A man who pleaded guilty to assaulting a corrections officer prior to learning of video evidence absolving him of the crime has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to reevaluate the scope of a criminal defendant’s due process rights prior to trial.
July 22, 2019 Top Story
Defendant’s Right to Exculpatory Evidence under Review
Due process rights at guilty plea stage in question
By Benjamin E. Long
The defendant in Alvarez v. The City of Brownsville has petitioned for a writ of certiorari to review an opinion concluding that criminal defendants do not necessarily have a constitutional right to exculpatory evidence before they enter a guilty plea. ABA Section of Litigation leaders recognize a circuit split on this issue and cite the need for the Court to weigh in.
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