And it's for crap like this that you should never, ever consent to talk to the police without a lawyer in the room.

Rule number 1: Do not talk to the police without your lawyer present.

Rule number 2: Once your lawyer arrives, do not talk to the police.

David Simon's book Homicide really made me understand how detectives manage to convince people to confess who have not only been fully informed of their rights but have signed and initialed a document to that effect. I mean I guess it's good that a lot of actual murderers get caught that way who might otherwise walk, but it definitely drove home to me that saying anything to police without counsel present is a likely a one-way ticket to the pokey.

Which 3 years did she sue over? Frankly, I'd like to have 2000 as a do over.

There are too many cases like this, or corrupt judges or prosecuters withholding evidence, etc. They should be punished severely. If they were held accountable this sh*t would decrease real quick.

Protip: Don't confess to things you didn't do?

serial_crusher: Protip: Don't confess to things you didn't do?

So an immigrant is emotionally vulnerable because her kid just died and then is systematically lied to by authroity figures who have no evidence for hours, so therefore she should go to prison for 3 years? Really? Who is so sick to do this to someone who just lost their child because it pads their cop stats by 1 case? This is disgusting

SnakeLee: So an immigrant is emotionally vulnerable because her kid just died and then is systematically lied to by authroity figures who have no evidence for hours

Also, a sixteen year old girl... the poor thing. I just ache for her.

serial_crusher: Protip: Don't confess to things you didn't do?

Here's how it probably went.

Police..."WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THE DEATH OF THE BABY?!?!?"

Defendant: " Nga Truong"

Police; "THAT'S BULLshiat YOU'RE LYING."

Done in 1.

Some 'Splainin' To Do: And it's for crap like this that you should never, ever consent to talk to the police without a lawyer in the room.

CapeFearCadaver: SnakeLee: So an immigrant is emotionally vulnerable because her kid just died and then is systematically lied to by authroity figures who have no evidence for hours

Also, a sixteen year old girl... the poor thing. I just ache for her.

I like hot Vietnamese women too.

Worcester? I believe it.

Tortured confession, I thought that was a BDSM video.

Once you shift your thinking about what the "justice system" is all about, all these cases make sense. Is it to catch criminals? No, the system is designed to close cases, full stop. Catching the right person is nice, but if they can make a case against the guy down the street bingo! Why else would prosecutors fight DNA tests, the case is closed, why muck it up?

Lawsuit Filed In Thrown-Out Worcester Confession


"Goodyear?"

"The Worcester."

False statements aren't what bothers me; she either wasn't properly explained her rights or she didn't understand her rights. She probably didn't know or understand that she could leave if she wasn't under arrest.

Yeah, I heard some of this on the radio this morning. Not a good way to wake up. On the one hand I thought it was kind of sick that the video was released so now anyone can watch the detectives put this girl through the ringer, but on the other hand, a good, outraged public outcry is probably for the best.

serial_crusher: Protip: Don't confess to things you didn't do? talk with police

Fixed.

What's really ironic is now she'll be bombarded by lawyers wanting to help her.

Are all cops assholes?
All Americans assholes?
All men assholes?
All humans assholes?

Where does my rage end?!?!?!

I wonder how much she'll nguyen in the end

iheartscotch: False statements aren't what bothers me; she either wasn't properly explained her rights or she didn't understand her rights. She probably didn't know or understand that she could leave if she wasn't under arrest.

Understanding your rights is meaningless if you don't exercise them anyway. A lot of people even if they know their rights will still stick around to cooperate or think they can talk their way out of it, or are just plain too scared to exercise their rights. After all, the cops are our friends right? The problem isn't explaining/understanding your rights, the problem is the cops/detectives that are allowed to lie, threaten, bully, or intimidate their way to any convenient confession they can get so they can get a pat on the back, a job well done, and move on to the next one.

iheartscotch: She probably didn't know or understand that she could leave if she wasn't under arrest.

But attempting to leave gives the cops reasonable suspicion to place the person under arrest. If they argue that they have the right to leave, the cops just tack on "resisting arrest".

"Rights" are just a fairy tale the politicians keep repeating to blind us to the fact that we live in a police state.

Hopefully, she'll get a huge settlement.

Then she can use the money to go here.

I especially like the apparent implication of the headline here: that the plaintiff ought not be compensated for being tortured and falsely imprisoned because it will cost an insurance company money.

And the conclusion the cops will come to? Always lose the tape of a confession.

ChipNASA: serial_crusher: Protip: Don't confess to things you didn't do?

Here's how it probably went.

Police..."WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THE DEATH OF THE BABY?!?!?"

Defendant: " Nga Truong"

Police; "THAT'S BULLshiat YOU'RE LYING."

Can someone tell me why read the Police lines in Tommy Wiseau's voice?

Anyone know what the autopsy eventually revealed? Didn't see it in the
article.

Rules for police interaction.

