Court Upholds Tossing Of Accused Serial Killer's Confession

PORTLAND, OR – Oregon's highest court says that a jury will never hear two "confessions" by accused Portland serial killer Homer Lee Jackson. Arrested in October, 2015, Jackson is charged withe the murder of four women who had been working as prostitutes more than 30 years ago.

At issue are two "confessions" that Jackson made – one to the detectives interrogating him and the other in a phone call to his sister from the police station.

Jackson has pleaded not guilty to the crimes. His lawyers say that while his DNA was found at the scene, so was the DNA of other men – including some that were found in more incriminating parts of the crime scenes.

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Jackson's lawyers argued that their client, who suffers from mental illness and other health issues did not make the statements voluntarily.

The court – in upholding a decision by the trial judge – said that the evidence "indicate that the detectives' methods and inducements may have persuaded defendant to tell detectives what they wanted to hear, whether or not that was the truth.

"The state has not convinced us that defendant's admissions during and after the second cigarette break on October 15 were voluntary."

The judges pointed to parts of the interrogation where the detectives told Jackson that if he didn't confess, he'd be seen by jurors at his eventual trial as a "monster" and that he could face charges for additional crimes.

The Multnomah County District Attorney's Office is studying the court's ruling and deciding how to proceed.

Photo of Jackson via Multnomah County Sheriff's Office.