07/16/2026
Why would an innocent child confess to a crime he did not commit?
In this video, photographer, author, and former civil-rights attorney Robin Dahlberg discusses interviewing Raymond Santana for her powerful new photobook, Breaking Point: When the Criminal Justice System Fails.
Raymond was just 14 years old when he was interrogated in connection with the Central Park jogger case. Robin describes him as an extraordinary storyteller who vividly recounts the intimidation he and his grandmother experienced, the language barriers that made an already frightening situation even more difficult, and the immense pressure placed upon a child inside an interrogation room.
His story is deeply personal, but it is not an isolated one.
Breaking Point combines portraits and firsthand testimony from six exonerees, including Raymond and Jeffrey Deskovic, to examine how coercive interrogation practices can push innocent people toward false confessions.
Jeffrey was also a teenager when he was manipulated into falsely confessing without fully understanding his rights. That experience is why he continues advocating for New York’s Youth Interrogation Act, which would require anyone age 17 or younger to consult with an attorney before waiving their rights and submitting to police questioning.
Children should not be expected to navigate intimidating interrogations, complicated legal language, and potentially life-altering decisions alone.
We are grateful that Robin is using this project not only to preserve these essential stories, but also to help advance the work of The Jeffrey Deskovic Foundation for Justice, with proceeds connected to the book supporting our efforts to free the wrongfully convicted and prevent future injustices.
What protections do you believe every child should have before being questioned by police?
