Interrogations-and-Confessions-Handbook

Four High Profile American Cases 567
headaches, depression and insomnia. She had a history of alcohol abuse and
she appeared to have suffered from alcohol withdrawal symptoms following her
arrest. On admission there was
No significant thought disorder though delusional guilt system where she feels to
blame for John’s crimes.
It seems from this entry that after about one week of interrogation she had a
belief that Wille had committed the murders and she was blaming herself for
his crimes.
Walters was very heavily medicated during her stay at the Santa Rose County
Jail to help her deal with her symptoms of physical pain, anxiety and depression
(e.g. she was prescribed Lortab, Phenergan, Placidyl & Elavil). There was some
evidence that she developed tolerance and dependence on these drugs while in
the jail. On 18 December Walters was discharged to a jail in Louisiana to face
charges pending there. Walters made at least one false confession to murder
when interviewed by the police in August 1985. This involved the murder of
a man named Michael Faulk, whom she claimed to have met in a bar and
had sexual intercourse with. In her confession, Walters provided the police
with salient details about the murder. The prosecuting attorney, Curtis Golden,
dismissed the case against Walters. He was concerned that an investigator had
suggested details about the murder to her. Subsequently others, unknown to
Walters or Wille, were convicted of the murder.
Extracts from a counsellor’s notes of her sessions with Walters while in custody
provides a fascinating insight into her confessions and mental state at the
time.
28 August
Tearful periodically . . . Stated repeatedly there was a discrepancy between what
she ‘knew’ and what she ‘believed’ re: the case...Feels strongly that her recurring
nightmares re: killing are result of the information she has been confronted with
during her various lengthy interrogations. Confused about sequence of events
and is angered by her sense that what she tells the investigators is disregarded.
Believes they are fabricating stories to get her to admit to events she did not, in
fact, witness nor participate in. Feels highly manipulated and victimised.
It is evident from this entry that Walters had by now developed a ‘memory
distrust syndrome’. She was confused and did not trust her own memory of
events. The police were disregarding her version of events, they were allegedly
feeding her with information about cases and trying to coerce a confession from
her. She clearly did not fully trust the police and believed they were presenting
her with fabricated stories.
4 September
. . . Again quite tearful when discussing frustration and anger with newspaper coverage
in interrogation sessions. She experiences these as largely false allegations