For years, confessions have been seen as one of the strongest pieces of evidence in a criminal case. But what happens when someone confesses to a crime they didn’t commit? According to defense attorneys, it happens more often than we realize.
“False confessions plague the system at a fairly high rate,” writes defense attorney Sean O’Brien from Kansas City.
Sandra Hemme’s case is a prime example. She spent 43 years behind bars in Missouri for a crime she didn’t commit—the longest time any woman in the United States has served after being wrongfully convicted. Her case is a painful reminder that false confessions can lead to devastating consequences, and it is also a story of hope for those who have been wrongfully convicted and may one day be set free.
The Innocence Project, an organization dedicated to exonerating those wrongly convicted, helped to secure Hemme’s release. They noted that of all the people exonerated through DNA evidence between 1989 and 2020, nearly a third had confessed to a crime they didn’t commit.
In October, a Missouri Court of Appeals decision provided hope for others like Hemme. The ruling directly addressed the issue of false confessions in its 75-page opinion. This ruling could play a significant role in freeing more wrongly convicted individuals across the country.
The Impact of False Confessions
False confessions are a serious problem, especially in cases of murder. Defense attorney Sean O’Brien argues that confessions, when extracted under high pressure or during prolonged interrogations, should be approached with caution. These confessions, he says, can often be unreliable, especially when police use tactics that exploit vulnerable individuals.
“False confessions plague the system at a fairly high rate,” O’Brien emphasizes. Hemme’s case is one of the many that highlights the need for reform in how confessions are treated in the justice system.
Sandra Hemme’s wrongful conviction dates back to 1984, when she was accused of killing a St. Joseph librarian. The problem wasn’t just that Hemme confessed to the crime, but how it happened.
How Sandra Hemme Was Convicted
When Hemme was arrested, she was heavily sedated. Despite being in an altered state, she was repeatedly interrogated by St. Joseph police detectives for a span of 10 days. O’Brien, who represented her, says the intense and relentless questioning caused her to break down emotionally, leading her to provide a confession that was later proven false.
“There are times when the interrogators describe her as breaking down into tears when she gets confronted with parts of her statement that could not possibly be true,” said O’Brien.
The court’s opinion in October made it clear that Hemme’s confession was contaminated. One key issue was the media coverage surrounding the murder. Hemme described a flowered bedspread in her confession, which she would have had no way of knowing about unless she had seen it in a newspaper photograph.
The Missouri Court of Appeals acknowledged that there were inconsistencies between Hemme’s confession and the real facts of the case. In their ruling, the judges pointed out the misconduct by the St. Joseph police and even criticized them for ignoring and burying evidence that could have helped exonerate her.
The Importance of Court Rulings in False Confession Cases
O’Brien believes that the court’s ruling on Hemme’s case could set a new standard in how confessions are treated in the future. The three-judge panel’s decision has provided legal insight into false confessions, giving hope that more wrongly convicted individuals can now have their cases reconsidered.
“It does, I think, put new teeth in some of those 1940s and 50s and 60s U.S. Supreme Court decisions that distrust confessions where there are vulnerable subjects and persistent police questioning,” O’Brien said in an interview with KCUR.
The case of Melvin Lee Reynolds, another man wrongfully convicted in St. Joseph in the late 1970s, shows that Hemme’s story is part of a larger pattern of false confessions leading to wrongful convictions. Reynolds, who was sentenced to life in prison for a crime he didn’t commit, was also coerced into confessing under similar circumstances—he was interrogated for hours, promised he could go home, and ultimately confessed to a crime he didn’t commit. He spent four years in prison before the real killer was found.
How Common Are False Confessions?
False confessions are unfortunately not limited to past cases. In 2023, Lori Ackerman of Smithville, Missouri, faced a similar situation. After being interrogated for seven hours, Ackerman confessed to killing her fiancé, but the physical evidence didn’t match her confession. The jury took just two hours to acquit her after reviewing the case.
While false confessions are still a concern, there is hope that juries and courts are starting to take the conditions of confessions into account more seriously. This marks a shift towards justice for those who have been wrongfully convicted under such circumstances.
Sandra Hemme’s Life After Prison
Sandra Hemme is now free after spending 43 years wrongfully imprisoned. She has been living with her family in mid-Missouri, and reports say she is doing well.
“She’s happy to be home and she loves her sister and her brother-in-law where she’s living,” O’Brien said. “And they love her very much. And that is really a wonderful relationship.”
Though Hemme is adjusting to life after her release, O’Brien notes that she is in a better position than many individuals who are released from prison after spending decades wrongfully convicted. Hemme has the support of a loving family, which has helped her transition into life outside of prison.
A Path Forward
Sandra Hemme’s case is a step toward ensuring that wrongful convictions and false confessions are taken seriously. As courts begin to look more closely at the circumstances under which confessions are made, there is hope for other individuals who may be languishing in prison because of a false confession. Through legal reforms, a commitment to justice, and continued efforts from organizations like the Innocence Project, we may see more people like Hemme walk free.
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