False Confessions: The Ted Bradford Case Explained

“The hallmark of a false confession is where the confession did not fit with the knowable, verifiable facts of the crime.” (Steven Drizin) Many people every year are convicted for crimes they did not commit; false confessions are a popular cause, one that was the downfall of a man named Ted Bradford. Ted Bradford was accused of, convicted, and eventually acquitted for the rape and burglary of Suzanne Elliot.

Early on the 29th of September in 1995 Yamika Suzanne Elliot was raped in her home. The assailant was approximately six feet tall, with light skin, and dark hair, thick, with a little gut. He was wearing a red and blue flannel, black jeans, white gloves, and a white nylon over his face. (Ted Bradford) In his possession, he had a slight black bag, the known contents limited to handcuffs he used to restrain Ms. E during the assault. When the perpetrator entered the residence, he came upon the victim holding her child whom she then attempted to run with. The man grabbed her and put her on the floor covering her face, she was informed she should not look at him but she was allowed to place her child in their crib. He

(Ted Bradford) His alibi was not accepted because an error at the office said he was not working that day, even though he punched in and was paid for the day. (Ted Bradford) A coworker also remembers seeing him and teasing him about the vasectomy his wife was taking him to at the end of the workday. (Ted Bradford) However, Mr. Bradford changed his story after being told he was not at work because he “did not believe the officers would lie to him about such a thing.” He confessed after a five-hour long interrogation and polygraph, (NBC) “I think it’s highly possible I did it.” Some details were incorrect, like his insistence that no children were home even though the rapist directly commented on the baby.