History PlayingWith / INeverSaidItWasPoison

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** Alice confesses to poisoning Charlie -- who was actually shot to death. This incorrect fact makes Detective Bob realize that her confession was false.

*** Additionally, ''attempted'' murder is a crime, just like successful murder, so Bob has evidence to put Alice in prison anyway.

* '''Downplayed''': Alice doesn't reveal anything not released to the public about the murder case, but she does say something that raises Detective Bob's suspicions (e.g. "I was sorry to see him dead" -- the killer was known to have murdered the victim personally, and so could have been said to have "seen him dead"). It's not evidence, but it does point Bob in the right direction, and later investigation turns up evidence of Alice's guilt.

%%* '''Reconstructed''': ???
%%* '''Played for Drama''': ???

* '''Invoked''': Alice confesses to a crime, and uses details only the culprit could know to prove that she isn't a serial confessor trying to mislead the police.

* '''Straight''': Murder Suspect Alice is questioned by Detective Bob about the death of Charlie. Alice pleads innocent, saying she didn't even know how to make poison -- but wait, nobody ever told her how Charlie died...

* '''Downplayed''': Alice doesn't reveal anything not released to the public about the murder case, but she does say something that raises Detective Bob's suspicions (e.g. "I was sorry to see him dead"- the killer was known to have murdered the victim personally, and so could have been said to have "seen him dead"). It's not evidence, but it does point Bob in the right direction, and later investigation turns up evidence of Alice's guilt.

** Detective Bob accidentally lets slip that he framed Alice for Charlie's murder.

** Detective Bob realizes that Alice didn't kill Charlie... but the reporter who wrote the newspaper article that Alice read ''did'', as the method of death had never been officially released to the public.

** "You just ''told'' me it was poison, 15 seconds ago!" "Wait a second, how would you know it was 15 seconds ago?" "I counted, you idiot!"

* '''Zig Zagged''':
** Alice makes a statement that Detective Bob uses as evidence in her trial for murdering Charlie- but Defense Lawyer Dana argues that the statement was just a lucky guess made under pressure to say ''anything''. This creates enough reasonable doubt that she cannot be convicted of murder. Then Alice, during a break in court, has a chat with a witness- in the process revealing personal information about the victim that she couldn't possibly have known if her alibi was true.
** Alice tells Detective Bob that she was only guessing that the victim was shot, since it's a pretty common murder method. In fact, [[YouJustToldMe she only said it so that Bob would confirm it to her]]. Also, Bob still has to figure out if [[IKnowYouKnowIKnow Alice is either trying to cover her own tracks]], [[SincerityMode or it really was a lucky guess]].

* '''Enforced''': Being as there's only [[SpoiledByTheFormat five minutes left]] in the show, the creators use this trope to quickly wrap up the case.

* '''Exploited''':
** Alice "lets slip" important information, allowing Detective Bob to prosecute her- and her partners-in-crime, who committed the bulk of the crime and who Alice wants in jail. Alice herself eventually walks free in exchange for testifying against them.
* '''Defied''':

%% Optional items, added after Conversed, at your discretion:
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%%* '''Implied''': ???

%%* '''Played For Laughs''': ???
%%* '''Played For Drama''': ???

** Alice never intended to hide the fact about poisoning Charlie, because when she when she tried covering up her tracks, she realized after investigating the body that the poison wasn't what really killed him, and that someone else apparently wanted him dead as well.

* '''Exploited''': Alice "lets slip" important information, allowing Detective Bob to prosecute her- and her partners-in-crime, who committed the bulk of the crime and who Alice wants in jail. Alice herself eventually walks free in exchange for testifying against them.
* '''Defied''': "I plead the Fifth."

** "You just ''told'' me it was poison, 15 seconds ago!" "Wait a second, how would you know it was 15 seconds ago?"

** If Alice admits to covering her tracks for what turned out to be her failed attempt at the murder, wouldn't she know about any clues she tried to hide? If she's not the one who really killed, then she should at least know ''something'' about who or what did.

* '''Double Subverted''': Detective Bob realizes that Alice didn't kill Charlie... but the reporter who wrote the newspaper article that Alice read ''did'', as the method of death had never been officially released to the public.

* '''Justified''': Detective Bob thinks Alice is the killer, but he doesn't have enough proof. He therefore pressures Alice into slipping up and revealing something that would link her to the murder, which would give him the evidence he needed.

