Taping of Homicide Interrogations Now Law
In an attempt to reduce the chance of error in death penalty cases, Gov. Rod Blagojevich signed a bill requiring police in Illinois to tape interrogations and confessions of murder suspects.
“It is our moral duty to restore the integrity of the criminal justice system as we know it today in Illinois,” said Blagojevich, whose predecessor gained national headlines for his moratorium on capital punishment.
The law, the first in the nation, requires police to make electronic recordings when they question murder suspects to reduce the possibility that confessions are coerced or even tortured out of suspects. Agencies will have two years to come up with procedures.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
