Promises

When a defendant has been arrested, he is frequently induced to make confession in consequence of promises made to him that if he wall tell the truth he will be either discharged or favored; in such a case, evidence of the confession caunot be received, because, being obtained by the flattery of hope, it comes in so questionable a shape, w T hen it is to ho considered evidence of guilt, that no credit ought to be given to it; Com. v. Chabbock, 1 Mass. 144; 1 Leach 299. This is the principle; but wdiat amounts to a promise is not so easily defined.

See Confession.