Confessions of Murder ; Exposing the False Confessions Created from the Mr. Big Stings
()
About this ebook
It started with a frantic call for help from Sebastian Burns and Atif Rafay, when the two boys arrived home at just after 2 a.m. on July 13, 1994, and found Rafay’s family brutally beaten to death in their Bellevue, Washington, home. Who would kill this well-liked family in such a horrific way? Police had no physical evidence and no witnesses; the case was a dead end! It was time to bring in Mr. Big! Mr. Big is a covert investigation where undercover detectives create a fictitious criminal gang and seduce their suspects into joining them in their criminal activities, and police would soon gain their suspects' confidence and elicit a confession from them. Burns and Rafay would eventually confess on tape to undercover detectives and be convicted of the three murders of Rafay’s family. In the last 25 years, the RCMP (Royal Canadian Mounted Police) have run more than 350 Mr. Big operations on suspects of crimes where there was no evidence found and have had a 95% success rate in prosecution. It was in July 2014 when the Supreme Court of Canada ruled unanimously that confessions arising from the Mr. Big operations would be considered presumptively inadmissible on another case against Nelson Hart. The Mr. Big Sting in the Hart case was said to have overwhelming inducements, veiled threats of violence, and intimidation and considered an abuse of process by the police. So now what will happen to the hundreds of other cases that have been tried by this unreliable procedure in which the Mr. Big coerced confession was the only evidence used to convict the suspect? This book will cover the cases that have now been brought back into court on appeals based on the Mr. Big operation, and will explain the outcomes.
Alan R. Warren
ALAN R. WARREN is the Host of the Popular True Crime History Radio show 'House of Mystery' Heard on the 106.5 F.M. Los Angeles/102.3 F.M. Riverside/ 1050 A.M. Palm Springs/ 540 A.M. KYAH Salt Lake City/ 1150 A.M. KKNW Seattle/Tacoma part of the NBC news talk radio network or listen to on our website at http://www.houseofmysteryradio.com/ or most major podcast platforms.Al Warren has his Masters Degree ( MM) in Music from the University of Washington in Seattle, Bachelor of Arts (BA ) Criminology from the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, B.C. Canada and Recording & Sound Engineering Diploma from the Juno Award Winning Bullfrog Studios in Vancouver B.C. Canada.Al Started Writing for Articles in True Case Files Magazine and is still a Contributor and Serial Killer magazine. Since then he has completed 16 true crime books for two different publishers ( RJ Parker/Vronksy Publishing in Toronto, Canada & WildBlue Press in America)His bestsellers include 'Beyond Suspicion' The True Story of Colonel Russell Williams, 'Blood Thirst' the true story of the Vampire Killer of Canada, 'Deadly Betrayal' the true story of Jennifer Pan , 'Last Man Standing' the true story of Jack McCullough, the man that was put away for the oldest unsolved murder case in America, and has since then been released as he did not do the crime. You can read more about him on his website. www.alanrwarren.com
Read more from Alan R. Warren
The Killing Game: The True Story of Rodney Alcala Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5The Last Man Standing: Is Jack Daniel McCullough Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Hannibal the Cannibal ; The True Story of Robert Maudsley Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsDinner, Drinks & Death ; The True Story of Dennis Nilsen Rating: 1 out of 5 stars1/5Paranormal & the Occult Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsIn Chains; The Dangerous World of Human Trafficking Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsJack the Ripper: The Interviews Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsBlood Thirst ; The True Story of Wayne Boden Vampire Rapist & Serial Killer Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsConspiracy Theory Culture: The Interviews Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsButcher of Hanover: Fritz Haarmann Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe JFK Assassination: House of Mystery Radio Show Presents Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsAbove Suspicion ; The True Story of Russell Williams Serial Killer Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsLeopold & Loeb: The Killing of Bobby Franks Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsConfession of Murder; Exposing the False Confessions Created from the Mr. Big Stings Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsMoors Murders; Ian Brady & Myra Hindley Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsGrindr Serial Killier; The True Story of Serial Killer Stephen Port Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe JFK Assassination Interviews: House of Mystery Radio Presents Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsBruce McArthur: The Toronto Gay Village Murders Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsKind Soul Closet Maniac Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsDeadly Betrayal ; The True Story of Jennifer Pan Daughter from Hell Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings
Related to Confessions of Murder ; Exposing the False Confessions Created from the Mr. Big Stings
Related ebooks
