Which case established the inevitable discovery exception?

Which case established the inevitable discovery exception?

• A. Nix v. Williams
• B. Mapp v. Ohio
• C. Weeks v. U.S.
• D. U.S. v. Leon

Answer: (A)

The main idea here is the inevitable discovery exception to the exclusionary rule. This doctrine lets evidence be admitted even if it was obtained through an illegal action if the police would have found it anyway by lawful means. Nix v. Williams established this exception. In that case, a statement was obtained in violation of the defendant’s rights, but the Court ruled that the victim’s body would have been discovered through legitimate police investigation regardless of the illegal conduct. Because the discovery would have occurred inevitably, the evidence related to the body was admissible. Other cases in this area reinforce different principles: Weeks v. U.S. helped establish the exclusionary rule for federal cases, Mapp v. Ohio extended that rule to the states, and U.S. v. Leon created the good-faith exception. None of these establish the inevitable discovery principle the way Nix v. Williams does.

The main idea here is the inevitable discovery exception to the exclusionary rule. This doctrine lets evidence be admitted even if it was obtained through an illegal action if the police would have found it anyway by lawful means.

Nix v. Williams established this exception. In that case, a statement was obtained in violation of the defendant’s rights, but the Court ruled that the victim’s body would have been discovered through legitimate police investigation regardless of the illegal conduct. Because the discovery would have occurred inevitably, the evidence related to the body was admissible.

Other cases in this area reinforce different principles: Weeks v. U.S. helped establish the exclusionary rule for federal cases, Mapp v. Ohio extended that rule to the states, and U.S. v. Leon created the good-faith exception. None of these establish the inevitable discovery principle the way Nix v. Williams does.