Ashcraft v. Tennessee Ashcraft was charged with hiring John Ware to murder Ashcraft's wife, Zelma Ida Ashcraft. Ashcraft and Ware confessed to the crimes and were sentenced to 99 years in the state penitentiary. Ware and Ashcraft appealed, claiming that their confessions were extorted from them. Ware, a black man, claimed that he confessed because he feared mob violence. Ashcraft, who had been questioned for more than 36 hours, with only one 5-minute break claimed he was threatened and abused. Confessions made after 36 hours of interrogating without rest will have to be made involuntary, this then is a denial of due process of law under the fourteenth amendment