What Evidence Can Help Your Criminal Defense in Illinois?

 Posted on March 22, 2024 in Criminal Defense

Convincing evidence can make the difference between being found guilty or not guilty of a crime. An experienced criminal defense lawyer will know what evidence is needed to support an acquittal in a criminal case. In investigating your case, a criminal defense lawyer will know what avenues to pursue to obtain relevant evidence.

If you are facing criminal allegations, you need a Chicago criminal defense lawyer who has experience representing individuals charged with a variety of offenses. Below, we will discuss the most frequent types of evidence used in criminal investigations.

Physical Evidence

Physical evidence, also called real evidence, is any material object that was present at the crime scene. Such items may include a weapon, blood-stained clothing, or lipstick on a drinking glass. Physical evidence can provide valuable insight into who was present at the scene and other circumstances behind the crime.

To admit an item into evidence, you must provide evidence demonstrating that the item is what you claim it to be. This is known as authenticating evidence, and it is crucial to maintaining credible investigations in our justice system.

Forensic Evidence

Any evidence retrieved through scientific means is considered forensic evidence. If you have ever watched the television series CSI, you are probably familiar with the crime scene investigation process.

Forensic evidence may include fingerprints, DNA, blood, hair, and tire tread impressions. Crime scene investigators and forensic scientists know how to gather, process, and analyze scientific evidence. Upon analyzing evidence, crime scene investigators will attempt to recreate the chain of events leading up to the crime.

Documentary Evidence

Paper documents are often relied upon in legal proceedings. Documentary evidence includes a wide range of evidence but may include bank statements, estate planning documents, and an executed contract. All evidence must be authenticated before it can be admitted into evidence.

Testimonial Evidence

Eyewitness testimony is sometimes the strongest evidence available in a criminal investigation. In some cases, the testimony of an eyewitness on its own may lead to a suspect’s arrest.

Witness testimony usually involves what a person saw and heard at the scene of the crime. Certain factors must be examined in determining the accuracy of an eyewitness’s testimony, including lighting, the length of time the witness had to see the suspect’s face, and the level of detail the eyewitness can provide of the event.

Expert Witness Evidence

Some cases involve drawing technical or medical conclusions from available evidence. Federal Rules of Evidence Rule 702 defines an expert witness as someone who has “knowledge, skill, experience, training, or education” in a particular field. An expert witness can be key to understanding complicated evidence that is not easily understandable to the average person.

For an expert witness to testify, a Cook County criminal defense attorney must demonstrate the following to the court:

• The expert’s testimony will help a judge or jury to understand the evidence and to determine its validity
• The expert’s testimony is based on fact
• The expert’s testimony is based on reliable principles and
• The expert’s testimony is based upon the application of these principles to the facts in the case

Reach Out to a Chicago, IL, Criminal Defense Attorney Immediately

The Sixth Amendment gives anyone who is accused of a crime the right to legal representation. If you are up against criminal allegations, our Cook County, IL, criminal defense attorney is ready to help. To learn more, contact Law Offices of James F. DiQuattro online or by calling 312-627-9482 to schedule your free consultation.