State of Iowa v. Anthony Devon Polk

WATERMAN, Justice.

Defendant, Anthony Devon Polk, confessed in a jailhouse interview to firing his handgun at the scene of a gang-related shooting that left two men with gunshot wounds. We must decide whether the interrogating police officer’s tactics rendered Polk’s confession inadmissible. Polk contends the officer baited him into talking after Polk had invoked his Fifth Amendment right to remain silent and made improper promises of leniency that suggested by talking to police Polk could get a better deal and spend less time away from his children.

The district court denied Polk’s motion to…