Don't talk to the police.
If you're innocent, don't talk to them.
If you're guilty, don't talk to them.
Don't invite them into your house.
Don't consent to a search of your car.
If you are not under arrest, walk out of the police station.

Not all cops are bad.

Don't take the chance you found a 'good' one.

It is amazing the number of people who will admit to a crime that they didn't do while under duress. And cops are trained to look for openings to get a confession. Many of the signs of grief could mimic guilt, and when in a high-stress situation I could see how both parties would seriously misinterpret the other. That being said, only one of those parties will suffer for it, and in this case, a woman lost three years of her life.

People don't always think about the less-than-glamorous training aspects of a profession. Salesmen prey on those who are indecisive, knowing who they can sucker into paying for extras. Debt collectors are trained to ask direct questions and in many aspects to act like a salesman. You are trained to not let your emotions get to you; and I would imagine that cops have that same training. It would probably surprise most people if they sat in on the Interrogations 101 class and saw exactly what is being taught. While not illegal, it is hard to see. But you also understand that there are people out there, horrible people, who would absolutely take the police on a wild goose chase if there was no strict way of speaking to them.

Society preys upon the weakest. It isn't enough to just know your rights, you need to be strong enough to use them. To stand up and be firm.

OtherLittleGuy: Hopefully, she'll get a huge settlement.

And hopefully those cops will get two in the head, each. Scum like that isn't fit to live.

CapeFearCadaver: SnakeLee: So an immigrant is emotionally vulnerable because her kid just died and then is systematically lied to by authroity figures who have no evidence for hours

Also, a sixteen year old girl... the poor thing. I just ache for her.

So do I but probably not the same way. :)

Abe Vigoda's Ghost: Not all cops are bad.

It's totally unfair to let four or five hundred thousand bad apples spoil the whole barrel.

had98c: iheartscotch: False statements aren't what bothers me; she either wasn't properly explained her rights or she didn't understand her rights. She probably didn't know or understand that she could leave if she wasn't under arrest.

Understanding your rights is meaningless if you don't exercise them anyway. A lot of people even if they know their rights will still stick around to cooperate or think they can talk their way out of it, or are just plain too scared to exercise their rights. After all, the cops are our friends right? The problem isn't explaining/understanding your rights, the problem is the cops/detectives that are allowed to lie, threaten, bully, or intimidate their way to any convenient confession they can get so they can get a pat on the back, a job well done, and move on to the next one.

I agree, you have to exercise your rights. I'm wondering how they got away with questioning a 16 year-old without a parent present. Maybe that differs state to state.

Lying or obfuscating is a legitimate tactic to a point; the officer can promise that you'll be tried as a child all he or she wants, that doesn't bind the prosecutor. But, I agree; badgering a young girl for hours is over the line.

If she was a minor at the time shouldnt she have someone there anyways to represent her?

Wow... I'm all for police bluffing to trick a guilty suspect, but this went into crazy territory. No evidence that a crime had even been committed? Holding her family ransom with threats and promises directed at them?

The sound of your footsteps

Telling me that you're near.

Wayne 985: Wow... I'm all for police bluffing to trick a guilty suspect, but this went into crazy territory. No evidence that a crime had even been committed? Holding her family ransom with threats and promises directed at them?

Or, as it is known in many police departments, "Tuesday."

A few years back, a young Asian woman's child vanished. It made the news and eventually she appeared on the Nancy Grace (?) show, where the host went from interviewing her on her loss to accusing her of murdering her child and hiding the body.

Basically, she browbeat her to tears on the air. The woman left the show and shortly after, blew her brains out. Nancy Grace promptly claimed she had nothing to do with it, hinted that the woman's actions were proof of her guilt and firmly denied any responsibility.

Of course, to my knowledge, the missing kid was never found. Actually, the media seemed to drop the ball on the whole thing shortly after, especially since they had also started accusing the young woman of murder. The cops had apparently gone from treating her as a victim to the only suspect.

I wonder if the kid was ever found? I wonder if the deceased woman was ever exonerated?

iheartscotch: had98c: iheartscotch: False statements aren't what bothers me; she either wasn't properly explained her rights or she didn't understand her rights. She probably didn't know or understand that she could leave if she wasn't under arrest.

Understanding your rights is meaningless if you don't exercise them anyway. A lot of people even if they know their rights will still stick around to cooperate or think they can talk their way out of it, or are just plain too scared to exercise their rights. After all, the cops are our friends right? The problem isn't explaining/understanding your rights, the problem is the cops/detectives that are allowed to lie, threaten, bully, or intimidate their way to any convenient confession they can get so they can get a pat on the back, a job well done, and move on to the next one.

I agree, you have to exercise your rights. I'm wondering how they got away with questioning a 16 year-old without a parent present. Maybe that differs state to state.

