The Question He Didn't Expect

Federal agents, acting on an informant's tip that a man was trafficking in stolen firearms and had talked about taking part in a killing in another state, set up an undercover gun purchase and arrested him. He was advised of his rights, signed a waiver, and was questioned about firearms. Asked whether he had ever shot anyone, he admitted shooting 'another guy once' but denied the specific killing. Two months later, officers from the other state gave him fresh warnings; he signed another waiver and confessed to that killing during a 90-minute interview, later signing a written statement. The confession was used at his murder trial. The defence argued that his first waiver was invalid because no one told him he would be asked about a murder, tainting everything that followed.