What is Implied Consent?

As a condition of your ability to drive in the state of Iowa, the law implies that you agree to consent to the withdrawal of a specimen of your breath, urine, and sometimes blood to determine the level of alcohol or other substances in your system, if certain predicate circumstances exist, i.e. there are reasonable …

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What You Need to Know About Coerced Confessions

A coerced confession is one that is not given voluntarily. This can be a result of physical intimidation, threats, or unlawful promises of better treatment. Iowa Coerced Confession Law In Iowa, the police are strictly prohibited from threatening worse treatment or promising better treatment to obtain your confession or get you to talk. Iowa Courts have …

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The Shocking Toll of Taser Use in Police Incidents

Reuters recently conducted a detailed study of over 1000 incidents involving the use of a stun gun that ended in the death of the person stunned. Of those incidents, only a little over 150 actually cite Tasers as the cause or a contributor to death. Since Tasers became a staple in police departments in the …

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False Confessions Continue to Put Innocent People in Prison

Dorothy Varallo-Speckeen thought she was volunteering to help solve a child-abuse case when she walked into the police interrogation room in 2013. She learned quickly, however, that she was Detective Marcella O’Brien’s prime suspect. O’Brien believed that Varallo-Speckeen was guilty of breaking the legs of the 15-month-old girl she was babysitting, though Varallo-Speckeen swore that …

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