The Fruit of the Poisonous Tree

The Fruit of the Poisonous Tree Paper Student’s Name Institution Course # and Name Professor’s Name Submission Date The Exclusionary Rule and How it Protects Citizens The Exclusionary Rule is a constitutional provision in the United States tailored to protect citizens from unwarranted seizures and searches. Based on this rule, law enforcement officers are required to conduct searches and surveillance within the provisions of the Constitution of the United States. Any search that goes against the Fourth Amendment of the Bill of Rights is illegal, and the evidence from that search can be disputed in a court of law. Individual states have their own interpretation and exclusion criteria for illegally obtained evidence under their statutes or state constitutions. Ray Law Criminal Defense Attorneys (2020) insists that affected citizens should immediately seek legal help when law enforcement authorities illegally access their private spaces. All evidence obtained from illegal action is referred to as the “fruit of the poisonous tree” and cannot be admitted in the courts of law. The primary function of the Exclusionary Rule is to uphold citizens' constitutional rights by providing a remedy for violations in order to protect citizens. First, this law deters police from unlawful searches of United States citizens, as noted in the preceding discussion. The knowledge that pieces of evidence obtained through unconstitutional methods will be inadmissible in courts of law discourages law enforcement officers from violating the Fourth Amendment. Second, the exclusionary rule has been beneficial in maintaining judicial integrity in the courts of law. The judiciary is tasked with ensuring a just assessment of citizens’ conduct, and it should not obtain proof for convicting citizens using unjust means. This encourages the government to adhere to the law and respect individual rights (Ray Law Criminal Defense Attorneys, 2020). Moreover, the Exclusionary Rule reinforces citizens’ protection as detailed in the Fourth Amendment. Law enforcement agencies must obtain warrants based on relevant connections before conducting searches. Demonstrative Evidence Demonstrative evidence plays a crucial role in the courtroom by helping to clarify facts and concepts for the judge and jury. In a court of law, suspects and their representatives should convince the court that an offense was or was not committed. The concept of the best evidence is a legal principle that prioritizes using the most reliable and authentic evidence available to prove a fact. Common examples of demonstrative evidence include photographs and videos. Photographs used to back up witness testimonies can have a powerful and influential impact on the jury’s mind. Photographs are also easy to explain and admit into evidence (Park & Feigenson, 2021). The lawyers or public attorneys can compile relevant pictures into a slide to present sequential events. For example, aerial photographs can be compiled to show the existing conditions at the time of an accident (Park & Feigenson, 2021). X-ray images can...