사인(私人)이 수집한 형사사건의 증거와 증거배제법칙

The Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution protects against unreasonable searches and seizures. Evidence seized in violation of the Fourth Amendment cannot be used against the defendant in a criminal procedure. This doctrine is known as the exclusionary rule. The Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution protects only against unreasonable searches by government officials and agents as opposed to privately conducted searches. Thus, privately obtained evidence is admissible even if it is acquired by means that would result in exclusion if employed by police. However, invasion of privacy should be evaluated based on the legitimacy of the interest seeking protection, rather than by the identity of the invader. Private parties should be subject to the exclusionary rule, because a private person can infringe the privacy rights of individuals to the same degree as the police. The author of this article agrees with the American authors who argue that the traditional position of the U.S. courts, applying the exclusionary rule only to governmental activity, is outdated and should be modified. The Korean Code of Criminal Procedure adopted the exclusionary rule in 2007. Not only a government official but also a private person has a duty not to violate the rule of due process. Thus, evidence obtained by a private person without observing the rule of due process will be excluded based on the Korean Code of Criminal Procedure. Furthermore, If the use of evidence violates the constitutional right of the accused, the evidence will be excluded from the procedure without regard to the legality of the search or seizure. However, the decision to admit evidence will be determined by balancing the protection of the defendant's constitutional rights and the interests of effective law enforcement.