Under what condition may illegally obtained evidence lead to other admissible evidence?

Under what condition may illegally obtained evidence lead to other admissible evidence?

• A. If the suspect confesses.
• B. If the evidence is physical.
• C. If the police had probable cause.
• D. If an exception applies.

Answer: (D)

Illegally obtained evidence isn’t automatically barred from everything. The system allows that tainted material can lead to admissible evidence only when there is an exception to the exclusionary rule. In other words, if an applicable exception applies, the evidence or its fruits may be admitted despite the initial illegality. Examples of such exceptions include independent source, inevitable discovery, attenuation of the taint, or good-faith reliance on a warrant. These gaps let prosecutors introduce evidence that would otherwise be excluded, because the link to the unlawful conduct has been broken or the evidence would have been obtained by lawful means anyway.

Illegally obtained evidence isn’t automatically barred from everything. The system allows that tainted material can lead to admissible evidence only when there is an exception to the exclusionary rule. In other words, if an applicable exception applies, the evidence or its fruits may be admitted despite the initial illegality. Examples of such exceptions include independent source, inevitable discovery, attenuation of the taint, or good-faith reliance on a warrant. These gaps let prosecutors introduce evidence that would otherwise be excluded, because the link to the unlawful conduct has been broken or the evidence would have been obtained by lawful means anyway.