Is a Confession Alone Enough to Convict? | Criminal Defense Lawyers, Wichita

Have you falsely confessed to a crime? Unfortunately, false confessions are very common, and the reasons people falsely confess to crimes include everything from coercive pressure from law enforcement to an inherent need to appease others. However, you should know that a confession alone is not enough to convict you of a crime.

The Corpus Delicti Rule

Most states, including Kansas, follow the corpus delicti rule, a general criminal law principle that a confession alone is not enough for a conviction. The term “corpus delicti” translates to “body of crime.” According to the legal information website NOLO, the phrase means that there must be some kind of additional evidence, apart from a confession, establishing that someone committed a crime.

“Obviously, it is usually pretty easy for the prosecution to satisfy the corpus delicti rule,” said criminal defense lawyer in Wichita,  Jonathan W. McConnell. “Typically, any evidence that the crime in question was committed by someone (not necessarily the defendant) is enough.”

However, in rare cases, a person might volunteer a confession to a crime but not provide any proof that the crime occurred, such as a weapon, victim, or stolen property. In such a case, law enforcement would have nothing to follow up on and no evidence in addition to the confession. As a result, the person could not be convicted.

How We Can Help After a False Confession

If you have falsely confessed to a crime, you should hire an experienced criminal defense lawyer in Wichita as soon as possible. Although every case is different and no conclusions should be drawn without first consulting with a lawyer about the specifics of your case, the sooner you can speak to an experienced criminal defense lawyer, the better.

Led by McConnell, the McConnell Law Firm is comprised of talented criminal defense lawyers in Wichita with extensive experience defending those who have falsely confessed to everything from a white collar crime to a sex crime. 

Our team has previously used effective tactics, such as calling in experts who can convince the jury that false confessions are common. A psychologist can potentially give a jury the percentage of false confessions or the litany of cases where someone confessed despite innocence proven through blood results or a DNA test.

If you have falsely confessed, we urge you to contact the McConnell Law Firm immediately for a free consultation.