Thomas Perez Jr. first felt anxious that something bad might have happened to his father, Papa Tom, on an August night in 2018. Papa Tom had taken their dog, Margosha, on a quick walk to the mailbox in their Fontana neighborhood, though it was nearly 10 p.m.
But when Margosha returned alone with the leash hanging off her collar and Papa Tom was nowhere to be found, Perez’s worry began to escalate. Though initially thinking his father might have met up with a lady friend, Perez’s concern grew when there was still no word by the next day. He decided to call the Fontana Police Department to report his elderly father as missing.
That simple call for help would leave Perez a broken man. By the end of the week, under intense pressure from police detectives, he had falsely confessed to killing his father and was locked inside a psychiatric ward—even though Papa Tom was alive and unharmed.
The cause of his false confession, Perez claimed in a lawsuit that he recently settled with the city for $900,000, was a coercive interrogation by detectives that lasted more than 17 hours.
Detectives lied to Perez, telling him they had his father’s dead body and hard evidence that Perez had killed him. They said there was blood all over the house the two men shared and on Margosha’s paws, traumatized by witnessing the alleged crime. They fed him suggestions on how the crime had supposedly taken place and said they were sending Margosha to be euthanized.
What happened to Perez is an extreme example of how police interrogation methods in common use in the U.S. can lead suspects to make false statements and even falsely confess to crimes they did not commit.
Perez’s harrowing experience is not an isolated incident. It underscores a troubling reality: the use of deceptive tactics by law enforcement to secure confessions. This practice, while controversial, is legally permitted in many jurisdictions and often leads to devastating consequences. Understanding the extent and implications of these tactics is crucial for anyone who might find themselves in a similar situation.
Lying
In many jurisdictions, police are allowed to lie during interrogations to elicit confessions. This can take several forms:
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Fabricated Evidence: Claiming witnesses placed the suspect at the crime scene or that their DNA matches evidence found on the victim.
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False Promises: Suggesting that confessing will result in leniency or that the prosecutor will be harsher if they don’t talk.
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Recording Deception: Telling suspects the recording is off or things are “off the record” when they are not.
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Threats Against Loved Ones: Threatening to arrest family members or friends if the suspect does not confess.
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Lie Detector Tests: Police might convince a suspect to take a polygraph test and then falsely tell them they failed, using this as leverage to obtain a confession.
Psychological Manipulation
One of the most powerful tools in the police arsenal is psychological manipulation. Interrogators are trained to use various psychological techniques to break down a suspect’s resistance. This can include:
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Isolation: Suspects are often isolated from the outside world, held in small, windowless rooms for hours, sometimes even days. This creates a sense of helplessness and disorientation.
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Minimization and Maximization: Interrogators might downplay the severity of the crime (minimization) to make a confession seem less daunting or exaggerate the consequences of not confessing (maximization) to instill fear.
Coercive Interrogation Techniques
The Reid technique is one of the most commonly used interrogation methods in the United States. While effective in some cases, it is also notorious for producing false confessions. This method involves:
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The Confrontation: The interrogator tells the suspect that the evidence clearly shows they are guilty, even if this is not true. This is meant to induce a sense of inevitability about the outcome.
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The Theme Development: The interrogator develops a story that provides moral justification for the suspect’s actions, making it easier for them to confess. For example, suggesting that the crime was an accident or committed under extreme stress.
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Handling Denials: Interrogators are trained to interrupt and dismiss any attempts by the suspect to deny involvement, creating an environment where the suspect feels their only option is to confess.
How to Protect Yourself
Protecting yourself from a false confession begins with understanding and asserting your constitutional rights.
When approached by law enforcement for questioning, it’s crucial to remain calm and immediately invoke your right to remain silent and your right to an attorney.
Clearly state, “I want to speak to an attorney,” and refrain from answering any questions until your lawyer is present.
Be aware that police are allowed to use deceptive tactics, such as lying about evidence or making false promises of leniency, to elicit a confession.
Avoid making any voluntary statements, and do not agree to take a polygraph test or provide DNA samples without a warrant.
By maintaining your silence, seeking legal counsel, and staying informed about your rights, you can significantly reduce the risk of being coerced into a false confession.