United States v. Duvall

May a jury convict an accused based solely on the accused’s out of court confession to the police? The majority says yes — I say no.

FACTS

Appellant confessed to criminal investigators that he used marijuana once with a Senior Airman McKague, and swore to and signed a typed statement the investigators prepared to that effect. At trial, he moved to suppress the confession alleging it was involuntary due to police coercion and uncorroborated by independent evidence.

The military judge determined appellant’s statement was voluntary and adequately corroborated. The judge found corroboration in the…