Confessing When You Aren't Guilty

It's a strange quirk of human nature to confess guilt when accused by someone in authority, even if one is innocent.

As an example, I remember feeling the urge to confess when presented with handwriting evidence that I had cheated on an exam (very similar but not precisely-identical handwriting to my own).

Next week, the West Virginia Supreme Court will hear a case in which 30 former prosecutors from around the country have taken the unusual step of siding with the defense. It’s a battle over a DNA test, and whether prosecutors must turn the results over to a defendant when they point to his innocence — even if he has made the decision to plead guilty.