It is not uncommon for law enforcement in the State of New York to use controversial tactics to coerce confessions out of suspects. Often the police will lead a suspect to believe that they are either not under investigation or that the evidence against the suspect is already sufficient to make an arrest. When faced with this situation, many suspects are so terrified that they will admit to committing a seemingly minor crime for fear of facing harsher criminal penalties.
For anyone accused of a crime, particularly one that they did not commit, it can be an upsetting and confusing experience to be alone in a room with law enforcement agents interrogating you. If for some reason you were coerced into giving a false confession, it is important to seek a criminal defense attorney immediately. If you had participated in some of what you are charged with, it does not necessarily mean that you are guilty of any or all of the charges.
A false confession is an admission of guilt for a crime that the suspect was not responsible for. Unfortunately, some individuals are subject to long, drawn out interviews by law enforcement officials. There are countless cases where innocent victims were offered food, water, sleep or relief from incessant questioning if they simply confessed to the crime that they didn’t commit. Under such duress, many individuals have admitted to charges that they were indeed not guilty of.
This does not mean that all confessions are coerced but law enforcement agencies are under a lot of pressure to collar the “bad guys” and get them off of the streets. Sometimes this pressure can lead an officer to take extreme measures in order to obtain a confession. Anyone who was coerced into a confession should be proactive in an attempt to have their “confession” suppressed at a Court Hearing.
Those who have been unlawfully pressured into admitting guilt for a crime not committed should understand their options and what they can do to fight back. It is important to speak up and not be afraid, because a coerced confession is unfair, unjust and should never be tolerated. Robert S. Gershon has over twenty years of experience dealing with these kinds of cases and is available for consultation and representation.
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