Legal Question in Criminal Law in Missouri
Criminal Investigation
As a relative of a person being held currently, may I request such information related to the investigation such as evidence processed, dash cam, fingerprint information found, and other evidence to be used in the case?
1 Answer from Attorneys
Re: Criminal Investigation
The short answer is "No". As a relative of someone accused of committing a crime you are not entitled to any of the items you mentioned. The Court file is a matter of public record and you can review it's contents and make copies in most cases. The accused certainly has Constitutionally protected rights to discover teh evidence the prosecution intends to use together with many other items. An attorney representing the accused will file the appropriate Request for Discovery, follow up to be sure the prosecutor complies with the law and may also seek specific Court Orders regarding the Discovery if necessary. If your relative is not represented by legal counsel, it would be best for an attorney to be retained.
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