Utah Special Function Officer (SFO) Practice Exam

What was the significance of Brown v. Mississippi (1936)?

1. Confessions must be obtained in writing

2. Use of force in obtaining a confession renders it inadmissible

3. Witness testimonies are always reliable

4. Confessions can be coerced if necessary

The correct answer is: Use of force in obtaining a confession renders it inadmissible

The case of Brown v. Mississippi (1936) is significant primarily because it established that the use of physical force or coercion to obtain confessions violated constitutional rights and rendered those confessions inadmissible in court. This landmark ruling underscored the importance of due process and the protection against self-incrimination under the Fourteenth Amendment. The court highlighted that extracting confessions through violence and intimidation undermines the integrity of the judicial system and can lead to false confessions. As a consequence of this ruling, law enforcement agencies are required to adhere to legal standards when questioning suspects, ensuring that any confessions are given voluntarily and without coercive tactics. This case laid the groundwork for future legal precedents concerning the treatment of suspects, the legitimacy of confession evidence, and the protection of individual rights during police interrogations. In contrast, other options do not accurately represent the precedent established by this case. The requirement for written confessions, assuming witness testimony reliability, and the allowance of coerced confessions do not align with the principles upheld by the court in this significant decision.