murder?

[tracyh]

would a jury convict on the confession of someone saying they had killed a person?
there is no forensic evidence only a boy with aspergers (autism) saying he did it and the father also saying he did it. the father has been imprisoned for domestic violence against the murdered victim. feeling is the father convinced the boy he had done it. but both familys think it was the father.

[cassa333]

It would depend a lot on the medical reports on the boy.

If the father has convinced the boy he did it or for him to say he did why is the father now saying he did it himself?

[tracyh]

sorry, my phrasing of the question not good. father has in the past been been covnicted of dom vio. father is saying the boy did it. boys statement was taken when he was still a bit drunk. can a statement be retracted?

[Nhozu]

witness statements are notorisly unreliable. it would be unlikely that an autistic boy, who was drunk would produce a reliable account of the event.

the fact that the dad has a history of violence would decrease an already laboured piece of evidence.

[tracyh]

Nhozu, cassa333,
thanks for your replies, at the moment things are not looking good for the boy. i cant believe theres no forensic evidence, i think perhaps the police thought it was a straight forward case, with boy confessing, dad saying boy had done it.. boys solicitor wants him to take a plea bargain, manslaughter with diminished responsibilities, apparently if it goes to trial and he pleads not guilty to murder, and is foung guilty, his sentence would be longer. i cant believe that a jury would convict on boy (20) with aspergers very sketchy statement of events.

[cassa333]

Perhaps he needs a better solicitor?

[daffy654]

You could try contacting the National Autistic Society
http://www.nas.org.uk/
They may be able to advise you if there are any solicitors in your area that could represent the young man concerned,this sounds like it need the expertise of someone who has dealt with people with autistic spectrum disorders before and would know how to represent him best.