Pennsylvania v. Alicia (majority)
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The Commonwealth appealed a Superior Court that affirmed the pre-trial order of the court of common pleas permitting appellee Jose Alicia to introduce expert testimony concerning the phenomenon of "false confessions" at his upcoming murder trial. Appellee filed a Motion for Use of a False Confessions Expert, averring that he was of low intelligence and has been an SSI disability beneficiary due to mental health issues most of his life. The only evidence identifying Appellee as the shooter of George Rowe (other than his confession) came from two corrupt sources, one of whom initially stated that the shooter was Jeremy Duffy. Appellee believed Duffy was the shooter, and that the evidence at trial would have shown that Appellee was told by Duffy’s associates to “take the fall for the real perpetrator.” According to the Motion, the text of Appellee’s confession, along with his handwritten corrections, "provide a number of clues indicating it is a false confession." Because the Supreme Court agreed with the Commonwealth that such testimony was not admissible, the Court reversed the Superior Court and remanded this case for further proceedings.
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