Coerced into Confession: Prosecutorial Pressure and the Misuse of Plea Bargaining

Authors

Molly McEachern, Belmont University - College of Law Student

Abstract

This Note examines the coercive dynamics embedded in modern plea bargaining and argues that prosecutors’ reliance on conviction rates as a primary measure of success distorts the administration of justice. Tracing the historical evolution of plea bargaining from early English common law skepticism to its constitutional legitimization in Brady v. United States, the article demonstrates how plea bargaining has shifted from a pragmatic case-management tool to a dominant and often coercive mechanism of criminal adjudication,

Recommended Citation

McEachern, Molly (2025) "Coerced into Confession: Prosecutorial Pressure and the Misuse of Plea Bargaining," Belmont Law Review: Vol. 13: Iss. 1, Article 6.
Available at: https://repository.belmont.edu/lawreview/vol13/iss1/6