Coerced Confessions and Constitutional Rights

This chapter explores the historical case of three men wrongfully convicted during the Jim Crow era in Mississippi, emphasizing the impact of coerced confessions on the legal system. It examines the limitations of the Fifth Amendment and the transformative roles of the 14th Amendment following the Civil War, particularly in protecting individual rights against state abuses. The landmark ruling in Brown v. Mississippi is highlighted, establishing crucial principles regarding the voluntariness of confessions and the necessity of safeguarding civil rights.