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Simple English definitions for legal terms
corpus delicti rule
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A quick definition of corpus delicti rule:
The corpus delicti rule is a law that says a prosecutor cannot prove someone is guilty of a crime just by using what the person said outside of court. They need other evidence to prove the crime happened. This is to make sure people are not wrongly accused and convicted based only on what they said.
A more thorough explanation:
The corpus delicti rule is a principle in criminal law that prevents a prosecutor from proving that a crime has occurred solely based on a defendant's out-of-court statements. In order to obtain a conviction, the prosecution must provide corroborating evidence to establish the corpus delicti.
For example, if a person is accused of stealing a car and confesses to the crime, the prosecution cannot rely solely on the confession to prove that the theft occurred. They must also provide additional evidence, such as eyewitness testimony or surveillance footage, to corroborate the confession and establish that a theft actually took place.
The purpose of the corpus delicti rule is to prevent wrongful convictions based solely on unreliable or coerced confessions. By requiring corroborating evidence, the rule helps ensure that the prosecution has a strong case before a defendant can be found guilty of a crime.