Getting Away With Murder: Cold Case Crime, #7 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsButcher of Hanover: Fritz Haarmann Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Chronicles of Mob Wives: Lee D'Avanzo Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsBlood Thirst ; The True Story of Wayne Boden Vampire Rapist & Serial Killer Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsLaci Peterson Murder: Secrets, Lies & Sadness Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsBlack Widow Betty Neumar Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsDeadly Betrayal ; The True Story of Jennifer Pan Daughter from Hell Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsBrittney Dwyer : Grandfather Killer An Anthology of True Crime Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Disappearance of Hailey Dunn Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsKiller Cougars Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsJeremy Bamber: Evil, Almost Beyond Belief? Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsCatch Me If You Can : The True Story of Serial KIller Anne Gates Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsHarvey Carignan, Serial Killer Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsCold Hearted Bitch : The True Story of Lynn Turner Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsValerie McDaniel : Veterinarian & Killer An Anthology of True Crime Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsTrue Crime Collected Works Book 1 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsLong Dark Road: Bill King and Murder in Jasper, Texas Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Kill Em Pamela A Collection of True Crime Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSandra Bridewell The Black Widow Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsShe Got Away With It Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Disappearance of Helen Brach Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsLani's Story (wt) Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Sandra Melgar & Other Female Serial Killers Rating: 1 out of 5 stars1/5The Disappearance of Marsha Brantley Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsStrange Murder Cases: Committed by Weird Serial Killers Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsZodiac Killer Interviews: House of Mystery Radio Show Presents Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsGoing Postal Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Summary of Nick Pron's Lethal Marriage Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsBetween the Bylines: The Life, Love and Loss of Los Angeles's Most Colorful Sports Journalist Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsCold Crime Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Murder For You
Evidence of Love: A True Story of Passion and Death in the Suburbs Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Three Sisters in Black: The Bizarre True Case of the Bathtub Tragedy Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Under the Bridge Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5After Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Mindhunter: Inside the FBI's Elite Serial Crime Unit Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Whoever Fights Monsters: My Twenty Years Tracking Serial Killers for the FBI Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Devil's Knot: The True Story of the West Memphis Three Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Hunt A Killer: The Detective's Puzzle Book: True-Crime Inspired Ciphers, Codes, and Brain Games Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsAbandoned Prayers: An Incredible True Story of Murder, Obsession, and Amish Secrets Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Fact of a Body: A Murder and a Memoir Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Death Row, Texas: Inside the Execution Chamber Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Manhunt: The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln's Killer Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5In with the Devil: A Fallen Hero, a Serial Killer, and a Dangerous Bargain for Redemption Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Cruel Deception: A True Story of Murder and a Mother's Deadly Game Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Murder at McDonald's: The Killers Next Door Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Anatomy Of Motive: The Fbis Legendary Mindhunter Explores The Key To Understanding And Catching Vi Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Slenderman: Online Obsession, Mental Illness, and the Violent Crime of Two Midwestern Girls Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A Haunted Road Atlas: Sinister Stops, Dangerous Destinations, and True Crime Tales Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Typhoid Mary: An Urban Historical Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Party Monster: A Fabulous But True Tale of Murder in Clubland Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5All That Remains: A Renowned Forensic Scientist on Death, Mortality, and Solving Crimes Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5But I Trusted You: Ann Rule's Crime Files #14 Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Missy's Murder: Passion, Betrayal, and Murder in Southern California Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/518 Tiny Deaths: The Untold Story of Frances Glessner Lee and the Invention of Modern Forensics Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Ruby Ridge: The Truth and Tragedy of the Randy Weaver Family Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A Private Disgrace: Lizzie Borden by Daylight Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Murder in the Bayou: Who Killed the Women Known as the Jeff Davis 8? Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Reviews for Confessions of Murder ; Exposing the False Confessions Created from the Mr. Big Stings
0 ratings0 reviews
Book preview
Confessions of Murder ; Exposing the False Confessions Created from the Mr. Big Stings - Alan R. Warren
Preface
Beverly Smith was a 22-year-old new mother who was shot to death in her kitchen while her infant daughter watched on a chilly winter night in 1974. Her neighbor at the time, Alan Smith, confessed to the crime and was convicted of first-degree murder and sent to prison for life.
