Religion

I have, both in defense and prosecution, trial and appeal, as well as training defense counsel. I've seen plenty of uncoerced confessions. Does that mean that there are not coerced ones? Of course not, those exist as well. The fact that our criminal justice system has serious flaws does not mean that everyone who pleads guilty or shows remorse is doing just to get out of jail or because they were coerced.

Most people who confess do so rather quickly without much in the way of discussion in my experience. I've watched the videos, heard the recordings. I've talked to my clients as a defense counsel who expressed remorse to me directly. Remorse to their victims, remorse to their families, and remorse to themselves.

Now my clients have been military, so maybe it's different in the civilian justice system, but I suspect not. People often make decisions without thinking, in the moment, without information, with pressure, or immaturely. They don't think through the ramifications until after. Doesn't excuse their conduct, but it informs it.