admitting to crime on 'net?

Question

If someone were to admit to a serious offense on the net, (for example, here), could and would they be traced, and would that be sufficient evidence to prosecute?

well, obviously, if i admitted to it, the crime would've really happened, or i wouldn't be admitting to anything

that was directed at "old fuzz"

Answer 1

Yeah, your e-mail, and even your comments here, can be traced back to the computer you wrote them on and to the account it was written under. If you have Internet access you have an electronic address.

Your sole admission of a crime would not be sufficient to prosecute. There still would have to be collaborating evidence that the crime actually occurred and that you did it.

You could admit to robbing the bank you worked at, but if the bank says they are not missing anything; you aren't getting arrested. On the other hand if they are, you could get charged and the statement used against you.

Answer 2

No. Well, probably not, anyway.

To use a confession in court, the prosecution must first be able to prove that a crime occurred WITHOUT using the confession.

For example.... If I go on National TV (and this happens all the time...) and tell Oprah that I smoked a TON of weed last week, I will almost certainly not be prosecuted. The prosecution would be unable to prove that I smoked pot or possessed pot without using my confession.

The only exception would be if the police would interview my friends and find someone that was willing to say "I saw him smoking pot." Or if they would obtain a search warrant and find pot in my bedroom. The prosecution could then use that testimony or evidence to show that a crime did occur. They could then use my statement on TV to prove it beyond a resonable doubt.

This is difficult to do so usually admissions of illegal activity in a public forum to not result in arrest.

Answer 3

if you assumed that the person admitting to the crime actually typed the admission, it would be an admission by a party-opponent which is admissible. However, you run into the problem of proving that the admitting person actually typed that- this is another level of hearsay which must be adverted. Without getting too technical, it could potentially be some level of evidence (probably not sufficient alone to support a guilty verdict) if you had proof that the person actually typed the admission.

Answer 4

Admission on the net is not admissible in court because the credibility of the statement is not subject to cross examination or validation.

Answer 5

Evidence to prosecute? No. But P.C. for an investigation, yes.