The Confession Tapes (TV Series 2017– ) Poster

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7/10
Episode 1
M-a-shazaib30 June 2019
Warning: Spoilers
Even during the film making you can see the Police department and the former chief is lying straight.

They just wanted to kill the case at the soonest. 😡
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8/10
Gripping, scary and sad
numba02312 July 2018
Warning: Spoilers
I know the people behind these documentary's have an agenda so I am not completely suckered into there bias, however I have seen too many examples of the crazy US justice system failing to ignore them. It's hard for the vast majority of people to contemplate committing a murder, it's equally as hard to contemplate giving a false confession, however in a number of these cases it is clear that there were horrendous tactics, lies and oversights by the police and prosecutors who are all incentivized to get cases closed as quickly as possible, seemingly without caring if they are putting people in jail for most of, if not all of there lives without doing the actual investigation. It seems like once they have you locked into their target, it doesnt matter what actually happened you are going down...... Which to me is as scary as some of the crimes committed. There are some bad people in the world that do unthinkable things, which have been aloud to continue doing them because of the arrogance and corrupted nature of some law enforcement.
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8/10
Shameful
hmarhoon8 June 2018
Really, you think the police should more investigate to protect people and catch guilty people but here unfortunately they try hard to push on suspected people and let them confessions so the sentences based on only suspected confessions not on evidence or DNA and that shameful on justice. However, if the policemen have stopped more investigating for the arrest of the criminals. They are inflicting innocent people in prison while the killers are free!!
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10/10
Disturbing yet amazing !
rodriguezjanill13 September 2017
This show goes to show you what the justice system will do to get a confession out of you at all cost. The justice system does not care about getting the real killer their only goal is to get a confession and put someone away for life with no parole. I will get a lawyer in I find myself in a situation like this even if I am innocent and I have 100 alibis.
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10/10
Already my gut is twisting...
ceced-7382511 September 2017
Warning: Spoilers
Much like "making a murderer" this netflix original shows the lengths that the law will go to to get convictions whether deserved or not.. I'm only on the 3rd episode and I'm already hooked. Using actual footage of interviews and trials, as well as current interviews with people involved, you get a feel of how real the emotions are. Both sides are equally shown without favoritism but the coerced confessions cannot be denied.. Unlike making a murderer, the pacing is much better. My heart is actually hurting.
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Informative and infuriating
cmcphee196528 June 2019
After watching the first 3 shows of the first season I have to take a break. The injustice portrayed here is stunning and enraging. Prosecutors and police will lie, cheat, hide evidence, manufacture evidence, all the time KNOWING that they need to do this to make people seem guilty, then when they are clearly exonerated by DNA, confessions, or other means, they still have the gall to insist that these poor people deserved to be punished. Until we hold prosecutors accountable, this travesty of justice will continue. In the last one I saw, a group of black men had their case brought to the Supreme Court, THIS disgusting and stolen Supreme Court. I don't have to tell you what happened.
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6/10
Frustrating
saloumy28 May 2020
The show is definitely biased.. I had to search more about some cases to know more details. Overall, I am not convinced they are all innocent, most of them were clearly guilty. BUT this has taught me to never talk to the police without the presence of my lawyer.
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10/10
Everyone should see "The confession tapes"
cody-slaugh13 September 2017
This is a great documentary that shows major holes in our justice system. We all assume things would happen if we were ever accused of a crime. Such as, innocent until proved guilty, or that it would need to be proved beyond a reasonable doubt that we were guilty. Those assumptions simply are not true. This series like several others Netflix has done show the adversarial relationship the police and prosecutors have toward accused citizens. To them it is about winning, not finding justice.
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7/10
Eye opening
Calicodreamin6 September 2020
An eye opening series showing how in certain situations a person can be coerced into confession. Some of the footage is down right appalling, how the cops treated these people and broke them down. For each case the interviews were relevant, and the archival footage well used. Though it did sometimes feel like the whole story wasn't being shown.
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10/10
Addictive
territemmermand18 September 2017
Eye opening, I am already hooked. I hope Netflix will do another season. This director is awesome! I binged watched the whole season and was ready for more. This must be a small fraction of what is going on. I had no idea what went on during interrogation. It made me rethink what I would do in each situation. This is an intriguing show. Thanks for bringing this awesome series to us, Netflix.
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6/10
get a goddamn lawyer when talking to the police
flumzz14 October 2020
What i got out of this series, is get a goddamn lawyer when talking to the police
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9/10
Very disturbing
melissahellings16 September 2017
Netflix has come with a new series where people confess a crime they didn't do... At least that is how Netflix pictures them. I really wan't to believe that these sentenced didn't do the crime, but I have to keep in my mind that Netflix also can show what it want's me to believe.

