The confessions
I will be illustrating the notable actions portrayed by the police in the video-the confession. I will also discuss the issues depicted in the video as a result of the police behavior. The essay will also specify the constitutional Amendments the police may have violated as a result of their unconstitutional works. The confession is the title of the video that is written by Ofra Bikel.
According to the video, the confession, we learn that the police do not entertain corrupt activities. Once a police officer’s is involved in dishonest activities, such as receiving bribes, then it is important to note that he or she is not above the law since- will be treated as an offender and not as a police officer. The video brings out this fact clearly which is a notable action portrayed by the police, whereby, detective Robert Glenn Ford is found guilty in October 2010. The Detective, Robert Glenn Ford, is said to have been receiving bribes from offenders, therefore, guaranteeing them a favorable treatment. Robert Glenn Ford acts were against the law- he was damaging the reputation that the police officers have with its citizen; that is honesty and willingness to serve all citizens regardless of their race or gender. It is commendable that the law with the help of the police did not let Detective Robert Glenn Ford walk free- he had to pay both his corrupt and filthy acts. The video can also help the corrupt officers change their crooked behaviors- it can help them, the corrupt officers, to reform before the law gets hold of them. It is, therefore, clear, to all the corrupt officers out there that the police officers are not above the law (The confessions; written and directed by Ofra Bikel).
After the murder of Michelle, who is said to have been brutally raped and murdered, Daniel William took the step of calling the police. The police officers are depicted to have responded quickly according to the video which is a commendable acts practiced by police. Through a literature review, it is depicted that some police officers take time before arriving a crime scene, but this is not the case as depicted by the video- the confession. The quick response by the police officers, as depicted by the video, establishes confidence with the citizens. The citizens get to believe that the law enforcement officers are always available and they can contact them any time when there is a problem- in case of danger. It is a fact that if the law enforcements officers are known to take more time when someone calls the 911, then many citizens would not see the need of calling a police officer when the police officer help is needed- they would be turned down by that quality, hence resulting to seeking help from other sources. It is also a commendable behavior portrayed by the police, as depicted by the video, that they, police officers, were willing to conduct a thorough investigation. The police officers were willing to exhaust any available evidence that would lead them to establishing the offender of the crime that resulted to the death of Michelle. According to the video, the confession, it is depicted that the interrogation were complete after Daniel William confessed of having committed the crime, but after the DNA results were out, it was clear that Daniel William had not committed the crime. The investigation had to be resumed so as to establish the actual offender. It is, therefore, a notable behavior depicted by police in this video-the confession.
Numerous issues that cause my concern are depicted in details in this video- the confession. Daniel William act of alerting the police of the incidence of Michelle death led him into the cell. The issue creates a negative relationship between the citizens and the police officers. After watching this video, it is a fact that the majority of the citizens would be scared of alerting the police officers of a crime, since they would not be willing to face the same treatment that Daniel William had to go through (Study of the right of everyone to be free from arbitrary arrest, 1964).
Detective, Robert Glenn Ford, forced Daniel William to giving false confession. According to the video, experts have it that some detectives can make you give a false confession, psychology of giving fake confession, as depicted by Jay Saltpeter-a former NYPD detective. It is important to note that Daniel William was acknowledged as a potential suspect for taking the act of alerting the police officers; which, according to the police argument, the husband was the appropriate person to make the 911 call. According to my stand, the evidence, alerting the police, was not sufficient, therefore, the move of sending Daniel William into the cell was naïve and unprofessional. It is important to note that the police have to conduct an intensive research before making sensitive decisions, so as to prevent this kind of an occurrence from repeating itself in the future- according to my stand. From the video, we learn that the tests conducted, for example the DNA test did not show any evidence that would have linked Daniel William with the crime, the murder of Michelle, but the police officers went ahead assuming the result- it is said that they concealed the results of the DNA test. The brutal interrogation, as depicted by the video, resulted to new people ending up into the cell, such as Joe Dicks, Omar Ballard, Erick Wilsons, John Danser, and Derek Tice. It is important to note that the method used to imprison these suspects was, also, not sufficient as it was the case for Daniel William, but Omar Ballard deceived the consequences of his acts- Omar Ballard confessed of having committed the crime alone, but the police officer led by detective Robert Glenn Ford were not willing to acknowledge this new fact.
It is unconstitutional for a police officer to entrap a suspect, so as to give a false confession. According to the video, the confession, detective Robert Glenn Ford is said to have entrapped Omar Ballard, whereby, he promised him of evading the death penalty after confessing that they committed the crime as a group. Omar Ballard was sentenced for life imprisonment after giving the false confessions, but the guilt keeps on haunting him, since he stand with the original confession that he initially gave- that he committed the crime alone. Through a literature review, it is also unconstitutional for a police officer to accept enticement. Detective Robert Glenn Ford is illustrated as having received bribe from people with the intention of treating the fairly.
As depicted by the video, it is clear that the law enforcements officers led to the violation of the constitutional amendments. For example, the fourth Amendment right against unreasonable apprehension was vividly violated by the law enforcements officers as depicted by this video. It is a fact that the evidences that were used by the police officers were not sufficient, since there was no probable cause that linked the suspects with the crime of murdering Michelle. The police officers, also, ignored the DNA results- the DNA results could have enhanced accuracy in this type of crime, since it is depicted that the diseased was raped before being murdered. The suspect’s fourth Amendment right to freedom was also violated, whereby, Derek Tice appeal of having an attorney was not honored by detective Robert Glenn Ford- in the interrogation room. As depicted in the video, use of force in the interrogation room will, most likely, result to false confession. The law enforcements officers should improve their ways of getting evidences from a suspect, so as to end up with accurate results- I would recommend this video, the confession, to all police officers across the world (Study of the right of everyone to be free from arbitrary arrest, 1964).
References
PBS Video: The confessions-written and directed by Ofra Bikel
http://video.pbs.org/video/1637166286
Study of the right of everyone to be free from arbitrary arrest, detention and exile ([Rev.].ed. )
.(1964).New York: United Nations.
