G543 - Interviewing Suspects - Gudjonsson 1990 Flashcards
Who was the subject?
A 17 year old boy (FC)
How many murders was he accused of?
2
What other attributes did FC have?
Average intelligence, suffered from no mental illness, personality not obviously abnormal
What happened in1987?
Two elderly women were found dead. Their savings were missing and there was evidence of sexual assault
What happened two days after the elderly women were found dead?
FC was arrested
Why was FC arrested?
There were inconsistencies in his story, spending more money than usual and having suspicious movements
What was missing from the prosecution?
No forensic evidence and no solicitor
What did FC do the next day after being in custody?
He repeated his statement in front of a solicitor and later wrote a statement incriminating himself from jail
What happened to FC after a year in jail?
He was released from jail and another man was found guilty
How long was the first police interview?
14 hours with breaks
How many officers questioned FC in the first interview?
5
What did FC deny in the first interview? What was he repeatedly accused of?
Being near the scene. Repeatedly accused of lying. Then agreed to being at the scene
What did the police officers suggest about FC in the first interview?
He was sexually impotent. FC found this distressing
Who was the second interview in front of?
A solicitor
What did FC do in the second interview?
Retracted his statement
Why did he confess again in the second interview?
He was put under pressure about his failure to have successful relationships with women
How many interviews were there in total?
3
Who was FC examined by in prison?
A psychiatrist
What did the psychiatrist find no evidence of in the prison?
Mental illness
What did FC score in the Gudjonsson suggestibility scale? What did this make him?
- Abnormal
What is the EPI?
Eyesenck’s personality inventory
What did FC come out as using the EPI?
A stable extrovert
What does a ‘coerced compliant false confession’ mean?
He gave into pressure during the interviews to escape the intolerable situation
Who can a coerced compliant false confession happen to?
Anyone. Especially the mentally ill, handicapped or illiterate
What did Gudjonsson aim to document a case of in 1990?
The false confession of a youth who was at the time, distressed and susceptible to interrogative pressure
