PUBLISHER'S NOTE: This Blog is interested in false confessions because of the disturbing number of exonerations in the USA, Canada and multiple other jurisdictions throughout the world, where, in the absence of incriminating forensic evidence the conviction is based on self-incrimination – and because of the growing body of scientific research showing how vulnerable suspects (especially young suspects) are to widely used interrogation methods such as the notorious ‘Reid Technique.’ As all too many of this Blog's post have shown, I also recognize that pressure for false confessions can take many forms, up to and including inducement. deception (read ‘outright lies’) physical violence, and even physical and mental torture.
Harold Levy: Publisher; The Charles Smith Blog:
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PASSAGE OF THE DAY: "
The National Registry of Exonerations reported that since 1989 at least 342 false confessions were given to police, and in at least 89 of those instances researchers could verify police were lying about aspects of investigations to eventual exonerees."
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STORY: "Historic Illinois Law Protects Children from Police Lies During Questioning," the Crime Report reports, on July 15, 2021.
GIST: "llinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker is scheduled to sign pioneering legislation today that makes Illinois the first state to prohibit any oral, written or sign-language statement made by someone 17 years old or younger to be admissible as evidence in criminal or juvenile legal proceedings if law enforcement officials intentionally deceived the suspect to get the statement, reports Bloomberg News. Police use the tactic because it works, compelling people to make confessions that later prove to be false, and younger people are particularly susceptible to the practice because of a propensity to favor short-term gains, such as ending an interrogation, over longer-term consequences, or a desire to please authority figures. Younger people also might not consider the totality of the actions because their brains aren’t fully developed. Despite enactment of the Illinois legislation, it’s still legal in the state—and everywhere else in the U.S.—for police to deceive suspects 18 or older during interrogations. Legislators in several states are pushing to ban the ability of police to lie to any suspect, regardless of age. The National Registry of Exonerations reported that since 1989 at least 342 false confessions were given to police, and in at least 89 of those instances researchers could verify police were lying about aspects of investigations to eventual exonerees."
The entire story can be read at:
PUBLISHER'S NOTE: I am monitoring this case/issue. Keep your eye on the Charles Smith Blog for reports on developments. The Toronto Star, my previous employer for more than twenty incredible years, has put considerable effort into exposing the harm caused by Dr. Charles Smith and his protectors - and into pushing for reform of Ontario's forensic pediatric pathology system. The Star has a "topic" section which focuses on recent stories related to Dr. Charles Smith. It can be found at: http://www.thestar.com/topic/charlessmith. Information on "The Charles Smith Blog Award"- and its nomination process - can be found at: http://smithforensic.blogspot.com/2011/05/charles-smith-blog-award-nominations.html Please send any comments or information on other cases and issues of interest to the readers of this blog to: hlevy15@gmail.com. Harold Levy: Publisher: The Charles Smith Blog; -----------------------------------------------------------------
FINAL WORD: (Applicable to all of our wrongful conviction cases): "Whenever there is a wrongful conviction, it exposes errors in our criminal legal system, and we hope that this case — and lessons from it — can prevent future injustices."
Lawyer Radha Natarajan:
Executive Director: New England Innocence Project;
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FINAL, FINAL WORD: "Since its inception, the Innocence Project has pushed the criminal legal system to confront and correct the laws and policies that cause and contribute to wrongful convictions. They never shied away from the hard cases — the ones involving eyewitness identifications, confessions, and bite marks. Instead, in the course of presenting scientific evidence of innocence, they’ve exposed the unreliability of evidence that was, for centuries, deemed untouchable." So true!
Christina Swarns: Executive Director: The Innocence Project;