The second episode was the most disturbing so far. It left me in tears and after watching it, I really wanted to sign a petition or at least do something.. But something also tells me that Netflix doesn't show me the whole context. If Netflix can make me believe in one episode that these people are innocent, how come that the judges don't believe it? I assume and really hope that the American judge system is not as corrupted and naive as Netflix pictures it.

If I have to believe that these people are innocent, the more disturbing thing is that the real perpetrators still aren't behind bars.

So to keep a long review short... - you don't know what to believe - These episode's will leave you angry and confused - Very disturbing stories

Last but not least... I have to give Netflix a big thumps up for creating a platform that doesn't show how great the world is and how heroic people are.. not every story has a happy ending.
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7/10
Never ever speak to the police without a lawyer, ever.
tonytangney28 March 2021
Well presented documentary that attempts to teach one very important lesson. Never, ever, ever, ever speak to the police without legal representation.

Whatever the case, one must keep in mind that the police will use any method they can get away with to secure a conviction, rightly or wrongly.

That said, I've doubts about the individuals involved. The makers of the documentary obviously will push their position that all are innocent whereas I felt only convinced of the innocence of one and maybe she was guilty?
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1/10
Awful spin, awful documentary
maillisjd1 October 2017
Warning: Spoilers
First, the documentary is very biased. Secondly, as a former prosecutor, of the seven cases highlighted, 6 I would get a guilty verdict without the confessions. Only perhaps the two boys from Canada would it have been slightly difficult and the confessions they gave were perfectly legitimate. They didn't even give them to known police officers but instead criminals. the son, who supposedly found his family dead, notices that ONE sony Walkman and VCR were taken. Its patently ridiculous to notice that at the scene of a murder. ONE scenario a guy confesses three times, once to CNN. They argue his confession was "tricked" yet he enters a plea to voluntary manslaughter you learn to avoid a second trial.

EVERYONE accused of murder denies they did it until skilled examiners get them to admit they did it. Nothing wrong with what the police did here.

I have been a PUBLIC DEFENDER with 13 not guilty verdicts and a prosecutor and now a civil lawyer. This is the biggest piece of crap I have ever seen.

I promise everyone of these cases id get a conviction without the confessions, again, except for the two boys, but id get them eventually as well.

the woman who created this only asked "anti valid" questions regarding confessions, not the facts that supported them. Don't watch, its worse BS than making a murderer.
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10/10
a must watch for all Americans
gtej-602-9414013 September 2017
Warning: Spoilers
This video documentary series is a must watch for all Americans. There is a small percentage of the American population that is educated about the injustice that occurs on a daily basis of the American criminal justice system. This series is aimed at educating people about how prevelent it is for innocent people to be charged, convicted, and sentenced to crimes that they did not commit. It is impossible to judge someone else's actions without experiencing it first hand, so to see how manipulative the police are with extracting a false confession from a person is against the intent and morals of the American criminal justice system. There needs to be major reform in the way police and state attorneys are allowed to prosecute and the first step is to remove the incentive to convict at all cost. This series is the first step in creating a national showing of the American injustice system. I applaud Netflix for creating this documentary and will be a life long subscriber to Netflix.
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10/10
Watch it to help yourself
akashmanutd22 September 2017
This is made regarding US justice system but sadly, it is true for the entire world. We all have watched in movies that whenever there is an accusation of any kind of wrongdoing, then the accused(most of the times) asks for attorney straight away. I always wondered why they do that? Why pay an expensive lawyer when you are innocent and have done nothing wrong. AFTER watching it, I UNDERSTOOD and understood well enough and felt it's worth to do that. *One line from Episode 4* — Karen Boes, who was convicted in related to the death of her daughter,(I dare not call it murder because conviction/evidence was very very iffy in my opinion) said the last line in this episode:- "It doesn't matter how innocent you are, get an attorney and don't speak" (to police/investigators alone).

