I was reading this grisly report about India’s suspected third serial killer which mentions forensic scientists using a “truth serum” on two suspects. One is said to have confessed to eating the liver and flesh of his young victims.
I thought this was the stuff of fiction, but is seems not. So what is a truth serum made from? Is the evidence it elicits admissible in a court of law? What proof is there about its effectiveness? Do other countries use similar means to extract confessions? Should we use it on our politicians?
Hi Elle
Very interesting post. I’ve found this link that answers some of the questions you raise.
I’m know wondering if this liver dinner he talks about was just fantasy.
http://www.damninteresting.com/?p=223
Hi Ellee,
I agree absolutely with the other post and the article it links to – truth serum? No such thing. But, in a previous life as a psychiatric nurse I saw sodium pentothal administered to patient who was unable to speak although there was no physical reason for this. The assumption was that she was suppressing some experience or thought process which needed to be released. Under the pentothal she did speak, but we didn’t really get to the bottom of why she stopped. I suspect that in very good and careful therapists hands it may be of some benefit to some people. Having said that I can’t reference any good academic sources so might be completely wrong.
Also wikipedia has more on this
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Truth_serum
I think the quote “some drugs have been shown to be effective in lowering the resistance (but sometimes also reliability) of an interrogated person.” is probably rather key.
Hi Teri,
Thanks, I knew I could rely on you for a useful link with some really interesting info. It seems it is not regarded as being effective. Here is one from Wikipedia which I found from yours.
“Popular culture makes gratuitous use of powerful lie-repelling agents known as Truth Serums. They are usually depicted as injected drugs which strongly inhibit a subject’s ability to lie, causing him or her to mechanically recite the truth to an interviewer upon questioning.”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Truth_serum
jinx!
Thanks Jim Jay, I think we were writing our comments at the same time.
Drugsblobbger, Your post is most illuminating too, it sounds like a scene from a James Bond film.
There I was about to post a link to the wikipedia article! I see however I have been beaten to it.
I can’t see it being used in any sensible court of law.
Lady Ellee – and I was just about to eat too.
Benedict – lets hope but given who is running the country who knows.
Thanks Elle. What struck me was this paragraph:
In 1963 the Supreme Court ruled that a confession produced under the influence of truth serum was unconstitutionally coerced, and therefore inadmissible. After that, the use of such drugs fell rapidly from popularity in the U.S.. But truth serums may not be gone for good, as the Supreme Court asserted shortly after 9/11 that terrorism may require “heightened deference to the judgments of the political branches with respect to matters of national security.”
Scary!
We would soon find out the truth about truth serum if we used it on the scientists.
It wouldn’t work with Tony Blair. He has forgotten what the truth is.
He has forgotten what the truth is.
Oh I don`t know I was just reading Frank Fields thoughts when he was “Thinking the unthinkable”,. Brown and the party did for him and Blair has been papering the cracks over ever since.Some core inside knows what he was elected to do and that he has done nothing but cling on since.
OUT WITH IT BLAIR
“AAAERRRRREEEEEEEEEE!!!
Yes yes newmania its all true please god not the imagist poetry again
Hi Ellee
I think someone has already given him cronies the serum …
1. best NHS year so far – Not after my trip to A&E last night!
2. Education standards are up.
The list goes on. I personally think potential criminals should be given a quick toot on the pipe. After all it makes Bliar say some funny things. Untruthful but laughable. I think the entire cabinet smokes the pipe!
Maybe you guys can pick up on Point 3 onwards? Go one you know you want to.
“Truth Serum” it sounds like something from a Harry Potter book. Pass me my invisibility cloak,
Ellee… MDMA has been used as a truth serum in the past. The US Army did a lot of work with it in the 1950s. MDMA if you don’t know is what is commonly called Ecstasy.
I can understand why it might be used for such purposes as it totally removes inhibition from people making them pretty much tell you anything that’s on their mind.
Under proper questioning – and putting aisde the random hugging you would receive – someone on ecstasy would tell you everything totally honestly and without concern.
Dizzy has a good point.
I have found 2 bottles of red generally also helps to get to the bottom of most issues in a tete a tete.
Thanks everyone, I have certainly learnt a lot from this post. It’s fascinating to know that these forensic scientists in India are using this technique to delve into the sub-conscious mind to solve these horrific serial murder cases. It seems that they are, in effect, drugging their suspects. I wonder if consent has to be given, or whether it is forced on them.
Hi Ellee, its certainly not allowed in Aussie Courts as admissable evidence. As already mentioned by others, there is no such thing, however as someone else has mentioned, certain types of drugs can stimulate certain people into coercing the truth.