30 Years ago, Bobby Dixon, Phillip Bevans and Larry Ruffin were sentenced to life in prison for the rape and murder of a woman in Mississippi. Larry Ruffin died in prison some 7 years ago, Bobby Dixon was released about one month ago, and Phillip Bevans was released by a Judge September 16,2010. DNA evidence was finally tested that proved that they were innocent. But they confessed, and they also plead to the charge.
How could they possibly be innocent? Innocent people don’t confess to things they didn’t do, especially murder. That is a common belief, often times true, but not always.
Years ago, early on in my legal career, I represented a young man on a felony charge in which he was arrested. I received the police report that indicated he was identified as one of 5 kids in a pickup truck. I had previously worked with the prosecutor at the State Attorney’s Office, and the prosecutor told me the victim’s had identified my client as the one who committed the crimes. The police report also indicated that my client was identified. He adamantly denied that he did anything wrong, nor did he know that the kid that actually did the crime told anybody what was going to happen.
My client would qualify for a diversion program that could have the charges dropped in 12 months. He wanted to go into the military. We reviewed the case, and I told him based upon what I received from the State Attorney’s Office, it looked like we would lose, and he faced a prison sentence of up to 5 years. After our long appointment, he left my office scared and in tears. He called me a couple of days later, his voice shaking, said he didn’t do it and he couldn’t admit to something that he didn’t do. At the time I thought the diversion program was his best option and continued to suggest it. He didn’t take it.
I conducted depositions, and a different prosecutor was now on the case. During one deposition, he actually found a photopak conducted by an officer that had nothing to do with this case that showed my client was not identified by anybody involved. In fact the victim said “That wasn’t him”. The new prosecutor immediately gave me the evidence that proved my client did nothing wrong, and the charges were soon dropped. My client was relieved, but his mother was concerned that I didn’t believe her son.
What does that have to do with Confessions and Guilty Pleas of the truly innocent? Mr. Dixon, Mr. Bevans and the deceased Mr. Ruffin were facing the death penalty in Mississippi in the late 70′s. If they confessed and pled guilty at least they wouldn’t be killed by the government. That is a much harsher consequence than my client was facing. Their lawyers wouldn’t be the first well-meaning lawyers to give a recommendation to avoid a potential death sentence. The stress of being accused and then executed by the government for something that you didn’t do can indeed cause people to admit to things they didn’t do.
This doesn’t mean that every confession is false, nor that every plea is invalid. The case of Dixon, Bevans, and Ruffin proves that it does happen. It is important to understand in their case, DNA evidence conclusively proved that they did not rape and then murder that young lady. In fact, the DNA proved who did, and he was subsequently convicted for other violent crimes. The prosecutor is now investigating prosecuting him for this case as well.
The next time we read about a horrible crime and that the suspect confessed, let’s continue to look at all of the facts before we close the door just because the suspect confessed.
