§ 3.1 CORPUS DELICTI

• Jurisdiction: Arizona

§ 3.1 CORPUS DELICTI

Principle of Law: The corpus delicti ("body of the crime") rule holds that before a defendant's inculpatory statements may be used against him or her, there must be some corroborating evidence a result was produced and that some person is criminally responsible for the act. In the DUI context, the corpus delicti rule usually arises in the case of a one-car rollover where the driver has left the scene.

§ 3.1.1 Generally

State v. Hall,204 Ariz. 442, 65 P.3d 90 (2003)

The State must establish the corpus delicti by showing that the alleged injury to the victim occurred and that the injury was caused by criminal conduct. Only a reasonable inference of the corpus delicti need exist before a defendant's confession may be considered. Evidence supporting this reasonable inference may be circumstantial.

State v. Gillies,135 Ariz. 500, 662 P.2d 1007 (1983)

An accused may not be convicted on his or...