Exclusionary Rule Essay
To be able to thoroughly discuss exclusionary rule, there has to be some sort of basic knowledge of what it is. Exclusionary rule is a law that prohibits the use of illegally obtained evidence in a criminal trial. This paper will be discussing how exclusionary rule first came about and how it has evolved into what it is now. So this paper will, in a way, be a timeline of the exclusionary rule. Exclusionary rule was first discussed in the case of Boyd v. US (1886). Boyd v. US (1886) was about trying to deicide if a compulsory production or removal of an individual’s personal papers, which will be used against him, is an unreasonable search and seizure and also if it violates the individual’s fourth amendment rights. The fourth amendment protects people from unreasonable searches
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United States (1920) was an important case regarding exclusionary rule because it gave an extension to it. This case dealt with the Silverthorne Lumber Company. What happened in this case is that the two owners were arrested and while they were arrested the officers went into their office and without consent or a warrant to search and seize the premises they started to seize book, documents, and papers that were in the office. When the government was asked to return everything they obtained from the illegal search, they complied but they made copies of all the documents, books, and papers. With these new copies they tried to produce it as a new indictment. The ruling of this case like the Weeks v. US (1914) case was similar. The government could not use the knowledge gained from illegal evidence against the defendant. They also couldn't make a new indictment because of how the evidence was obtained. Fruit of the poisonous tree doctrine was established in this case. This doctrine stated that evidence obtained illegally could not be admissible in court as evidence. So not only are individuals protected from illegal searches and seizures but so are
United States (1920) was an important case regarding exclusionary rule because it gave an extension to it. This case dealt with the Silverthorne Lumber Company. What happened in this case is that the two owners were arrested and while they were arrested the officers went into their office and without consent or a warrant to search and seize the premises they started to seize book, documents, and papers that were in the office. When the government was asked to return everything they obtained from the illegal search, they complied but they made copies of all the documents, books, and papers. With these new copies they tried to produce it as a new indictment. The ruling of this case like the Weeks v. US (1914) case was similar. The government could not use the knowledge gained from illegal evidence against the defendant. They also couldn't make a new indictment because of how the evidence was obtained. Fruit of the poisonous tree doctrine was established in this case. This doctrine stated that evidence obtained illegally could not be admissible in court as evidence. So not only are individuals protected from illegal searches and seizures but so are