Breaking Point

For nearly 250 years, abuses of power by law enforcement have shaped the American criminal justice system, often resulting in wrongful convictions. One of the most hidden and consequential stages of this process is interrogation, where coercive and deceptive tactics can pressure innocent people into confessing to crimes they did not commit.

My forthcoming photobook, Breaking Point, examines this critical stage through collaboration with six exonerees who falsely confessed and were wrongfully imprisoned.

Using portraits and firsthand testimony, the project reveals how guilt-presumptive interrogation practices—marked by isolation, confrontation, deception, and psychological pressure—can push individuals to a breaking point.

By centering the voices of those who endured these experiences, Breaking Point challenges common assumptions about guilt and personal responsibility. It invites viewers to confront the realities of coercive interrogation and consider the urgent need for systemic reform.

Vanessa Gathers