Criminal Procedure General Deck Flashcards
Fourth Amendment
Prohibits against unreasonable search and seizures. It applies to states via the due process clause of the fourteenth amendment.
Fifth Amendment
Privilege against compulsory self-incrimination and prohibition against double jeopardy
Sixth Amendment
1) Right to a speedy trial
2) Right to a trial by jury
3) Right to confront witnesses
4) Right to assistance of counsel
Eighth Amendment
Prohibits cruel and unusual punishment; used in context of death penalty and prisoner rights (rarely tested)
Exclusionary Rule
a remedy of American constitutional procedure whereby someone who has been the victim of an illegal search or a coerced confession can (among other remedies) have the product of that illegal search or coerced statement EXCLUDED from any subsequent criminal prosecution
Limitations on exclusion (where does the exclusionary rule not apply to evidence)
Minor/obvious limits:
- exclusion does not apply to grand jury proceedings (and a grand jury witness may be compelled to testify based on illegally seized evidence)
- Exclusion is not an available remedy in civil proceedings
- Exclusion is not an available remedy in parole revocation proceedings
- Exclusion is not an available remedy for violations of the “knock and announce” rule in execution of search warrants
Major limit/likely tested on: Exclusion does not apply to the use of excluded evidence for IMPEACHMENT PURPOSES. Since 1980, ALL illegally seized evidence may be admitted to impeach the credibility of the D’s trial testimony–INCLUDING Miranda violations! BUT NOTE this is only for the D’s trial testimony, not other D witnesses
“The Fruit of the Poisonous Tree” doctrine
this will exclude not only illegally seized evidence but ALL evidence obtained/derived from police illegality
NOTE: FOTPT doctrine does not apply to Miranda violations unless the police act in BAD FAITH in obtaining such information
Limits to Fruit of the Poisonous Tree: Ways to “break chain” between original unlawful police action and piece of evidence
THREE “INs” to get evidence “In”
- Independent Source–government can show it had an independent source (from original police illegality) for that evidence
- Inevitable discovery–police would have invariably discovered the evidence anyway
- Intervening acts of free will on the part of the D
Exclusionary Rule and convictions
Conviction will NOT NECESSARILY be overturned because improperly obtained evidence was admitted at trial
Appellate court will likely apply the HARMLESS ERROR test–conviction will be upheld if it would have resulted despite the improper evidence
Arrest standard
Arrest must be based on probable cause
Arrest in public place
does generally not require a warrant, but non-emergency arrest of an individual in his home DOES require an arrest warrant
Station house detention
The police need probable cause to arrest you and compel you to come to the police station either for fingerprinting or interrogation
Investigatory Detentions (Terry stops)
The police have the authority to briefly detain a person even if they lack probable cause to arrest.
In order to make such a stop, the police must have a REASONABLE SUSPICION supported by ARTICULABLE FACTS of criminal activity
NOTE: a “hunch” is never enough
standard for Reasonable suspicion
court will look to the TOTALITY OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES
standard to stop a car
Police may stop car if they have REASONABLE SUSPICION that law has been violated
EXCEPTION: checkpoint roadblocks (DUI, Border crossings). Police may stop any car, as long as way they’re stopping cars is neutrally applied (e.g. every 4th car)
Routine traffic stops and police dogs
during traffic stops, a “sniff” is not a search so long as police do not extend the stop beyond time needed to issue ticket/conduct normal inquiries.
2013 SC: during a traffic stop, a dog “alert” to presence of drugs can form the basis for PROBABLE CAUSE for a search, BUT 2015 SC held that police cannot use a drug sniffing dog directly outside the home of suspected drug dealer WITHOUT PROBABLE CAUSE.
Search and Seizure Question
BIG OUTLINE (check notes for more detail) of what to ask of a search/seizure:
1) Governmental conduct?
2) Reasonable expectation of privacy?
3) Did police have valid search warrant?
4) If not valid warrant, did the officer’s good faith defense save the defective search warrant?
5) If warrant invalid and no good faith defense (or if police didn’t have a warrant at all), does this search fall under an exception to the warrant requirement?
Wiretapping and Eavesdropping
All wiretapping/eavesdropping requires a warrant, but TWO exceptions to this rule:
1) person A assumes risk that person B to whom A is talking is an informant wired or taping conversation.
2) Person A has no 4th Amendment protection if he made no attempt to keep a conversation private.
valid search warrant (requirements for facial validity)
Facially valid search warrant must have been issued (i) based on probable cause; (ii) by a neutral and detached magistrate, and (ii) state with particularity the place to be searched and the items to be seized
Probable Cause standard (for valid warrant)
A fair probability that contraband or evidence of a crime will be found in the area searched
Particularity standard (for valid warrant)
Must state with particularity the PLACE to be searched and the THINGS to be seized
Warrants based on informants
If affidavit/probable cause is based on informant information, its sufficiency is determined by TOTALITY OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES, including informants credibility (how many times used before, objective?) and basis of knowledge
Valid warrant can be based IN PART on informant tip if anonymous, but cannot be solely based on this.
“No Knock” entry: when permitted?
“no knock” entry is OK in execution of search warrants if “exigent circumstances exist”:
(1) if knocking and announcing would be dangerous and futile or inhibit the investigations
(2) fear: of destruction of evidence
Good faith defense to invalid search warrant
rule: officer’s good faith reliance on a search warrant overcomes defects with probable cause and particularity requirements.
good faith will not save a warrant if:
- no reasonable officer would have relied on affadavit underlying warrant b/c it is SO lacking in probable cause or particularity
- officer/prosecutor lied to/misled magistrate to get the warrant
- magistrate is biased and has wholly abandoned neutrality
Exceptions to the warrant requirement
1) Search incident to arrest
2) Automobile exception
3) Plain View
4) Consent
5) Stop and Frisk
6) Evanescent Evidence
7) Hot Pursuit
8) Special Needs
9) community caretaker
Search Incident to arrest exception to warrant requirement
warrant exception that allows evidence obtained without a warrant if:
- Arrest was lawful
- search and arrest were contemporaneous in time and place
- Search was of person and area within person’s wingspan (did not exceed geographic scope)
- Automobiles (GANT RULE): police may search interior of auto incident to arrest ONLY IF (i) person is unsecured and may still gain access to vehicle OR (ii) police reasonably believe that evidence of the offense for which arrested may be found in vehicle