People v. Jackson

Defendant was convicted, after jury trial, of two counts of first-degree murder. Court incorrectly believed credibility of witness was not relevant when court stated it would not get into real issues of credibility when evaluating probable cause as to motion to quash. Skillful and intense custodial interrogation followed warrantless arrest, with coercive questioning focused primarily on Defendant's race and prediction that jury would be comprised of not Defendant's peers. Probable cause did not exist for Defendant's warrantless arrest and interrogation. Thus, court erred in denying Defendant's pretrial motion to quash his arrest. Defense counsel should have been allowed wide latitude in closing argument to fully and fairly summarize how detective's comments resulted in false confession. (McDADE, specially concurring; HOLDRIDGE, dissenting.)