Mr.Big is the name of an undercover sting created and perfected by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. It is considered entrapment in many other countries, including the United States and England. But the Canadian court system allows confessions made to cops posing as criminals to be admitted as evidence—even while it declares bans on court proceedings.
Now, after multiple cases of false confessions and wrongful convictions finally coming to the public's attention, the debate about Mr.Big is starting to heat up.
With shocking undercover police video and heart-wrenching interviews, “Mr.Big” reveals the experience of several sting victims who spent years in jail for murders they didn't commit. The documentary examines the risk of false confessions obtained through this specialized scenario and explores why it is permitted by the Canadian justice system.
Director Tiffany Burns has a personal connection to the documentary: her brother is one of the many Canadians who have been targeted by a “Mr.Big” undercover scenario. In his case, video of his confession convinced an American jury to ignore DNA evidence pointing to other suspects and witnesses who saw Sebastian across town at the time of the murders. While she was researching his case, Tiffany realized Sebastian Burns and his friend Atif Rafay are not the first people who have falsely confessed to murder.
This is a much larger issue that affects all Canadians… and citizens of any other country that permits police to coerce confessions, or allows Mr.Big confessions to be entered as evidence in court.
Copyright ©2007 Tiffany Burns