Title: What Qualifies as Police Misconduct | LawInfo
Headings: Police Misconduct Leading to Wrongful Convictions
Police Misconduct Leading to Wrongful Convictions
Police Giving False Testimony
Police Coercing Witnesses and Suspects
Fabrication of Evidence by Police
Police Improperly Handling Evidence
What Is Considered Tampering With Evidence?
Consequences for Mishandling Evidence
How to Discredit a Police Officer in Court
Police Misconduct as a Basis for Appeals
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Content: In any case, police misconduct with regard to evidence in a criminal case can be one cause of wrongful convictions. Police Improperly Handling Evidence
Police officers are typically responsible for properly gathering, preserving, and documenting evidence that can later be used in criminal prosecution. While there is the potential for human error by police officers, there is also the potential for intentional misconduct. What Is Considered Tampering With Evidence? Any action by an officer to conceal, destroy, falsify, or alter any evidence can be considered tampering with evidence. For an officer to commit the crime of tampering with evidence, they need to have the intent to tamper with the evidence and tamper with an item, knowing that the item was evidence. Consequences for Mishandling Evidence
Law enforcement has the duty to preserve relevant evidence. That duty is enshrined in your constitutional protections including due process and the right to a fair trial. If a defendant can show that the police failed to preserve relevant evidence, they can ask the court to suppress the evidence or dismiss the case as a whole. How to Discredit a Police Officer in Court
Generally, a police officer’s testimony in court is considered to be credible.