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There are situations the fifth amendment protects against other than forced confessions.

Here's a hypothetical example: you are accused of murdering your ex-lover. You witnessed the crime and know that the real killer is the chief of police. While disclosing those details could potentially implicate him, they will certainly prove that you know details of the crime, which implicates you. You don't think anyone will believe you, and the other evidence against you is weak (you didn't do it, after all), so you don't want to say anything until you're acquitted.




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