Question

The defendant and an accomplice were on trial together for burglary. Both had given confessions implicating themselves and their accomplice. At trial, the defendant maintained that his confession had been obtained through improper coercion by the police. For the purpose of countering the claim of coercion, the prosecution seeks to place the accomplice’s confession into evidence. After objection by the defendant’s counsel, the judge agrees to issue a limiting instruction to the jury that the confession is to be considered only with regard to the question of whether the defendant’s confession was coerced. May the accomplice’s confession be admitted under that condition?

Answer 1

Answer: Yes.

Explanation: Coercion is an illegal practice adopted by some police officers to force individuals accused of a crime to act a certain way or to induce them to give desirable responses. The accomplice's confession will be admitted because the judge's instruction limits consideration of the confession when there's a coercion issue.