A patrol officer is chasing a suspect fleeing from an armed robbery in which the suspect fired a pistol. The suspect flees into his own home, where the officer enters and arrests the suspect. An immediate search of the suspect reveals an empty shoulder holster. Without advice of rights, the officer asks the suspect the whereabouts of the gun. The suspect states that he threw it into the trash bin as he ran through the house. The weapon is found. The _____ exception would probably form the most effective legal argument to make the gun admissible at trial.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The inevitable discovery exception allows for evidence to be admissible if it would have been discovered by lawful means regardless of any illegal actions taken by law enforcement. In this case, it is likely that the weapon would have been discovered in the trash bin during a search of the suspect's property conducted with a warrant. Therefore, the inevitable discovery exception would support the admissibility of the weapon at trial. The other exception choices do not fit the circumstances of this scenario.

A Patrol Officer Is Chasing a Suspect Fleeing from an Armed