An officer illegally discovers evidence, but another officer then discovers that evidence at a later time through legal means. That evidence will be allowed at trail under the "independent source" doctrine.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The independent source doctrine allows for evidence to be admissible in court if it was discovered through legal means and not directly connected to the initial illegally obtained evidence. In this scenario, the second officer's discovery of the evidence through legal means qualifies as an independent source and therefore the evidence would be admissible at trial.

An Officer Illegally Discovers Evidence, but Another Officer Then Discovers