state's evidence

noun

often capitalized S

: a participant in a crime or an accomplice who gives evidence for the prosecution especially in return for a reduced sentence

also : the evidence given

—used chiefly in the phrase turn state's evidence

Examples of state's evidence in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The prosecutor said that the state's evidence will show that on that video the jury will be able to hear defendant Alex Murdaugh's voice, along with his son and wife's voices. —Elise Hammond, CNN, 25 Jan. 2023

Last year the agency also began deploying a mobile NIBIN unit to different departments to demonstrate how to enter submissions, as well as help enter data from the backlog of firearms in some of the state's evidence lockers. —Krista Johnson, The Courier-Journal, 14 June 2022

Defense counsel Corey Chirafisi called for a mistrial Wednesday afternoon, after a lengthy discussion among the judge and other lawyers about a key piece of the state's evidence — video taken by a private drone. —Bruce Vielmetti, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 18 Nov. 2021

However, a weekslong Courier Journal investigation into the case against Baker found the state's evidence to be overwhelming and the argument for his innocence thin. —Andrew Wolfson, The Courier-Journal, 11 Aug. 2021

Word History

First Known Use

1787, in the meaning defined above

Legal Definition

state's evidence

noun

: a participant or accomplice in a crime who gives evidence to the prosecution especially in return for a reduced sentence

—used chiefly in the phrase turn state's evidence