If you confess to murder in a church would the priest have to turn you in? same with psychiatrist. ?

Artman

No, they can't talk; the confession would be classified as a "privilege communication" and is not valid in court. If the priest or psychiatrist go to court the court would be forced to reject his statement; also they would lose their job and/or license.

"...All fifty states, the District of Columbia, and the federal government have enacted statutory privileges providing that at least some communications between clergyman and parishioners are privileged...."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confessional_Privilege_(United_States)

Some ways a priest or psychiatrist's statement can be legally acepted are if:

1) He/she feels threaten by the confessed murderer. (That's what heppened in the Melendez brothers case: one of the brothers threated the Doctor)
2) He/she feels the murderer is an "imminent" threat to others. (for example a crazy woman stating she wants to kill her ex).
3) At least twenty states have now abolished the clergy-penitent privilege in cases of child abuse.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Priest-penitent_privilege

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Physician-patient_privilege

http://www.pcchap.org/PCMANUEL/Chp%203/chapter3.htm

asp2write

No, but they are required to report you if you say you are about to kill some one.

mgm

no...the seal of confession(this is where a preist is sworn to secrecy) they must stay silent about what the murderer has said or the preist could be excommunicated(where they lose their liscence as a preist and may not go to anymore catholic services)
a psychiatrist, i dont know, but i dont think they can

robert c

I always thought that confession to a priest could not be repeated!I am not aware that a psychiatrist is bound by that oath of silence even though he is a medical practitioner!

louiseb92

pyschiatrists i think have the doctor/client confidentality..a priest, well depends, i know if you tell a catholic priest in confession...he cant say anything

Ben

Priest no........Psyc.....maybe.

David H

You can't just think that the person will kill again, there has to be direct evidence (he says he will kill again) that the person will do it again. A priest I don't think would ever say anything, a psychiatrist might and if he did without this evidence, he would lose alot of money, alot!

lina blue

church no, shrink maybe if they were court ordered

Eduardo M

if you take this as a confession your stupid
it can be a mere question who others misunderstood that is all.
and no they cant the priest swears not to say anything he hears during confession, only in this case if they think the person will kill again then they will

Sexy Sindy

I don't think they do??

Interesting question tho. post it in R and S.

Penny K

If they confess to planning a murder, than the priest or psychiatrist have a legal obligation to share that information with the authorities. If they confess to a murder done ten years ago, and there is no sign that any other crime may come of it than I think they can hold it in their confidence.

Private

A psychiatrist has to abide by a code of ethics set into his licence to practise.In essence he is obliged to turn you over to the filth and patient confidentiality would obviously be secondary.

A priest has no legal obligation to grass you for your sins on a professional basis,but common sense ,Church law and personal ethics would probably mean that he would turn Judas on you.

levitimmer

god these people are crazy and our talking out there ***..... yes a psychiatrist has to report crimes, if you go in and say you were raped by so and so they would call the cops and tell them regardless of what you want.please don't give me that bs about confidentiality laws READ THEM

as for a priest there is no law that he is allowed to keep anything from the police, so yea he will tell, but Again no laws on it its more of a moral obligation, and if a cop asks he HAS to answer.

Dr Fegg

Why? did you kill someone?

Lance Murdoch

legally yes causing death by such inaction is a criminal offence.

281

That depends if they think the person will kill again.

Loren

So you're saying you killed someone?

Bob

I am not sure, but they should have to turn you in.

Brody W

i think they would and haved to turn you in

spunkydudette

Did you kill someone?

WHEELS =]

If the priest knows that the murderer is wanted by the police and is popular (By being on TV) and if he new that their actually was a murder then i think he would report it yes.

If some random person came in and said i have commited a murder and they had mental health problems and he told of them to the police he would be wating their time so i guess he would not!

Hope i helped you out mate :)

???

Priests are obliged to keep everything you tell them entirely secret. So if you said that you killed someone then they are not allowed to tell that to anyone.

The police are monitoring this site for any such activity such as this question you have just posted so good luck in court.

Luke M

they won't tell the police but they will tell the police if the police asks him.

Rocket

omg did you kill someone?

They all have a legal 'duty of care' so they have to do the best thing for their professional code.

I think they would have to turn you in...that is the law!

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