Santa Clarita / Antelope Valley : Judge Allows Confession as Evidence in Kidnap Case : Crime: Magistrate will also permit identification of defendant from photo lineup. Michigan man is accused of abducting Val Verde real estate agent.

A Michigan man scheduled to stand trial next week in the kidnaping of a Val Verde real estate agent lost a key courtroom battle Monday when a judge ruled that a confession by him to police was admissible evidence.

Federal Magistrate Edward Rafeedie also ruled that prosecutors could tell the jury that the alleged victim had identified the defendant from a photo lineup.

Timothy Daniel Shue, 38, faces life in prison without parole if convicted of kidnaping Paula Harrington, 27, on June 29 by posing as a prospective customer at her office. Authorities said she was abducted at gunpoint while showing him houses and was found tied up in an Arizona motel room two days later.

Shue is scheduled to stand trial Dec. 6 in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles. Deputy Federal Public Defender Ellen Barry unsuccessfully moved to suppress a confession he made to FBI officials and Harrington’s identification of him from a set of photographs.

Assistant U.S. Atty. Debra Yang said she is surprised Shue has chosen to go to trial against such evidence.

“The strange thing is most people would plead after motions like this, but he really wants to work the system,” she said.

Yang said the trial should take about two weeks.

Barry declined to comment Monday on Rafeedie’s rulings. She has previously stated she does not want to try the case in the media.

Shue was arrested July 6 in Utah after reportedly displaying a handgun to a topless dancer in a club. Law enforcement officials said he is suspected of kidnapings and robberies in several states.