Nobody confesses to crimes they didn’t do, right? After all, who would ever admit guilt to something they never did? It seems preposterous to most people. And yet it’s actually a major issue that puts thousands of innocent people behind bars every year. Don’t believe us? Be prepared to have your mind blown as we discuss false confessions.
Believe it or not, more than 1 in every 4 people who were wrongly convicted of a crime and were later exonerated by DNA evidence, made a false confession. (No, we didn’t make that up – those stats come from the Innocence Project, and those guys are experts at tracking this kind of data.) But how on earth does that happen, you wonder. Right here in Michigan! How could more than a quarter of people who admit guilt during an investigation be innocent of wrongdoing? It’s easier than you think…
There are many reasons why, but one has to do with a certain belief.
According to data provided by the Innocence Project, there is one pervasive theme that shows up again and again in false confessions, and that’s a certain belief the accused share. Specifically, the belief that if they just admit to whatever it is the police are accusing them of, it’ll all work out better for them in the end.
Whether they think the truth will eventually reveal itself and they’ll get to walk away, or they think that by saying whatever the cops want to hear, they can bring this awful interrogation to an end. Either way, people frequently confess to crimes they never committed because they believe “complying with the police by saying that they committed the crime in question will be more beneficial than continuing to maintain their innocence.”
Protect yourself, and your future, from wrongful conviction.
The only belief you need to keep in mind when the cops are hounding you about something you didn’t do, is that false confessions lead to wrongful convictions. So unless you want to end up in a Michigan prison for a crime you didn’t commit, that should be one of the things you keep in mind during any police interview. The other one is that you should immediately refuse to continue any discussion with the police until your lawyer arrives. Say it loud and say it often: I don’t want to talk to you anymore and I want my lawyer present immediately. You need the best legal help available in order to make it out the other side intact. Which is where we come in.
At The Kronzek Firm, our skilled criminal defense attorneys have been defending the wrongly accused here in Michigan for decades. We are available 24/7 to resolve false allegations and dispute lies. Call our Michigan criminal defense team at 866-766-5245 (866 7No Jail). We can help you. And join us next time for more information on false confessions in Michigan. You won’t be sorry!