What is the takeaway of Jackson v. Denno regarding confessions?

• A. All confessions are admissible
• B. All confessions not freely made must be excluded
• C. Confession admissibility is determined solely by police
• D. The court has no role in determining voluntariness

Answer: (B)

The key idea here is that whether a confession can be used depends on its voluntariness. Jackson v. Denno established that the court must independently determine if a confession was obtained freely and without coercion before it can be admitted at trial. This protects the defendant from being convicted on a coerced or involuntary admission, ensuring the jury isn’t influenced by a confession that wasn’t truly voluntary. If a confession isn’t freely made, it should be excluded from evidence; if it is voluntary, it can be admitted and considered. The police don’t decide admissibility on their own, and the court does have a pivotal role in evaluating voluntariness.