Simple English definitions for legal terms
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A prime suspect is the person who the police think is most likely to have committed a crime. They believe this because they have evidence or a reason to think that person did it. For example, if someone's spouse dies and they are the only one who benefits from their life insurance policy, the police might consider them a prime suspect.
The prime suspect is the person who is believed by law enforcement officers to have most likely committed a crime that is being investigated. This person is considered the main suspect because there is evidence or a motive that leads officers to believe that they are responsible for the crime.
For example, in the case of Farmers New World Life Insurance Co. v. Rees, a woman was found dead in the street outside the home she shared with her husband. The husband, who was a gambler and the sole beneficiary on his wife's life insurance policy, was at one point considered a prime suspect. This is because he had a motive to kill his wife and there was evidence that suggested he may have been involved in her death.
Another example of a prime suspect could be a person who is caught on camera committing a crime or who is seen by witnesses at the scene of the crime. In these cases, the evidence is clear and the person is immediately considered the prime suspect.
Overall, a prime suspect is the person who is most likely responsible for a crime based on the evidence and motives that law enforcement officers have gathered during their investigation.