ESSAY: CASE OF STOLEN VEHICLE
1. Issues found in the facts presented
The stolen vehicle: The issues in this fact are: Whether Hassan stole the car, whether he did it alone or
with the other youth and finally whether the stolen car belonged to Jones
Drug was found in the vehicle: The issues in this fact are: Whether it was cocaine, whose drug it was
and If all of the three youths use drugs.
2. Laws and Rules Applicable
U.S. Code: Title 18, Chapter 31. Embezzlement and Theft : This law identifies what the tern theft means
also identifies the penalty for such an offence and also the conditions involved like on valuation of the
property stolen.
U.S. Code: Title 42. Chapter 126, Subchapter IV, Section 12210. Illegal use of drugs It defines what
illegal use of drug means and the penalties for the offence.
Schedules i to v section 202 of the Controlled substances act defines a drug as “a controlled substance”
3. The Type of Evidence
1. Cocaine found in the car Real evidence
2. The found car Real evidence
3. Details of registration of the vehicle Real evidence
4. Lack of ignition key in the vehicle Real evidence
5. Hanging ignition wires Real evidence
6. Statement by the vehicle owner Testimonial evidence
7. Statement from smith and Wilson Testimonial evidence
8. The photo identified by the car owner Documentary evidence
4. Determine whether as to whether the evidence is admissible or not
The evidences provided are submissible because they are Authenticate and Relevant. Authentic because
the source can be traced and also relevant because they help prove the case. Most of them were real
since they were physical evidence, 2 others testimonials and finally documentary.
Case: Drew Peterson's conviction based in crucial hearsay evidence
Essay
This case was about justice for Stacy Peterson who had disappeared in 2007. The prosecutor
used the statement assertion which states when someone is gone for longer duration, it proves that they
have not run away but they are deceased," to handle Stacy disappearance as deceased. The suspect was a
56 years old police Sargent. Drew Peterson who in 2004 was found guilty for killing his ex-wife Savio.
He is also the husband to Stacy who disappeared.
The evidences used were hearsay type of evidence from Stacy but presented by different witnesses
indicated below.
Schlori: According to Schori evidence, Tracy told him that her husband had revealed that he is the one
who killed Savio and told her to lie to the police.
Smith: Testified that there were plans by Stacy to divorce her husband and inquired whether the issue of
Drew killing Savio could be used against him to win the divorce.. A few days later, she disappeared.
These two statements implicated Drew in the disappearance of Stacy since both showed that she
knew Savio was killed and was even ready to use it as leverage. Basing on a special law passed in
Illinois, 2008 which allowed use of hearsay evidence in rare situation when the prosecutor believes that
a persons was aimed at preventing him/her in giving testimony,
The evidence from doctors testimony after reviewing the body who said that there was no
consistency between savio injuries and the bathroom mishap further cemented the charges by showing
that drew was a killer.
Despite lack of evidence that Stacy was dead, lack of physical reliable evidence linking Peterson
to Stacy death. And also lack of testimony that could place him at the scene of crime. The crucial
hearsay evidence was enough to convict him.
References
Boni Basu, Hearsay evidence proves crucial in Drew Peterson's conviction. CNN edition, USA, 2012,
[Link]
United States Congress House. United States Code. Title 18, section 641, Embezzlement and Theft, 14
Jan. 2017, [Link]
Dubber, Markus Dirk. An Introduction to the Model Penal Code. Oxford University Press, USA, 2015.
Shestak, Viktor, and Dmitriy Silkin. "Consolidated Theft in the US Criminal Law." Shestak, VA &
Silkin, DV (2020). Consolidated theft in the US criminal law. Law and the modern economy: new
challenges and prospects: III conference with international participation (9 April 2020). Saint
Petersburg: Saint Petersburg State University of Economics. 2020.