Psychological Techniques for Interrogations Discussed by ‘Making A Murderer’ Attorney
Excerpt from ‘Making a Murderer’ attorney talks law enforcement’s psychological techniques for interrogations by Alex Hulvalchick: [email protected] February 22, 2017 On Wednesday, the Ohio State chapter of the Ohio Innocence Project hosted Steven Drizin, the post-conviction attorney for Brendan Dassey, one of the subjects of the Netflix series “Making A Murderer.” Drizin spoke about types of psychological techniques […]
A Shift in Focus: From Seeking Confessions to Seeking Information
When it comes to closing cases quickly and getting the guilty “behind bars,” law enforcement officials have used forceful or coercive methods to get at the confession needed. The shift, however, in the past decade has moved largely from one that seeks confessions to one that seeks information. Learn the difference between the two and […]
Why Innocent People Confess to Crimes They Haven’t Committed
There are a host of common misconceptions around the use of audio and video recording, many of which are finally being righted, as the recent policy shift handed down by the Feds is showing us. One of those misconceptions is that using ERI (electronic recording of interrogations) will cause criminals to confess less due to […]
The New Recording Law Hands Down Solution for Dealing with Competing Confessions
Until two weeks ago, parties on both side of the federal courtroom, defending and prosecuting lawyers alike, have faced the problem of dealing with competing confessions, without the “proof” electronically recorded interviews mandated in many states in non-federal cases. A recent story published in the Crookston Times, a publication out of North Dakota highlights the […]
Cases Demonstrate How Video Recording Protects the Confession Part II
Two cases from late 2013 show us clear benefits to how video recording protects confessions. This month we highlight, Reed v. Woods(September 2013) took place in Louisiana and Michigan respectively. The case Reed v. Woods was reopened to address the defendant’s claim that his confession was coerced. In the end, the US District Court in […]
Cases Demonstrate How Video Recording Protects the Confession Part I
Two cases from late 2013 show us clear benefits to how video recording protects confessions. This month we highlight, State v. Walker (November 2013) An appeals trial was held to determine whether the assigned guilt and sentencing of a man accused of murdering two women in June of 2011 should be overturned. During the previous […]
Defining Key Terms in Videotaping Interactions: Interview, Interrogation and Confession
It’s important when discussing the potential impact on the electronic recording of interactions between witnesses and law enforcers to ensure key terms are clearly understood. The most important distinctions must be made between an interview, an interrogation and a confession. Learn more from the following definitions pulled from videotaping research on the empirical experiences of […]