Timeline for Can I surprise the prosecution with an alibi defense at trial?
Current License: CC BY-SA 4.0
12 events
| when toggle format | what | by | license | comment | |
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| Jun 21 at 14:23 | comment | added | Pyrotechnical | @EvilSnack I think you might be at least a little correct especially with the last paragraph. Another view is the alibi might be someone who doesn't want to testify for some reason. Undocumented immigrants could fall into such a category; Mrs. Juarez is super nice and you don't want to jam her up with ICE by asking her to testify if it's not necessary. Granted trying to have a surprise witness on the back-end of a trial is definitely a lot more likely to get media attention than a quiet meeting with prosecutors before the trial that results in them just dismissing charges. | |
| Sep 2, 2023 at 23:57 | comment | added | EvilSnack | Is it me, or is the question really, "Can I be the hero who proves to the world that the police are corrupt"? | |
| Feb 24, 2023 at 13:12 | answer | added | Jen | timeline score: 5 | |
| Dec 4, 2020 at 19:49 | history | edited | feetwet♦ | CC BY-SA 4.0 |
Alibi is a unique defense and since this question is particular to that defense it should be so clarified in the title.
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| Dec 3, 2020 at 17:13 | comment | added | gnasher729 | UK law: "You do not have to say anything. But it may harm your defence if you do not mention when questioned something which you later rely on in court. Anything you do say may be given in evidence." So not telling about your alibi might hurt you in court. | |
| Dec 3, 2020 at 15:05 | vote | accept | dsollen | ||
| Dec 3, 2020 at 12:28 | comment | added | hszmv | Not to mention it is never a good idea to not tell the absolute truth to your own attorney. Attorney client priviledge is designed specifically so your lawyer can know exactly what you were doing. Reason 1 is also faulty because you open yourself up to Accesory to the crime or Obstruction of Justice. | |
| Dec 2, 2020 at 20:53 | answer | added | Dale M♦ | timeline score: 14 | |
| Dec 1, 2020 at 12:22 | comment | added | Comic Sans Seraphim | Sounds like you were pleading the fifth to delay things while you came up with this "alibi". | |
| Dec 1, 2020 at 0:39 | comment | added | dsollen | @phoog I agree it's unlikely to be a good idea. Still it could happen, after all someone may get cold feet and decide to reveal an alibi that's likely to get them into some (lesser) trouble to get out of the current trial or something. I'm more curious how the court would handle it if it happened. | |
| Nov 30, 2020 at 23:07 | comment | added | phoog | "when put on the stand during the trial": it's usually not a good idea to testify at your own trial (especially if you committed the crime, as the last paragraph suggests might be the case). If you can introduce evidence establishing your "airtight alibi" without your own testimony, that would be preferable (and more credible). | |
| Nov 30, 2020 at 22:59 | history | asked | dsollen | CC BY-SA 4.0 |