Eric D. Coleman

Senate Bill Requires Recording of Confessions, Police Interrogations

Senators Looney, Coleman say recordings will promote greater accuracy and accountability in our justice system

Today Senate Majority Leader Martin Looney (D-New Haven) and Senator Eric Coleman (D-Bloomfield), Senate Chair of the Judiciary Committee, said the Senate has approved legislation that will require electronic recording of statements made during police interrogations at a detention facility when an individual is accused of a capital or class A or B felony.

“Electronic recording of confessions will ensure greater accountability in our judicial system. While historically law enforcement officers have viewed taping of confessions with some trepidation, once they begin the process many of them become advocates for it. Recording confessions protects both police and suspects in the interrogation process,” said Senator Looney.

“This bill will make recording of confessions a standard of police procedure, with great results for both police and suspects. A recorded confession leaves no doubt as to its authenticity and the good conduct of the police officers who heard it. This measure will make our criminal justice system more reliable and transparent.” said Senator Coleman.

Senate Bill 954 seeks to improve the reliability of confessions by providing that statements made by a person during custodial interrogation at a place of detention are presumed inadmissible in court, unless the interrogation is electronically recorded with an audiovisual device.

The bill applies to oral, written and sign language statements. Exceptions are made in the case of a confession given in open court, when recording during custodial interrogation is not feasible, when a statement has bearing on the person’s credibility as a witness, when confession is spontaneous and not in response to a question, during routine questioning during processing after an arrest, during an interrogation held outside Connecticut, when interrogators are unaware a death has occurred, or when an individual requests not to be recorded.

The legislation now proceeds to the House of Representatives.