Lying or obfuscating is a legitimate tactic to a point; the officer can promise that you'll be tried as a child all he or she wants, that doesn't bind the prosecutor. But, I agree; badgering a young girl for hours is over the line.

We should amend the law, instead of reading your Miranda rights, we should just make it so that police cannot interrogate you without a lawyer present. Sure it might make it harder to arrest certain people, but on the other hand, the police would have to do their job, which is be able to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the person did something wrong.

iheartscotch: had98c: iheartscotch: False statements aren't what bothers me; she either wasn't properly explained her rights or she didn't understand her rights. She probably didn't know or understand that she could leave if she wasn't under arrest.

Understanding your rights is meaningless if you don't exercise them anyway. A lot of people even if they know their rights will still stick around to cooperate or think they can talk their way out of it, or are just plain too scared to exercise their rights. After all, the cops are our friends right? The problem isn't explaining/understanding your rights, the problem is the cops/detectives that are allowed to lie, threaten, bully, or intimidate their way to any convenient confession they can get so they can get a pat on the back, a job well done, and move on to the next one.

I agree, you have to exercise your rights. I'm wondering how they got away with questioning a 16 year-old without a parent present. Maybe that differs state to state.

Lying or obfuscating is a legitimate tactic to a point; the officer can promise that you'll be tried as a child all he or she wants, that doesn't bind the prosecutor. But, I agree; badgering a young girl for hours is over the line.

In many states you are considered to be an adult after you get pregnant.

manimal2878: iheartscotch: had98c: iheartscotch: False statements aren't what bothers me; she either wasn't properly explained her rights or she didn't understand her rights. She probably didn't know or understand that she could leave if she wasn't under arrest.

Understanding your rights is meaningless if you don't exercise them anyway. A lot of people even if they know their rights will still stick around to cooperate or think they can talk their way out of it, or are just plain too scared to exercise their rights. After all, the cops are our friends right? The problem isn't explaining/understanding your rights, the problem is the cops/detectives that are allowed to lie, threaten, bully, or intimidate their way to any convenient confession they can get so they can get a pat on the back, a job well done, and move on to the next one.

I agree, you have to exercise your rights. I'm wondering how they got away with questioning a 16 year-old without a parent present. Maybe that differs state to state.

Lying or obfuscating is a legitimate tactic to a point; the officer can promise that you'll be tried as a child all he or she wants, that doesn't bind the prosecutor. But, I agree; badgering a young girl for hours is over the line.

We should amend the law, instead of reading your Miranda rights, we should just make it so that police cannot interrogate you without a lawyer present. Sure it might make it harder to arrest certain people, but on the other hand, the police would have to do their job, which is be able to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the person did something wrong.

Hope you never plan on running for political office you soft on crime softie. Why do you hate America?

/Seriously though, you're exactly right. While it would hamstring police and legal system efforts to prosecute people that have actually done something wrong, I think it'd go a long way toward making the entire system more legitimate than it currently is (which is to say, I think the current system is a complete sham)

Psychological torture?

What...there are no phonebooks and rubber hoses in Worcester?

Amateurs

OtherLittleGuy: Hopefully, she'll get a huge settlement.

Then she can use the money to go here.

This is worcester we're talking about, one of the brokest, run-down cities in the area, she'll be lucky to get anything.

This is one of many examples of how the police have devolved from public service to an "us against everyone else" paramilitary group. It's the pinnacle of paranoid and I wonder how many cases needlessly arrive in court. Of course, we'll never know since the police will never own up to their propensity for manufacturing criminal cases.

I work with law enforcement every day. The older officers are concerned with public service & safety, the younger officers are often ex-military who've seen combat. Not that their experiences make them bad people. But, when you have bad cops with combat experience, nothing good can come from it. This was an observation made by a friend of mine who retired a couple years ago. He couldn't stand the attitude shift.

Worcester Police Chief Gary Gemme expressed full confidence in his detectives.

He did so again Monday, saying "I believe ... the allegations ... are unfounded and that the officers will be vindicated."

Where are the people who will tell me cops don't blindly protect their own?

Rik01: A few years back, a young Asian woman's child vanished. It made the news and eventually she appeared on the Nancy Grace (?) show, where the host went from interviewing her on her loss to accusing her of murdering her child and hiding the body.

Basically, she browbeat her to tears on the air. The woman left the show and shortly after, blew her brains out. Nancy Grace promptly claimed she had nothing to do with it, hinted that the woman's actions were proof of her guilt and firmly denied any responsibility.

Of course, to my knowledge, the missing kid was never found. Actually, the media seemed to drop the ball on the whole thing shortly after, especially since they had also started accusing the young woman of murder. The cops had apparently gone from treating her as a victim to the only suspect.

I wonder if the kid was ever found? I wonder if the deceased woman was ever exonerated?

Mother of missing child who committed suicide after being interviewd by Nancy Grace? You're going to have to be a bit more specific since it happened twice.