Criminal
Feb. 5, 2016
Fine line between improper coercion and acceptable interrogation
In a recent case, the California Court of Appeal deemed a defendant's confession involuntary when law enforcement officers made promises of leniency to coerce a statement.
In People v. Perez, 2016 DJDAR 201 (Jan. 8, 2016), the California Court of Appeal deemed a defendant's confession involuntary, and therefore inadmissible, where law enforcement officers made promises of leniency to coerce a statement. While from a constitutional and defendant's rights perspective, this is a step in the right direction, the line between what is and is not coercion is somewhat arbitrary, often to the point of absurdity. Most confessions are made after law enforcemen...
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