Legal Definitions - Suppression

In the legal system, particularly within criminal cases, suppression refers to the act of a court preventing certain evidence from being presented or used during a trial. This typically occurs when a judge determines that the evidence was obtained by law enforcement in a manner that violated a defendant's constitutional rights.

The principle behind suppression is often linked to the "exclusionary rule," which dictates that evidence gathered illegally cannot be admitted in court. When evidence is "suppressed," it means it has been deemed inadmissible and cannot be used by the prosecution to prove guilt.

• Example 1: Unlawful Search and Seizure

  Imagine police officers enter a person's home without a search warrant, without permission, and without any immediate emergency justifying their entry. While inside, they discover a stash of illegal drugs. The individual is arrested and charged with drug possession.

  How it illustrates suppression: The defendant's attorney would likely file a "motion to suppress" the drugs as evidence. They would argue that the drugs were found during an illegal search, violating the Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which protects against unreasonable searches and seizures. If the judge agrees, the drugs would be suppressed, meaning the prosecution could not show them to the jury or use them as proof of guilt during the trial.

• Example 2: Coerced Confession

  A suspect is brought in for questioning regarding a robbery. During a lengthy interrogation, the police deny the suspect access to an attorney, despite repeated requests, and make threats about what will happen to their family if they don't confess. Eventually, the suspect confesses to the crime.

  How it illustrates suppression: The defense attorney would file a motion to suppress the confession. They would argue that the confession was not voluntary and was obtained in violation of the suspect's Fifth Amendment rights (the right against self-incrimination and the right to counsel during interrogation, as established by the Miranda warnings). If the court finds that the confession was coerced or obtained without proper adherence to constitutional rights, the confession would be suppressed and could not be used as evidence against the defendant at trial.

• Example 3: Illegally Obtained Digital Data

  Investigators suspect a person of involvement in a cybercrime. Without obtaining a proper warrant, they seize the person's computer and phone, then access and download incriminating emails and text messages from these devices.

  How it illustrates suppression: The defense would argue that the seizure and search of the digital devices without a warrant violated the defendant's Fourth Amendment rights. They would file a motion to suppress the emails and text messages. If the judge determines that the evidence was obtained through an unconstitutional search, those digital communications would be suppressed and could not be presented as evidence against the defendant in court.