An officer unlawfully searches an individual's residence. The officer finds an illegal handgun. The officer reads the individual the Miranda warnings, and the individual then confesses that he is the owner of the handgun and that he used it in a robbery. This confession will be inadmissible based upon the _______________ doctrine.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The confession will be inadmissible based upon the fruit of the poisonous tree doctrine, which states that any evidence gathered as a result of an illegal search or seizure is also inadmissible. Since the handgun was found as a result of an illegal search, the confession is considered "fruit of the poisonous tree" and cannot be used as evidence in court. Coerced confessions are also inadmissible, but there is no indication in the scenario that the confession was coerced.

An Officer Unlawfully Searches an Individual's Residence