What does the 'fruit of the poisonous tree' doctrine do?

• A. Excludes evidence derived from illegally obtained evidence.
• B. Relates to property seizure during searches.
• C. Applies only to chain of custody.
• D. Allows derivative evidence if original is not admitted.

Answer: (B)

The main idea is that the fruit of the poisonous tree doctrine extends the exclusionary rule to evidence obtained through an illegal search or seizure. If the police violate a defendant’s rights to obtain evidence, not only that tainted evidence is typically barred, but also any additional evidence that was gathered as a result of the initial illegality. This motive is to deter unlawful conduct by ensuring that illegally obtained information doesn’t lead to legitimate-sounding discoveries in court. There are recognized exceptions (like independent source or inevitable discovery) where derivative evidence may be admitted, but the core concept remains: illegal origins contaminate derivative evidence, and such evidence is generally excluded. This is not primarily about property seizure, chain of custody, or permitting derivative evidence when the original is not admitted.