* '''Straight''': Murder Suspect Alice is questioned by Detective Bob about the death of Charlie. Alice pleads innocent, saying she didn't even know how to make poison — but wait, nobody ever told her how Charlie died...

** Alice goes out of her way to only make vague statements that prove nothing. This makes Detective Bob suspicious- why is she being so vague if she has nothing to hide?
** Alice confesses to poisoning Charlie- who was actually shot to death. This incorrect fact makes Detective Bob realize that her confession was false.

** "You just ''told'' me it was poison 15 seconds ago!" "Wait a second, I never told you it was 15 seconds ago..."

* '''Straight''': Murder Suspect Alice is questioned by Detective Bob about the death of Charlie. Alice pleads innocent, saying she didn't even know how to make poison- but wait, nobody ever told her how Charlie died...

* '''Downplayed''': Alice doesn't reveal anything not released to the public about the murder case, but she does say something that raises Detective Bob's suspicions (e.g. "I was sorry to see him dead"- the killer was known to have murdered the victim personally, and so could have been said to have "see[n the victim] dead"). It's not evidence, but it does point Bob in the right direction, and later investigation turns up evidence of Alice's guilt.

* '''Subverted''': "I didn't poison Charlie." "How did you know it was poison?" "It was in the newspaper, numbskull."

** "In fact, I poisoned Charlie by slipping ten ounces of strychnine into his tomato-and-cilantro soup. [[IllNeverTellYouWhatImTellingYou But I'll never tell you that!]]
** "You just ''told'' me it was poison 15 seconds ago!"

* '''Parodied''': "In fact, I poisoned Charlie by slipping ten ounces of strychnine into his tomato-and-cilantro soup. [[IllNeverTellYouWhatImTellingYou But I'll never tell you that!]]

* '''Invoked''':
** Alice confesses to a crime, and uses details only the culprit could know to prove that she isn't a serial confessor trying to mislead the police.

->Back to INeverSaidItWasPoison

* '''Straight''': The killer, under questioning, states that he did not shoot anyone. The detective points out that he never mentioned how the victim died, which leads directly to conviction.
* '''Exaggerated''': The suspect correctly assesses everything about the murder, down to the gun model, the distance from which it was fired, etc. Even information that the detectives didn't know, and it was a completely separate crime than the one the detectives were investigating.
* '''Downplayed''': The killer, under questioning, mentions a fact that only the killer could possibly know because that information was never released. The detectives just use it to justify their own suspicions and keep digging for further evidence.
* '''Justified''': The killer is meticulous about not leaving evidence, and the detectives can only prove the guilt of the person they know is the killer by getting them to reveal details specifically left out of the media.

** The suspect goes out of their way to only make vague statements that prove nothing. This makes the detectives suspicious.
** The suspect claims to be guilty, but the fact that he gives an incorrect statement proves that he was [[FalseConfession taking the fall for someone else]].
** The ''accusers'' make statements that prove the suspect to be framed.
* '''Subverted''': The suspect calls out the officer or detective on their attempts to coerce the information. They will probably demand a lawyer at this point.
* '''Double Subverted''': Some innocent or otherwise unrelated party gives information that gives other evidence context, proving the original suspect's guilt.
* '''Parodied''': See IllNeverTellYouWhatImTellingYou and SuspiciouslySpecificDenial. Also "You just ''told'' me it was poison 15 seconds ago!"

** The suspect gives information that proves nothing without context, but evidence found gives context. However, those same statements also cast reasonable doubt.
** The suspect responds to the detective that he was only guessing that the victim was shot to death, as that's pretty common. In fact, [[YouJustToldMe he only said it so that the detective would confirm it to him]]. Also, The detective still has to figure out if [[IKnowYouKnowIKnow the suspect is either trying to cover his own tracks]], [[SincerityMode or it really was a lucky guess]].
* '''Averted''': The suspect invokes their right to remain silent and says nothing.

* '''Lampshaded''': "I think I've said too much..."

** The suspect is confessing and, to prove it, volunteers information only he knows.
** "I need details! DETAILS!!"
* '''Exploited''': Evulz is in a fantasy setting and not a detective one, and so any admission of guilt wouldn't matter as he's the big bad and could overpower the police force and basically screw conventions, so he uses this trick to seem guilty of a crime to be taken "peacefully" into jail.