The fruit of the poisonous tree doctrine is an extension of the exclusionary rule, which, subject to some exceptions, prevents evidence obtained in violation of the fourth amendment from being admitted in a criminal trial. Fruit of the poisonous tree wex us law lii legal information. Fruit of the poisonous tree includes evidence gathered from just about any kind of police conduct that violates a defendants constitutional rights. Prior to 1914, warrantless and other shady searches conducted by law enforcement were quite common in america and were detrimental to those facing criminal charges from the evidence. Suppose the police begin to listen in on and record the statements of suspected drug dealers without first getting a warrant. Under the fruit of the poisonous tree doctrine evidence obtained from illegal arrest, search or seizure is not admissible in the court of law. A doctrine that extends the exclusionary rule to make evidence inadmissible in court if it was derived from evidence that was illegally obtained. The fruits of the poisonous tree doctrine, or rule, is designed to prevent illegal searches. Marine, police chief, pilot, law professor, legal researcher, private investigator and ombudsman with the department of defense.
This legal metaphor regards tainted evidence fruit obtained through illegal searches or other police misconduct the poisonous tree as inadmissible in court. Fruit from a poisonous tree amazing research by someone who is an attorney, in addition to stints as a u. Fruit of the poisonous tree legal definition merriam. What makes him a king and sovereign is that he was born with the title of sovereign rulers mask. Fruit from a poisonous tree a remarkable expose of government corruption and treason that will leave you breathless. Fruit of the poisonous tree legal definition of fruit of. What does fruit of the poisonous tree mean in criminal. Fruit of the poisonous tree is a legal metaphor used to describe evidence that is obtained illegally.
The exclusionary rule and the fruit of the poisonous tree doctrine. The principle that prohibits the use of secondary evidence in trial that was culled directly from primary evidence derived from an illegal search and seizure the fruit of the poisonous tree doctrine is an offspring of the exclusionary rule. The fruit of the poisonous tree doctrine is an evidentiary rule that, together with the exclusionary rule, gives the fourth amendment of the constitution its teeth. The doctrine was established in 1920 by the decision in silverthorne lumber co. Like the exclusionary rule, the fruit of the poisonous tree doctrine is intended to deter police from using illegal means. The fruit of the poisonous tree doctrine prevents the prosecution from admitting certain evidence into a criminal case after it has been tainted by a primary. Fruit from a poisonous tree to be king juan carlos of spain, you must be the whole person. Under the fruit of the poisonous tree doctrine, evidence is also excluded from trial if it was gained through evidence uncovered in an illegal arrest, unreasonable. King carlos would still be a king regardless if he had the two kidneys or one. As the metaphor suggests, if the evidential tree is tainted, so is its fruit. The exclusionary rule mandates that evidence obtained from an illegal arrest, unreasonable search, or coercive. Fruit of the poisonous tree confessions,8 statements obtained during a period of unnecessary delay in bringing a suspect before a magistrate,9 conversations overheard in viola tion of section 605 of the federal communications act,10 and conversa tions overheard through unlawful entries into constitutionally protected. The logic of the terminology is that if the source the tree of. It was created in 1920 as a result of a united states supreme court.
38 492 16 33 59 750 888 271 481 932 281 1134 680 1225 1360 1518 703 1286 633 1071 1279 358 1107 772 151 342 1560 1295 1100 1345 1148 368 340 1250 690 613 386 689 1398 1277 1157 1336 276 409 986