ABSTRACT
The "fruits of the poisonous tree" doctrine prohibits law enforcement from using evidence or information derived from illegal police conduct. The doctrine interacts with the exclusionary rule, which draws on the fruits-of-the-poisonous-tree principle to exclude from trial or certain other uses any evidence obtained by impermissible police conduct. The government had subpoenaed documents from the Sil- verthorne Lumber Company on the basis of information it had secured in violation of the Fourth Amendment prohibition against unreasonable search and seizure. Exceptions to the fruits-of-the-poisonous-tree doctrine followed close upon the development of the legal principle itself. Prior to requesting the warrant, government agents illegally entered the suspect's warehouse and observed suspicious bales believed to be marijuana. The illegal entry was not mentioned in the affidavit supporting the warrant. Because the warrant was supported by other competent evidence not connected with the illegal entry, the Court upheld the search and allowed use of the evidence.
