Handling Evidence in Criminal Cases

By Suffolk County Criminal Lawyers

Police handle evidence in Suffolk County criminal cases by following a series of procedures to ensure the evidence is valid and admissible in any Suffolk court:
Protect the crime scene: Suffolk County Police use photography and sketches to protect the crime scene.
Collect evidence: Suffolk County Police collect physical evidence such as fingerprints, blood, fibers, footprints, and weapons. They also collect electronic evidence such as cell phone data and online searches.
Document the evidence: Suffolk County Police document each step of the process and label all evidence.
Maintain the chain of custody: Suffolk Police Departments establish a chain of custody from the time the evidence is collected to when it is presented in court. This helps ensure that no one has tampered with the evidence.
Send evidence to a lab: The Police send forensic evidence to the Suffolk County crime lab for analysis.
Conduct presumptive tests: Police may conduct initial tests at the crime scene to help identify the most valuable evidence.
Present the evidence: Suffolk County Assistant District Attorneys present the evidence in a clear and organized manner to the court.
Evidence that is not handled properly can be contaminated or ruled inadmissible in court. Many cases are thrown out of courts in Suffolk County because of improper evidence handling. You should speak with an experienced criminal lawyer in Suffolk County