The False Evidence Ploy: A Coercive, Not Just Deceptive, Police Tactic

Abstract

Why would people confess to a crime they did not commit? It may seem hard to imagine that an innocent person would confess but as this Note will show, false confessions are a real and serious issue. One cause of false confessions is the False Evidence Ploy - a police interrogation tactic where police falsely tell a suspect they have some sort of incriminating evidence against them. This Note argues that the Ploy is psychological coercion, as it may cause innocent suspects to believe they actually committed the crime and then confess. N.Y. Bill S324A presented a solution, banning the police from lying about evidence, regardless of the suspect’s age or mental capacity. This Note contends that the bill should be reintroduced and other states should follow suit to protect the integrity of the criminal justice system