Judges Face Limits in Police Misconduct Cases
Judges trying to decide whether to admit evidence of misconduct by police officers testifying in court are not entitled to see the officer’s entire personnel file, just documents that police departments believe are relevant, the state Supreme Court has ruled.
In a unanimous decision, the high court ruled Monday that Santa Ana police officials did nothing inappropriate when they gave a judge only a portion of a jail guard’s personnel file before a trial that hinged on the officer’s testimony.
The decision reinstates the conviction of a man accused of assaulting the guard.
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