Evidence shows innocent people break down under interrogation

PRN - GHN Editor- TV dramas show people break down
under questioning, and lawyers say people often will confess even when
they are not guilty when faced with options.


For many innocent people, the drama
of a police interrogation is entirely real, difficult, intense and
fatiguing.  Members of the Innocence Project observe it's enough to make
even innocent people confess to crimes they never committed.



The Innocence Project
is a national organization dedicated to establishing (through DNA
testing).  It has determined the innocence of those wrongly convicted
and says that 25 percent of the wrongful convictions it has overturned
included false confessions.



Experts say that the innocent and
the best of us will confess to something that isn't true just to make
the questioning stop.  Suspects are told they can go home as soon as
they admit guilt or that they will be convicted whether they admit guilt
or not.  They then are told a sentence will be more lenient in that
case if they admit guilt.



Interrogations can last hours, while suspects are unable to eat, sleep and may suffer intimidation.



This is what attorneys
say to do right away to make the questioning stop.  Tell the police you
won't talk and request the services of an attorney.  Tell them you have
the right to remain silent because just not saying something is not
enough.  You have to ask for the right.



Even after all that some suspects confess after the Miranda warnings become they become tired and believe the truth will eventually come out.



States are requiring that law
enforcement use audio or video recording to make their interrogations
more open and fair.  But this does not include Texas, and there are
others who don't as well.



Prevention of a stressful situation
by confessing can be troublesome, attorneys say, because it's still
true "that any statement -- true, false, or otherwise -- might be used
against you in court."