Legal Concept of Relevant Evidence
Brady v. Maryland, 373 U.S. 83 (1963)
Facts: Defendants Brady and Boblit were convicted of murder by the state of Maryland, with Brady admitting participation in the crime but stating that Boblit committed the actual act of killing the victim. Boblit confirmed this fact in a written statement recording his personal confession, but during the criminal proceedings prosecutors elected to withhold Boblit's confession from the court, as well as from Brady and his attorney. Upon being convicted of the murder, Brady challenged the decision on the basis of potential violations of the Fourteenth Amendment, which guarantees those accused of criminal conduct the right to due process. The Maryland Court of Appeals affirmed Brady's conviction, but remanded the case for retrial to reassess the question of punishment.
Issues: The prosecution's choice to withhold Boblit's written confession irrevocably altered the sentencing process for Brady, as the court was never made aware that he did not actually commit...
While Brady's participation in the crime warranted a murder conviction in light of judicial precedent on the issue of accomplices to violent crimes which result in death, the court may have rendered a reduced sentence in light of the mitigating circumstances present in his case. By withholding the written confession, prosecutors violated Brady's due process right to be made aware of the evidence to be presented against him, as awareness of the written confession would have allowed Brady's attorney to seek a reduced sentence.
Decisions: The Supreme Court ultimately ruled that the prosecution's decision to withhold exculpatory evidence violated Brady's right to due process "where the evidence is material either to guilt or to punishment." Although the Warren Court found that under Maryland state law the written confession which was withheld could not have exculpated the defendant from guilt, but that the evidence was material to the degree of punitive action he would face at sentencing. The…
