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Full-Text Articles in Law
Excluding Coerced Witness Testimony To Protect A Criminal Defendant's Right To Due Process Of Law And Adequately Deter Police Misconduct, Katherine Sheridan
Excluding Coerced Witness Testimony To Protect A Criminal Defendant's Right To Due Process Of Law And Adequately Deter Police Misconduct, Katherine Sheridan
Fordham Urban Law Journal
This Note argues that the Due Process Clause must protect criminal defendants from the admission of an involuntary statement made by a witness. Part I discusses the history of the use of involuntary statements, specifically the justifications for the exclusion of coerced confessions. Part II examines how various courts have addressed the issue and have come to different conclusions. Part III explains why involuntary witness statements should be excluded under the Due Process Clause in criminal trials.
Undertaking The Task Of Reforming The American Character Evidence Prohibition: The Importance Of Getting The Experiment Off On The Right Foot, Edward J. Imwinkelried
Undertaking The Task Of Reforming The American Character Evidence Prohibition: The Importance Of Getting The Experiment Off On The Right Foot, Edward J. Imwinkelried
Fordham Urban Law Journal
The United States Congress and the State Legislatures of Indiana and Missouri have chosen illogical starting points in their experiments to reform the prohibition against introducing character evidence in criminal cases. Rather than start by allowing the introduction of past crimes with high recidivism rates such as burglary, these legislatures have chosen crimes with minimal probative value as predictors of the accused's conduct. By allowing the the introduction of criminal history in regard to criminal sexual conduct and child molestation, these legislatures increase the risk of wrongful conviction due to the disdain with which the average citizen views these types …
Federal Rules Of Evidence And The Political Process, David P. Leonard
Federal Rules Of Evidence And The Political Process, David P. Leonard
Fordham Urban Law Journal
An important tenet of American evidence law is the strict regulation on the introduction of character evidence. This principal has begun to be chipped away at through the adoption of amendments that allow character evidence to be introduced in certain types of cases. The Federal Rules of Evidence were subject to very little amendment during their first 20 years of use, and have always represented a blend of conservatism about evidence law and political compromise. This tension has been kept in check until the proposal of Rules 413-415, which represents a concession to the politicization of the rules. Before imposing …
Some Thoughts On The Sexual Misconduct Amendments To The Federal Rules Of Evidence, Norman M. Garland
Some Thoughts On The Sexual Misconduct Amendments To The Federal Rules Of Evidence, Norman M. Garland
Fordham Urban Law Journal
Although the adoption of the Federal Rules of Evidence 413-15 may have a positive result, Congress rushed their drafting which has led to several problems and ambiguities in the proposed rules. One of these major ambiguities is the issue of what standard of proof might be applied to decide the admissibility of such other, uncharged sex crimes offered against the accused.
American Bar Association Criminal Justice Section Report To The House Of Delegates, Myrna S. Raeder
American Bar Association Criminal Justice Section Report To The House Of Delegates, Myrna S. Raeder
Fordham Urban Law Journal
The proposed amendments to the Federal Rules of Evidence, Rules 413-15 regarding the admission of character testimony in cases of sexual abuse and child molestation, have been roundly criticized by the legal community on both substantive and procedural grounds. The ABA has resolved to oppose the substance of these rules, and fear that in addition to the direct concerns regarding the result of the rules, they raise troubling policy issues going forward.
The Crime Bill Of 1994 And The Law Of Character Evidence: Congress Was Right About Consent Defense Cases, Roger C. Park
The Crime Bill Of 1994 And The Law Of Character Evidence: Congress Was Right About Consent Defense Cases, Roger C. Park
Fordham Urban Law Journal
There is considerable debate as to whether to admit evidence of past sexual assaults in cases where the accused presents a defense of consent to a current sexual assault charge. The consent defense presents a unique situation where, due to the probative value of evidence that suggests propensity to rape, a strong justification can be made to admit this information as evidence. However, critics of this opinion have argued that admitting propensity evidence about the accused in a rape case is inconsistent with the rape shield rule which excludes propensity evidence about the victim. This argument is flawed in the …
Balancing The Scales: Limiting The Prejudicial Effect Of Evidence Rule 404(B) Through Stipulation, Daniel J. Buzzetta
Balancing The Scales: Limiting The Prejudicial Effect Of Evidence Rule 404(B) Through Stipulation, Daniel J. Buzzetta
Fordham Urban Law Journal
This Note argues that, in a prosecution for a violation of a specific intent criminal statute, the government must accept a defendant’s clear and unambiguous stipulation to possessing the requisite intent for the crime charged. The trial court must ensure that the proffered stipulation is voluntarily given, unambiguous, and comprehensive, so as not to deprive the prosecution from presenting forceful, significant, and probative evidence. Once a defendant offers such an acceptable stipulation, however, the government’s introduction of prior bad acts to prove intent becomes extremely prejudicial, while any probative value the evidence may have is dissipated entirely. Part II of …
Res Gestae, The Present Sense Impression Exception And Extrinsic Corroboration Under Federal Rules Of Evidence 803(1) And Its State Counterparts, William Gorman Passannante
Res Gestae, The Present Sense Impression Exception And Extrinsic Corroboration Under Federal Rules Of Evidence 803(1) And Its State Counterparts, William Gorman Passannante
Fordham Urban Law Journal
This Note presents an overview of the hearsay rule and its general historical development, as well as background on the history of the res gestae doctrine to provide a clearer understanding of the Federal Rules discussed. It examines the current analysis of the three Rule 803 hearsay exceptions, and compares the requirements of external corroboration of hearsay statements under each of Rules 803(1), (2) and (3) to illustrate some inconsistencies in the application of these rules. The author concludes that it is essential that a concise and historically consistent method of applying the present sense impression exception be used, and …
Criminal Discovery In New York: The Effect Of The New Article 240 , Thomas N. Kendris
Criminal Discovery In New York: The Effect Of The New Article 240 , Thomas N. Kendris
Fordham Urban Law Journal
Despite the many persuasive reasons for criminal discovery, its development in New York took place in a gradual, ad hoc manner. This led the New York State Legislature to enact the original article 240 in the Criminal Procedure Act (CPL) in 1971 which provided the courts with a consistent framework to discovery and significantly expanded an accused rights to evidence. This article provides a comprehensive overview of the original article 240, some significant problems that arose under it, and how the new enacted article 240 attempted to address the problems. The author then argues that the new statute could have …