Legal Question in Criminal Law in Illinois

Re: Crime Scene Photos

The short answer to your question is probably not. Individuals are generally not entitled to obtain copies of police evidence for cases that are not there own. Even when a person is seeking copies of evidence, such as photographs, for their own case, their attorney is usually the only person who is entitled to the evidence. If a person is representing themselves in a criminal matter, then they would be entitled to receive the evidence in order to prepare their defense.

Attorneys usually do not make copies of evidence to give to clients or relatives. Another possibility would be if the photos you seek were used in a trial against your relative. In that case, if the photos were entered into evidence, their could be a copy in the court file which is public record. In order to check the court file, assuming it is available to the public, you would need to inquire with the clerk of the circuit court where your relative has or had court.