Lead investigator's racist texts threaten Milton murder case as defense pushes new legal theory
masslive.com
When the lead investigator's racist texts surface mid-trial, it raises a classic fruit-of-the-poisonous-tree question: can any conviction built on tainted evidence ever be truly just?
Fruit of the Poisonous TreeConfirmation BiasProcedural Justice Theory
Theory Briefing
- Detective Michael Proctor's racist texts have given the defense a sweeping new argument to dismiss the entire Milton murder case.
- The defense's 'pervasive bias' theory holds that one corrupt investigator can contaminate every piece of evidence he touched.
- If the court accepts this fruit-of-the-poisonous-tree logic, it could set a precedent extending far beyond Myles King's trial.