10 Strangest Cases of Wrongful Convictions Based On False Confessions

In 2016, The Netflix documentary series Making a Murderer has brought a great deal of attention to the controversial 2005 murder conviction of Steven Avery.



After spending 18 years in prison for a rape he didn’t commit, Avery was charged with the murder of a woman named Teresa Halbach only two years after his release.



There are allegations that Avery was framed by corrupt law enforcement officials. One of the most troubling elements of the case is the confession of Avery’s nephew, Brendan Dassey, who told police that he participated in the murder.



Even though Dassey also went to prison, there are serious doubts about the veracity of his confession because he is developmentally disabled and may have been coerced into admitting to something he did not do.



It remains to be seen if Avery or Dassey will be exonerated. But there are many documented cases of wrongful convictions which were secured by false confessions.



A few years ago, we chronicled some of these stories. Here are 10 more examples of people who were wrongfully convicted because of a questionable confession.