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284 Deception at Work

THREATS, BLACKMAIL, PROMISES AND AMNESTIES

It is critical that no threats or promises are made which could render admissions and confes-
sions improper and thus inadmissible. Ultimately, a trial judge may decide what is fair and
what is not, but statements and questions such as the following are dreadful.6

• ‘If you don’t tell the truth you will go to hell and your soul will be forever damned.’
• ‘I suggest you get down on your knees and pray to God for forgiveness.’
• ‘If you don’t tell the truth, I will give you a good spanking.’
• ‘Tell me the truth and we can then forget it.’

They and statements like them must be avoided at all costs. The rule is ‘if you have the
slightest inkling that what you are thinking of doing could not be admitted without fear in the
highest court in the land: don’t do it.’ This still leaves all of the techniques described in this
book at your disposal, and even if you apply them fairly and honestly, you must still anticipate
getting your ass kicked in court: this is life (see Chapter 10).

WINGERS AND VERBALS

These are admissions and confessions falsely attributed to the suspect by a dishonest inter-
viewer. In days gone by, ‘wingers’ and ‘verbals’ were far too common for comfort, especially
in criminal prosecutions. Most times they varied from the totally unsubtle, such as: ‘It’s down
to me, Mr Smith. I was the one what did it and you are the only person clever enough to catch
me. You should get a pay rise for this’, to the case where a bank robber, who, during a five-hour
interrogation, denied everything, was reported as saying: ‘I have told you I did not do it. But
if I am picked out at an identity parade, I will grass on the others’.

Today the pendulum has swung towards rampant suspicion and opposing barristers will
challenge (quite rightly) any alleged admissions by their clients, possibly arguing that they
have been ‘winged’ or ‘verballed’. They overlook the fact that people regularly confess and
find their bursts of honesty cathartic.

THE FORGIVENESS COMPUTER

Professor Greg Harvey from Concordia for-profit system requires the penitent to
University, Montreal, has developed an type in the customary ‘Bless me father for I
interactive computer called the ‘Automatic have sinned’. It responds by getting details
Confession Machine’ which can replace the and then churns out the penance.
more conventional confessional. The not-

The bottom line is to ensure that all interviews are professionally conducted, accurately
recorded, and that evidence of them is given honestly and openly. If, by chance, someone
does confess by saying: ‘It’s down to me, Mr Smith. I was the one what did it and you are the
only person clever enough to catch me. You should get a pay rise for this’, best get some ass
protection as no one will believe you.

6 Believe it or not these statements were made and given in evidence