On August 4, 2002, Nelson Hart took his 3-year-old twin daughters to a quiet beach near Gander, Newfoundland, where both girls drowned. Hart, being unable to swim, couldn’t save them. Three years later, Hart confessed to murdering his daughters, and on March 28, 2007, Hart was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life.
These cases seem cut and dry, right? Wrong!
In both of the previous cases the police used an undercover operation that has become known as the Mr. Big Sting. This is a covert investigation procedure used by undercover detectives to get a confession from a suspect in a case where they don’t have enough evidence to convict.
The plan is to create a fictitious gang that enlist the help of the suspect in a succession of criminal acts to a point where they have a friendship, and soon the suspect openly talks about previous criminal accomplishments. So, when the suspect confesses a crime, it is videotaped; they are arrested and charged with the crime. There have been over 500 current convictions by using this method.
In 2012, the Supreme Court of Newfoundland overturned Hart’s conviction, questioning the reliability of his confession to undercover officers posing as members of the mob. The Crown then appealed this to the Supreme Court of Canada.
Then in 2014, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled that Hart’s confession during the sting operation cannot be used against him and should be excluded. Following this, the Alan Smith case was also reversed on the same grounds. So, it would appear that Canada now has over 500 cases where the person charged has been tried, convicted and sentenced by using this police technique.
Now before us will be the steady stream of appeals on all cases that have used any evidence that was obtained by the Mr. Big Sting operation, and even with this obstacle ahead of the justice system, the RCMP (Royal Canadian Mounted Police) are still planning on using this method to gather evidence on all open cases that they deem necessary.
This type of policing is not legally allowed in the United States or the United Kingdom as both countries have deemed it entrapment. In this book, I plan to detail the Mr. Big operation, as well as what it looks like from the people that it gets used on, as well as some of the unanswered questions that we are left with.
Introduction
The Mr. Big, or also known as the Canadian Technique, is a covert investigation procedure that is used by the RCMP in Canada. This is where undercover police try to get a confession from suspects in murder cases, usually cold cases.
It all starts with the police creating a fictitious criminal organization and trying to get the suspects of a murder case to join their group. Over a period, they build a relationship and gain trust with the suspects by using them in a series of criminal acts such as credit card scams, stealing cars or improperly selling guns.
It was in 1901 when Donald Todd was convicted for a murder in Winnipeg after a Mr. Big operation. Even though the court noted that the means employed to obtain the confession were contemptible, they convicted him.
The Mr. Big technique then was developed by the RCMP in the early 1990s and has been used in more than 350 cases across Canada. The RCMP claimed that they have a 75 percent cleared rate on the cases that they have taken on in this technique, and have a 95 percent conviction rate.
In more detail, in a typical Mr. Big sting, the first thing that the undercover police usually do is place the suspect under 24-hour surveillance for weeks or even months, looking to find out the habits and things that they did daily. With this information, police would create a scenario where they could meet the suspect by accident. In these meetings, the undercover officer would ask for help in some way or perhaps a small favor from the suspect. The operative would then offer to buy the suspect's dinner or even offer employment.
From there it begins; the suspect would now be asked to do small jobs for the undercover police, such as count money or make some deliveries, and would be paid exceptionally well for doing the job. The tasks then start to be more challenging and often to where they start to feel more important to the Mr. Big group.
This now leads the suspects to be introduced to the leader of the Mr. Big group, or criminal group’s boss. It is there that the pressure is applied to try and get the suspects to confess or brag about the crimes that they have committed previously to joining the Mr. Big gang.
The undercover operation usually employs up to fifty operatives as to help make the Mr. Big group look legitimate as well as apply pressures to the suspect to feel safe to talk about crimes of their past.
Shortly after the undercover police learn of crimes committed by the suspects, their operative, posing as the gang leader, would approach the suspect and tell them of some information they had learned. It would be information pertaining to the suspect's previous crimes, such as he heard that the police were about to make an arrest for the crime.
Mr. Big would then offer to help with this problem by perhaps helping to fix the criminal situation in which the suspect had been involved by several different methods. One such method could be that Mr. Big has an insider working for the police that could get rid of the evidence that’s on file for the crime.
Another way that the Mr. Big sting could be used is telling the suspect that for them to go further into the gang, they would need to give up some incriminating evidence about themselves. This would act as collateral or some sort of insurance that shows the Mr. Big gang loyalty.
These meetings are always recorded so