Circumstantialevidenceis any evidence that requires some reasoning orinferenceto prove a fact. This type of evidence is sometimes called "indirect evidence" and may have more than one explanation or lead to more than one conclusion. In many situations, more than one circumstantial evidence can be used to extract thejudgeojuryto a specific conclusion. To explore this concept, consider thecircumstantial evidencedefinition.
Definition of Circumstantial Evidence
Substantive
- Proof of facts offered as evidence from which other facts can be inferred.
origin
1730-1740 Englishcommon law
What is circumstantial evidence?
Circumstantial evidence is evidence that strongly suggests something but does not exactly prove it. Circumstantial evidence simply helps people make inferences about a fact or events that have occurred. This type of evidence is considered weak or ineffective on its own and is therefore used in conjunction with direct evidence in criminal and civil cases. Whether or not the judge or jury makes the intended inference has a major impact on the outcome of the case.
For example:
Mary testified in court that she saw Robert standing over a man with a bloody knife in his hand. Mary did not see Robert stab the victim, so she can only testify and describe what she saw. That circumstantial evidence alone is probably not enough to convict Robert, so the prosecution provides other evidence that, when added to Mary's testimony, leads the jury to conclude that Robert stabbed the victim.
Validity of circumstantial evidence
There are popular misconceptions surrounding the validity of circumstantial evidence, as many people believe that it is not as convincing as direct evidence. In reality, circumstantial evidence is an important tool used by prosecutors to convict people. Circumstantial evidence, which can be derived from a variety of sources, can be used to support belief and supported bywitnesstestimony and direct evidence of credibility.
Examples of Circumstantial Evidence
Almost anything can be used as circumstantial evidence, as long as it helps to create a picture of the incident or crime that leads the judge or jury to a valid conclusion. Facts that do not necessarily prove aaccusedGuilt, such as previous threats made to the victim, fingerprints found at the crime scene, testimony that a neighbor saw the defendant in the neighborhood, or the fact that the defendant was at faultrecipientfrom the victim's life insurance policy, are all circumstantial evidence. Even in the absence of an eyewitness to the crime, such evidence, when assembled, certainly leads to the conclusion that the defendant is guilty.
For example:
Mark and Bob have a heated argument, during which Mark declares in front of a room full of people that he wants to kill Bob. A week later, they find Bob murdered in his backyard. Mark's statement is not direct proof that he committed the crime, but it does give the police a suspect.
How an individual treated or interacted with the victim prior to the crime is another point that can be used as circumstantial evidence.
For example:
Helen, one of Bob's co-workers, has been romantically obsessed with Bob for about a year. A few months ago, she started sending spam emails and text messages containing romantic messages, and then gifts started showing up at his house. Bob asked Helen to stop, but she just stopped talking to him at work. Bob recently told a friend that he had seen Helen at his softball games and once saw her following him around the mall. This information is not direct evidence that Helen murdered Bob, but it gives the police a second suspect to investigate.
on acivil claimCircumstantial evidence serves the same purpose, leading the judge or jury to a desired conclusion.
For example:
Leo has filed a civil lawsuit against Fred, claiming that Fred crashed his car in a parking lot, causing substantial damage. In court, Fred admits to being in the parking lot at the same time as Leo, but denies hitting anything and there were no other witnesses to the incident. Leo presents photos of the parking lot, with a diagram of how the accident occurred, shows photos of the damage to both vehicles and points out the transfer of red paint from his car to Leo's bumper.
While none of this is direct evidence of Fred's guilt in the incident, the circumstantial evidence leads the judge to believe that it is more likely that there was an accident and that Fred was at fault.
Infamous conviction based on circumstantial evidence
Conviction for murder of Scott Peterson
Laci Peterson, a 27-year-old mother-to-be, disappeared from her home in Modesto, California, on Christmas Eve 2002. Husband Scott Peterson reported Lacy missing, telling police she was simply nowhere to be found when he returned. of fishing. trip that day. Days and weeks passed without suspects. Friends and family said they didn't believe Scottmurderhis wife, but eventually became a suspect as he began giving inconsistent information to the police.
In January, police discovered that Scott was having multiple affairs, most recently with a woman named Amber Frey. Frey approached the police after learning that Scott was married to the missing pregnant woman. Soon after, police recorded phone calls between Frey and Scott in the hope that they would hear a confession. The only thing they learned from the taped conversations was that Scott planned to take Frey out of the country for the holidays a few days after Laci disappeared.
Laci's body and the body of an unborn baby were found in April 2003 washed up on a beach in Richmond, California. This was the same shoreline where Scott had reported that she had gone fishing the day the Laci disappeared. After discovering the bodies, police searched Scott's truck, boat, and home, as well as the area where they believed Laci's body had been dumped, but nothing turned up.
On April 18, 2003, San Diego Police arrested Scott. He had changed appearance and was carrying belongings that led the police to believe he was going to flee the country. The media closely followed the subsequent murder.rehearsal, in which there was virtually no direct evidence, but rather a long series of circumstantial evidence that pointed to Scott Peterson's guilt. Such evidence included inconsistencies in Scott's stories, his assumed relationship with Frey, the fact that he sold Laci's car shortly after she disappeared, that he had expressed an interest in selling the house immediately, and that six inches of dark hair had been found. into a pair of pliers located on your boat.
Although the defense tried to explain away every circumstantial piece of evidence, the jury was convinced that Scott Peterson had murdered his wife and unborn child. Peterson received the death penalty and is awaiting execution in San Quentin, California.prison.
Terms and related legal issues
- Accused -A party against whom an action has been brought in a civil court, or who has been charged or charged with a crime or misdemeanor.
- Rehearsal -A formal presentation of evidence before a judge and jury for the purpose of determining guilt or innocence in a criminal case, or to make a determination in a civil matter.
- Victim -A person who is injured, killed, or otherwise harmed as a result of a criminal act, accident, or other event.