Is evidence that raises a reasonable doubt as to a defendant's guilt admissible?

California, United States of America


The following excerpt is from People v. Sherard, B254424 (Cal. App. 2015):

Any relevant evidence that raises a reasonable doubt as to a defendant's guilt is admissible, "including evidence tending to show that a party other than the defendant committed the offense charged. Such evidence may be excluded only when the court properly exercises its discretion under Evidence Code section 352 to reject evidence that creates a substantial danger of undue consumption of time or of prejudicing, confusing, or misleading the jury." (People v. Hall (1986) 41 Cal.3d 826, 829, fn. omitted.) "The court's proper inquiry [is] limited to whether this evidence could raise a reasonable doubt as to defendant's guilt and then applying [Evidence Code] section 352." (People v. Hall, at p. 833.)

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