Flashcards Studio

A robbery case is being tried. The prosecution offers a gold necklace recovered from the suspect’s closet two days after the incident as real evidence. A police officer found the necklace, marked it, and placed it in a sealed envelope before delivering it to a forensic examiner. The envelope was supposed to be logged in a chain-of-custody record, but the log is incomplete and no continuous custody testimony is presented. The defense objects to admission on grounds that the necklace has not been properly authenticated and the chain of custody is inadequately established. (a) Identify the requisites for admissibility of real evidence. (b) Apply these requisites to the facts and determine whether the necklace is admissible. (c) If the chain of custody is not fully established, explain what the prosecution must show or do to preserve admissibility of the necklace as real evidence.