One line we all often hear is that every person has a breaking point.Before watching it, I was skeptical about HOW ON EARTH someone can confess to a crime they didn't commit, after watching this, I am still not 100% convinced, but I certainly feel it's possible. In some cases, it does feel like state just want to pin it on someone for the sake of it and doesn't follow the evidence. And we see really long interviews, some even using leading the suspects into saying things they normally won't and using illegal techniques.

Please heed those Karen Boes words if anyone finds themselves in any such unfortunate situation.
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6/10
Well done but very biased
fatin-husien14 June 2018
Warning: Spoilers
Is there anything on Netflix crime documentaries that is not obviously pushing an idea down your throat?? I mean yes its really well done, very entertaining but it doesn't give you the full picture, try imagining CSI or Law and Order where they have a suspect and they are questioning him , how did you feel watching CSI? Yes they are tough and experts and highly skilled and know exactly how to break someone to say the truth! I mean especially with the case of the man who murdered his wife and confessed three times I mean who does that when innocent? No one. Even strong murderers who know they did it will not confess because they know once you said it , its over It really hard to imagine that someone would give details of a murder that he did not commit, and then claim he made it up, who on earth would believe him and why is Netflix trying to convince us with that anyway? The other party that they are purposely-God knows why- trying to demonize is the law enforcement, who are just doing there job ! Yes They have to take the truth out of the criminals ! Who would confess otherwise!!!? And in the case of the two boys , anyone with a sound logic knows well that they did it, what kind of a son buys a mustang shortly after his parents have been violently murdered ? And if he is innocent and knows that the police are after him, why just why would he get involved with criminals !?? I mean its so obvious that is no traumatized kid that is a guilty one, a horrible heartless guy .
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9/10
Should Be Required Viewing For All US Citizens
makf29 September 2017
The possibility of a false confession is something every citizen in the USA should understand, because everyone has to do jury duty. This series is really a public service announcement and lesson in civics that all of us should receive.

While others say that this series shows a failure of the US justice system, it really shows the failures of human psychology, because all of these people received a guilty verdict from a jury--12 regular citizens. So many jurors think, "Why would they confess if they didn't do it? They must be guilty!" without wanting to realize the complexities of human psychology--especially under pressure and intimidation.

In all of the cases presented, the lawyers of the defendant gave strong cases, and if the jurors were willing to read in-between the lines and see the tell-tale signs of a false confession, then perhaps the fates of these poor individuals would have been much different. The grounds for an innocent verdict were there and were not suppressed.

This series is extremely well done, and the cases that they chose to present were airtight in their logic and defense of an innocent verdict. We see the humanity of the accused innocent--as well as of the lawyers and jurors that accused them. We see the arrogance and irresponsibility of police investigators and judges.

The only thing I see missing from this series is a follow up as to what happened at the appeals. It shocked me that, in many of these cases, the accused had exhausted their appeals, and I am left wondering, why?!?! How can an injustice like this be committed over and over again?!?! But there are no details given as to why their appeals failed.

The lesson I see from this series is that the failure of justice cannot be chalked up to an obscure authority of "The US justice system" but rather a failure of citizens (jurors, media reporters/journalists, police, lawyers, judges) to think abstractly and critically--and HUMANELY. When an injustice is committed, it is a known fault of human psychology to try to pin blame somewhere, anywhere--but an innocent person's life may be ruined, and in many cases these people's lives were ruined before ever even being convicted.

I hope future seasons of The Confession Tapes will give a glimpse into what happens in the appeals process, but other than that, this series gives a voice to the voiceless and is truly a work of art and philanthropy.
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fuqra
dnsmlt-0632813 October 2017
Warning: Spoilers
This is the cruelest miscarriage of justice I've ever see in my entire life. Just imagine how many innocent people are either in jail or have been put to death. Canada should be ashamed for destroying the lives of these men and America needs to release them now.

