As part of recently enacted criminal justice reform package, a new policy will provide safeguards against law enforcement lying to juveniles along with an amendment to a postconviction statute to prevent future injustices similar to the case of exoneree Marvin Haynes.
The Minnesota legislature recently passed crucial legislation, which was signed by Governor Tim Walz on Friday, May 24, 2024, that will protect the rights of all Minnesotans by ending certain deceptive interrogation tactics used by law enforcement with juveniles, and by creating a procedural path for the wrongfully convicted to obtain justice with newly discovered evidence.
The package includes HF 2319 / SF 2495, authored by Rep. Athena Hollins and Sen. Clare Oumou Verbeten, which will prevent law enforcement from lying to juveniles about evidence and making false promises of leniency in exchange for a confession. In addition, the new reforms include HF 2400 / SF 2597, authored by Rep. Cedrick Frazier and Sen. Ron Latz, that will amend Minnesota’s current post-conviction statute of limitations, allowing for an exception to be made when new evidence is discovered more than two years after the conviction has been made final. This change was made following the case of exoneree Marvin Haynes, freed late last year after almost 20 years in prison, who had his case complicated due to the state’s previous statute of limitations.
“We’re grateful to our legislative champions and the bipartisan support in the legislature for agreeing on these common sense reforms,” said Andrew Markquart, Managing Attorney of the Great North Innocence Project. “By providing these critical protections for juveniles and exonerees, these reforms represent an important step in securing a more just and equitable future for all Minnesotans.”
The deceptive interrogation techniques at issue involve lying about what evidence law enforcement has in their possession and committing to promises of leniency that law enforcement cannot realistically offer. These tactics have long been known to be a leading cause of false confessions and, by extension, wrongful convictions across the country. The new policy will protect Minnesota youth from being lied to, misled, and implicated in crimes that they did not commit.
There have been nearly 400 known wrongful convictions – including both adults and juveniles – involving false confessions nationwide. The use of deceptive interrogation practices is a major driver of these false confessions. Protecting juveniles from the use of deceptive interrogation tactics represents an important first step in protecting all innocent Minnesotans. Minnesota joins nine other states that have already taken action to protect against the use of deceptive tactics with the support of law enforcement, and many more states are currently considering legislation. These unnecessary tactics undermine legitimate convictions, and interrogation experts have already abandoned them in favor of more reliable methods that do not have these risks.
“Use of deception by police is an outdated tactic that diminishes trust in law enforcement, and it has been proven to elicit false confessions from suspects,” added Markquart. “This new law will provide much needed protections for the most vulnerable suspects and will greatly assist in preventing wrongful convictions of juveniles across Minnesota.”
In addition, the new amendment to Minnesota’s current post-conviction statute of limitations will create a more reasonable and just standard for claims based on newly discovered evidence. This critical policy change brings Minnesota law into the mainstream, making sure people with real claims can get their day in court and have a chance at proving their claims and regaining their freedom. This will ensure that exonerees won’t have to experience the challenges faced by Marvin Haynes.
“After spending nearly 20 years in prison for a crime I did not commit, I am grateful that this bill has passed into law,” said Marvin Haynes. “Had the language in Minnesota’s post-conviction statute been what it is now, I might have had a shot at justice years ago. I now hope that this new law will help the next innocent person fighting for justice.”
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