Brown v. State

NAHMIAS, Justice.

The issue presented is whether a criminal suspect who is told by police officers that he will be able to return home after questioning regardless of what he says has received a “hope of benefit” that renders his subsequent confession inadmissible at trial under OCGA § 24-3-50. We hold that the answer is no, as long as the officers’ statements do not amount to a promise that the suspect will never be charged or will face reduced charges or a reduced sentence based on what he tells the officers during the interview. In this case, Appellant Harrison Brown could not reasonably…