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Marty Tankleff had just turned 17 when he was arrested for killing his parents, Seymour and Arlene Tankleff, in their home on Long Island, NY. Based on a dubious, unsigned "confession" extracted from him following hours of interrogation by a detective with a questionable background, Marty was convicted and sentenced to 50 years to life. After 17 years in prison, Marty's conviction was vacated by the New York State Appellate Division, Second Department, in December of 2007. On July 22, 2008, a judge signed off on a motion by Attorney General Andrew Cuomo to dismiss all charges against Marty.

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Tankleff Tip Line: 718.570.7442

All calls strictly confidential, no name or phone number required. Marty's private investigator, Jay Salpeter, will review all leads. No information is too minor, as it may form a piece of a larger puzzle.

State Investigation Commission (SIC) Tip Line: 1.877.SIC.4NYS (742-4697)

NEWS, VIEWS & INFO

Document Spotlight: The Truth is in There

Editorials

  • NY State Bar Association President Op-Ed: "Record Interrogations, Confessions" (2/25/08)
  • Newsday editorial: "Suffolk Right to use Videotape for Interrogations" (2/11/08)
  • Newsday editorial: "Next Act Begins in the Tankleff Drama" (1/20/08)
  • Newsday Op-Ed: "Justice Perverted - Tankleff Case Holds Echoes of Suffolk's Long History of Misconduct by Police, Prosecutors; Change may be Needed" (1/13/08)
  • NY Times editorial: "True and Untrue Confessions" (1/12/08)
  • Newsday op-ed: "Marty Tankleff Was the Key to His Release" (1/6/08)
  • Daily News editorial: "Find Tankleff Killers" (1/4/08)
  • Newsday editorial: "Spota Right to Drop Tankleff Charges" (1/4/08)
  • Newsday editorial: "Spitzer Should Pick Special Prosecutor to Look at Other Suspects in Murders" (1/2/08)
  • NY Times editorial: "Could Marty Tankleff Be the Next Jeffrey Deskovic?" (12/30/07)
  • Newsday Op-Ed by Bennet Gershman: "Tankleff Case Needs Special Prosecutor, not Spota" (12/30/07)

Watch Online

Tankleff Case Maps

False Confessions

  • One-fourth of wrongful convictions are based on false confessions. Read how false confessions happen, and why Marty's "confession" is false, here
  • Read why false confessions have been such a problem in Suffolk County here