General Discussion

jberryhill

(62,444 posts)

30. "Why do people confess and then plead not guilty?"

Thu May 16, 2013, 12:00 PM

May 2013

Because you are confusing a confession with a plea.

Let me give you a hypothetical:

You walk into a room. A dead body lies on the floor and I am holding a smoking gun. I look at you and say, "I shot him dead."

Okay, now:

1. Did I confess to shooting that person dead?

2. Did I commit the crime of murder?

Can you see that those are two different things?

Not entirely relevant to this case, but stating that you did "something" is not equivalent to entering a plea to have committed all of the elements that may constitute a crime with which you have been charged.

A confession may provide evidence of guilt, but does not in all instance prove guilt of any specific charge.

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About Ariel Castro's lawyers [View all] BainsBane May 2013 OP

this is what i didn't get either, how is this supposed to help him JI7 May 2013 #1

That would be a very bad decision BainsBane May 2013 #2

I'm guessing they took the case to get publicity. Nye Bevan May 2013 #3

Of course BainsBane May 2013 #5

That would be improper and unethical jberryhill May 2013 #24

but isn't that why lawyers take these cases? BainsBane May 2013 #28

No jberryhill May 2013 #29

Plenty of shitty lawyers who seek publicity. nt geek tragedy May 2013 #31

Absolutely jberryhill May 2013 #36

I suspect BainsBane May 2013 #43

There are a LOT more lawyers than the ones on TV jberryhill May 2013 #45

I didn't mean to cast aspersions BainsBane May 2013 #47

They are probably going to try to get a judge to slap a gag order on the police and prosecutor Yo_Mama May 2013 #4

They needed to gag their client BainsBane May 2013 #6

There is no point in a not guilty claim here Yo_Mama May 2013 #12

I agree 100% BainsBane May 2013 #16

"Why do people confess and then plead not guilty?" jberryhill May 2013 #30

Okay, but I'm thinking it's less rational BainsBane May 2013 #35

They don't "advise him to plead not guilty" jberryhill May 2013 #38

He's not a monster to other men Warpy May 2013 #7

I disagree BainsBane May 2013 #9

If they didn't know who he was or what he'd done Warpy May 2013 #10

That is a feature of some sociopaths n/t Yo_Mama May 2013 #13

The same was true for most people he knew BainsBane May 2013 #15

BB did not miss your point, as stated, at all Summer Hathaway May 2013 #19

The difference is BainsBane May 2013 #20

I have this odd tendency Summer Hathaway May 2013 #21

"He's not a monster to other men." Summer Hathaway May 2013 #11

My, aren't we eager to be offended! Warpy May 2013 #17

I read it several times Summer Hathaway May 2013 #18

obviously, I can't speak for the poster, but ... etherealtruth May 2013 #25

Thanks for the clarification! Summer Hathaway May 2013 #42

Can't speak for the poster leftynyc May 2013 #32

Self delete for duplication leftynyc May 2013 #32

Defense lawyers Summer Hathaway May 2013 #8

Ariel Castro had this whole "nice" persona side. Cha May 2013 #14

I suspect the attorney is trying to help him avoid the death penalty pnwmom May 2013 #22

I'm not fond of lawyers who go on TV, period jberryhill May 2013 #23

public figures like DSK or Kobe Bryant who hope to have a future geek tragedy May 2013 #34

That's a good point BainsBane May 2013 #44

Dominique Strauss Kahn. nt geek tragedy May 2013 #46

OK, thanks. BainsBane May 2013 #48

We have seen this before. riqster May 2013 #26

I agree with what others have said, it is all PR davidpdx May 2013 #27

If I heard it right on the radio. One of the lawyers mentioned something about the other side of Guy Whitey Corngood May 2013 #37

You don't provide quotes and I didn't see them on the news but your OP could be distilled to this: Bluenorthwest May 2013 #39

Everyone who sees these interviews is a potential juror. Buns_of_Fire May 2013 #40

I realize that BainsBane May 2013 #41