It’s estimated that approximately 60% of defendants convicted of drug crimes are willing to act as snitches in exchange for reduced charges and prison sentences. Use of a confidential witness by the prosecution is something our criminal lawyers deal with almost everyday at our defense firm. Snitches have become law enforcement’s “tool of choice,” in the enforcement of drug-related crimes. Today, snitches can earn forgiveness or leniency for every type of crime in exchange for information leading to arrests. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms made snitches an integral part of the criminal justice system by using informants to catch alcohol and gun smugglers. The government’s use of confidential informants was integrated into law enforcement during the Prohibition Era in the 1920s. Every year, innocent people are arrested, charged, and even convicted of drug crimes based on untruthful or unreliable information acquired by snitches used by law enforcement. Minneapolis drug attorneys often see drug arrests that are based on unlawful search and seizures and invalid search warrants. In a Minnesota criminal case, every criminal defense attorney has a responsibility to question authority that presents a risk to a defendant’s legal rights to a fair trial. ![]() Did the informant give any information against his/her own interests?.Did the informant participate in an illegal sale or controlled purchase coordinated by the police?.Criminal defense attorneys have a host of tools to do this. You impeach them on the stand, which discredits the evidence, information, and testimony they give. If the confidential informant is disclosed and proceeds to testify at trial, the way to beat them would be to make them appear unreliable. Did the informant come forward voluntarily? Beating an Informant If They Testify at Trial.Law enforcement officials find informants. Can police officers verify the information provided? Todays hearing is on the use of confidential informants, particularly in drug enforcement and in capital cases.Has the informant provided reliable information in the past?.The courts look at several factors to determine whether a confidential informant is considered reliable: The purpose of the ruling is to establish an informant’s reliability, while still protecting his/her identity. When a snitch provides incriminating evidence that leads to arrest, the government must now disclose non-identifying information about the source of the police officer’s information. On April 8, 2020, the Minnesota Supreme Court issued a new ruling on the use of confidential informants. Minnesota law requires the State to protect a confidential informant’s identity, but recent changes allow Minnesota defense attorneys to hold police accountable when incriminating evidence is provided by a confidential informant. Many states rely on information provided by snitches to prove a case against a defendant. In criminal cases, the use of confidential informants, also referred to as “snitches,” is common in certain types of crimes that involve drugs, homicides, and sexual assaults. Minnesota Ruling on Confidential Informants ![]() A recent decision by the Minnesota Supreme Court states the government must disclose non-identifying information regarding a police officer’s source of information that leads to arrest.
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