Go to next caseRobert Williams was arrested for the murder of a 10-year-old girl. He was never advised of his rights or allowed to speak with council. The police asked him for the location of the victim's body in order to give it a proper Christian burial. Williams agreed and showed them where they could find it. Williams was convicted, and the body was offered as the main piece of evidence. William's attorney protested the use of the body stating that the police had acted in bad faith, forcing the whereabouts of the body from the defendant. The Court disagreed, seeing no bad faith on the part of the police. It allowed the body into evidence on the grounds that the police would have found it regardless of William's admission, due to the fact search parties were within two miles of it when the location was revealed. "Evidence otherwise excluded may be admissible when it would have been discovered anyway."
Return to the list of cases
Return to home page