United States v. Tingle

Katrina Ann Tingle (defendant) was an employee at a federal credit union and the mother of a two-year-old child. One morning, another employee of the credit union arrived at work and found Tingle bound and gagged in a back room, the credit union’s safe open, and all of the money missing. Tingle told the employee and the police that an unknown assailant had attacked her, tied her up, and stolen the money from the safe. The police called the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Two FBI agents arrived and brought Tingle to their car to question her. Tingle was given a written statement of her rights and agreed to answer questions. The agents told Tingle they believed that she was lying and that she had in fact staged the robbery with her boyfriend. They listed the numerous crimes that Tingle could be charged with and the lengthy prison sentences she could serve if convicted, which amounted to approximately 40 years. The agents told Tingle that they would inform the prosecutor whether she was cooperative or not. Finally, the agents told Tingle that she would not see her child for a while if she went to prison and that she had a lot at stake. Tingle became noticeably distraught. She confessed that she, her boyfriend, and her boyfriend’s friend had planned the robbery. Tingle confessed that she had opened the safe that morning and that her boyfriend had then come into the credit union, tied her up, and taken the money. Tingle was convicted of conspiracy to purloin and purloining funds from a federal credit union. Tingle appealed, arguing that her confession was involuntary and should not have been admitted.