Corpus Delecti
Background
Corpus Delecti (literally, "The Body of the Crime") is the requirement that the prosecution present actual evidence that a crime was committed in order to convict a defendant. In popular culture this has often been stated that an individual cannot be convicted of homicide without the production of the dead body. However, an individual may be convicted of homicide even if the body cannot be found, as long as there is enough circumstantial evidence to conclude beyond a reasonable doubt that the individual committed the crime. Rather than the literal body of the crime, corpus delecti refers to the body of evidence that a crime was committed. Thus, Black's Law Dictionary defines corpus delecti as " "the fact of a crime having been actually committed."
Corpus delecti has often been interpreted as requiring additional evidence beyond a confession before an individual can be convicted of a crime. In other jurisdictions corroborating evidence must be introduced before a confession may be admitted at trial. Additional evidence may also be required before an accomplice's confession may be admitted against the defendant.
The idea that an individual should not be convicted of a crime based only on a confession dates back at least to the 17th century Perry’s Case Cite error: Closing </ref> missing for <ref> tag
See Evidence
