I've seen in more than one TV show and film the phrase "I did not kill him but I wish I did" My question is how would that statement play out in a real courtroom? I suppose the obvious answer is it would play against you heavily when the judge or jury make their ultimate decision. That's why they say "You have the right to remain silent". STILL... what if at the end of the day you are found innocent? Will there be some kind of mental treatment of some kind given to you? Will you be assigned to house arrest after being labeled a danger to society? If you are found innocent of murder, but you said "I wish I did kill him", are there legal consequences?
I do not know the answer to that, but can tell you that if I was on a jury, I would discount that and not factor it into my decision.
I don't think so, and don't see why there should be. The person is already dead, so that statement does not really express any currently existing threat. And even if it did, one could take it to be more a figure of speech. Maybe in this current day and age, they might be more likely to take something like that more seriously (which I would strongly disagree with), but I think people were also more likely to say things like that in the old days.