Please watch YouTube video about fuqra in 1994. Our government knew and no one stepped up to the plate to help these boys. Disturbing, unjust and so shameful.
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6/10
Decent show; disappointed in my fellow viewers
bocomoj23 June 2018
Doc-u-men-ta-ry : of, relating to, or employing documentation in literature or art : being, consisting of, or contained in documents : a presentation (such as a film or novel) expressing or dealing with factual events

I don't know why people seem to believe documentaries are somehow "required" to present both sides in an unbiased manner. That's the job of journalists, and even they don't do it; the nightly news is filled with bias.

People who confuse "documentary" with "news" don't understand what documentaries are supposed to be. Read the definitions above. Nowhere does it say that all facts must be presented or the presentation should be unbiased.

The intent of documentary film is to present an argument and support that argument with information. Documentary film is the media equivalent to a structured debate or writing a persuasive essay. You include opposing arguments and facts only to the point they help make your case. End of story.

Also, it's dumbfounding how many people fundamentally misunderstand our criminal justice system. Only the prosecution must prove anything using evidence. The entire purpose of the defense is to create reasonable doubt. The defense is not required to offer evidence to support their claims. They create outrageous lies to save their client. This is done every day. It is how it is supposed to be done. If the defense were required to state the truth and provide evidence, 99% of trials would never happen, because the defendant would just plead guilty.

Grow up, people.
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9/10
The unjust system in US
dorinka-7999013 September 2017
This is so sad to watch. I myself wouldn't think it's even possible to admit to the crime one has not committed. However looking at the interrogation technique that cops are using in US is horrendous. Intimidation, fear and hours long pressure play tricks with your mind. Once they feel the weakness of the person they start exploiting it until one has given up. Fear overrides everything.

Why is it happening? Why the police does not invest more time investigating the case making sure they exhausted all the options? because it's hard work...maybe it's more convenient to press and use out the vulnerability of people who lost their dearest ones, those in grief.

The crazy thing about it is that the victims do not ask for a lawyer!!!

So many cases in US are wrongfully convicted it makes me cringe ...
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6/10
Cases were people got convicted based on their confessions to the police
hawra-1139211 September 2017
Warning: Spoilers
Ummm, it just feels like Netflix is getting biased. Yes, it's true that some of the people in these cases were wrongfully prosecuted. But in some of the cases you would still wonder, why would someone confess if they were innocent? Especially if you are intelligent enough to know that if you say you did it to a cop, he will throw you in jail.
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9/10
Mad
nazcar-8690824 June 2019
I find these real hard to watch because of some of these idiotic Sheriff's and DA's.... I'm all for putting people away that commit serious crimes but God almighty it's simple to see some of these men or women had absolutely nothing to do with these crimes... And man oh man how does some of these people get law enforcement jobs
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7/10
Eye Opening
Jemae24 June 2019
Wow, this show is incredible. It shows some of the dirty tactics police use to coerce innocent people into confessing to murder. You don't really think police would do that but to actually see it on video, is eye opening.

It's a must watch.
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3/10
Common Sense Evidence of Guilt Turned 9/11 Truther Documentary
georgebatton8 January 2018
All I can say is that as a lay man and non lawyer this documentary is a blatant example of left-wing anti-law enforcement bias. I will say however that this show was very well directed and quite interesting.

It's likely that the overriding agenda regarding this series was aimed at pushing an agenda that is anti-capital punishment. As always with the progressive left, the criminals are almost never guilty and victims of a flawed society. The very people protecting us and bringing about justice are demonized. All law enforcement is corrupt and illegitimate and we as Americans should be suspect of them.

These are simple cut and dry common sense cases where the evidence is overwhelming and the accused guilt is undeniable. The cases then get picked apart to the point that a reasonable person could possibly be led to conclude that the investigators conspired to frame those convicted. We're then coerced into empathizing with the monsters and hating the real heroes. Just think back to O.J., JFK, 9/11 conspiracies and the nonsense that sparked the BLM movement in Ferguson.

It just goes to show that if one splits hairs and over-examines something so simple and obvious that the audience can be led to believe in the innocence of anyone. Let us all now join together and celebrate this injustice by kneeling during the national anthem
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