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False Confessions

Police use a variety of techniques to persuade an accused person to make a confession. These techniques may produce false confessions if the accused felt pressured or threatened. Sometimes, the confessions are the principle reason for taking a case to trial. At Buting, Williams & Stilling, S.C., in Brookfield and Glendale, Wisconsin, we understand the techniques police use that can produce false confessions. We are committed to protect the rights of individuals who falsely confess to a crime.

If you were pressured into making a false confession by law enforcement, contact us to schedule a free appointment with one of our attorneys.

Challenging The Reid Technique

One of the most common techniques police use to obtain a confession is called the Reid Technique. The police ask leading questions, feed information to suggest they know more than they actually do and insistently suggest the accused admit guilt. While this technique is highly successful, the likelihood of a false confession is high if the accused is considered vulnerable, such as when the accused is a minor, has a mental illness, or has lower intelligence, among other characteristics.

At Buting, Williams & Stilling, S.C. , we know what situations lead to a false confession. Attorney Jerome F. Buting was a member of the Wisconsin Criminal Justice Commission that fought for mandated recordings of felony interrogations. As a result, we can now view and listen to the police questions and our clients’ responses. We have visual evidence of police badgering our clients and putting them under duress to confess.

Our firm gathers evidence about a false confession by:

  • Comparing the summary and transcript of the interrogation to the video or audio recording
  • Consulting psychologists and other experts to testify about the vulnerability of our clients
  • Interviewing our clients to understand their situation and understand why they falsely confessed to a crime
  • Using experts to identify any police missteps or signs of client distress

Juries place high value on a voluntary confession. We gather enough information to determine if it was not voluntary and file a motion to suppress the confession before it is presented to a jury.

To learn more about how we can protect your rights after you have made a false confession, contact our office in Brookfield and Glendale to schedule a free initial consultation with an experienced criminal defense lawyer.

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