The cause of the stomach pain is unknown, but Smith’s attorney had previously said illness can prevent one from processing and responding to information.

“Beyond a reasonable doubt, I find that she was rational,” Agostini said, noting that Smith was feeling better by the end of the interview and “the discomfort was likely a product of her emotional state.”

The prosecution, led by Jeremy Bucci, Northwestern District Attorney’s Office chief trial counsel, had argued that a defendant’s physical discomfort is not a valid reason to suppress a statement, and such information has only been suppressed when the interviewee was confused or irrational.

The arguments that Joshua Hart’s statements to police were involuntary were also rejected.

Hart had four problems with the voluntary nature of his statements. The first issue, that his statements should have been recorded on video and audio, Agostini found to have no legal basis.

Hart also claimed the police gave him false promises of leniency by encouraging him to be “up front and candid” if he wanted to protect Smith, his girlfriend, from punishment.

Furthermore, Hart said Virginia police took a now-or-never stance in their interview, suggesting he would not be able to come forward with information in the future.

“The Virginia police did not even suggest such a consequence,” Agostini said, adding that the police were only suggesting Hart “take advantage of this opportunity.”

The final component of Hart’s motion to suppress was police invoked religiosity or piety to encourage Hart to speak, saying “the only way you’re going to protect (Smith) and protect her soul” was to be truthful.

Agostini found the use of the word ‘soul’ was “not moored to any religious context,” and rejected the argument.

Bucci expressed Friday that Agostini’s decision was the right one because the police have conducted themselves appropriately throughout the case.

“We continue to be proud of the work by law enforcement in this case and we look forward to trying these cases in April,” Bucci said.

The prosecution alleges that the defendants ransacked Harty and Fisher’s home, stealing credit cards and the keys to the elder couple’s Toyota Matrix.

Smith and Hart had been arrested a few days prior to the home invasion for car theft and, according to the prosecution, wanted to flee because Smith, a heroin addict, did not want to enter treatment and Hart, who had warrants from his home state of Pennsylvania, wanted to avoid jail.

They were tracked by Massachusetts State Police, who called local authorities in Virginia, where the defendants were arrested and interviewed.

In an audio recording of one of the interviews, Hart admitted to the crime and to stabbing Harty in the neck with “a regular steak knife,” and in both interviews he said that Smith had a limited role in the crime.

According to Bucci, Fisher, who died five weeks later from her wounds, told authorities the female attacker attempted to slit her throat. In the audio recordings of Smith’s interviews, she “describes her activities in a way that reflects a joint venture,” Agositini said.

Fisher was able to give a “reasonable physical description” of the two assailants to police, according to court documents.

Hart’s trial is expected to take place in the first two weeks of April, with Smith’s trial following. Bucci has said the trials would be finished within five weeks after starting with Hart on April 2.