The Missouri trial court suppressed the first admissions but allowed the prosecution to introduce the statements she made after receiving the warnings.
Cesar Gonzalez, a lawyer for Mr. Santiago, said introducing the statements at trial instead of having Mr. Edwards testify himself would impinge upon his client's Sixth Amendment right to examine witnesses.
Another provision often sought by the government allows prosecutors to introduce the statements to impeach a defendant if the case proceeds to trial and the person testifies in a way that is contradicted by the statements made in the proffer session.
Osterhaus ruled that Coakley could not introduce the statements as evidence but that he could ask the defendants questions based on what each man's signed statement contained.
The only way Zimmerman's statements could have been introduced into evidence and considered by the jury is if the prosecution somehow opened the door to allow the defense to use them, or to introduce the statements itself, the same way that prosecutors typically introduce a defendant's confession, or other incriminating statements, as an exception to the rule against hearsay.
Introducing the Statement Scarf.
That means the government could introduce the statement as direct evidence against the defendant, even if the person does not testify at trial.
In introducing the statement for the bishops' consideration today, Cardinal Bernard F. Law of Boston, chairman of the bishops' international affairs committee, said that the statement "does not ignore Iraq's dangerous behavior, intentions and threats".
The public safety exception permits law enforcement officials to engage in a limited and focused unwarned interrogation of a suspect and allows the government to introduce the statement as evidence in court.
The rules were recited, the journalists introduced, the opening statements requested and, "Mayor Bloomberg, you go first".
