Recording Interrogations

1. Recording Interrogations Kevin Steele District Attorney Montgomery County

2. Montgomery County Videotaping homicide confessions since 2012 Approximately 70% of cases involve confession or partial confession Under 20% agree to videotaping

3. Policy Q&A Interview and Written Statement Constitutional Rights Waiver Chapter 57 – Wiretap Law • Consent/Non Consent to Videotape Only one suspect interviewed at a time

4. Policy All persons in interview room in camera Videotape: no interruptions Memory card copied to disk and placed into evidence Documentation of Interview in Written Report

5. Interview Room Set Up Demonstrative Weapons • Retractable Knives • Revolver or Semi-Automatic Pistol with Firing Pins Removed Demonstration of Action • Dolls • Detectives

6. Video Interview Format Announce Who is in the Room Review Forms/Statement • Allow suspect to adopt forms Overview of What Occurred Demonstration

7. Positives of Videotaping See and Hear Defendant Demonstration of how murder was committed using detective/doll Shows defendant’s comfort with weapon

8. Issues Storage of media Location for interview–typically interviews done “in field” PA Crimes Code §4904: Unsworn Falsification to Authorities • Written False Statements

9. Issues Storage of media Location for interview–typically interviews done “in field” PA Crimes Code §4904: Unsworn Falsification to Authorities • Written False Statements

10. PA Innocence Project Initiative Met with The PA Innocence Project re homicide interviewing Subsequent training with Andy & Jacqui Griffith re cognitive interview styles as conducted in England

11. Questions?