United States v. Bagley
- Decided
- July 2, 1985
- Docket
- 84-48
- Status
- Published
- Jurisdiction
- Federal
Cited 8,539 timesNo negative treatment found in this library
What later courts said
- holding that "favorable” evidence encompasses both exculpatory and impeachment evidence, and articulating the materiality standard — Michael Jon Bailey v. Diane Rae, Oregon State Board of Parole and Post Prison Supervision, Chairperson (2003)
- holding that evidence falls within the Brady rule if “it may make the difference between conviction and acquittal” — UNITED STATES of America, Plaintiff-Appellee, v. Eduardo MEJIA-MESA, Defendant-Appellant (1998)
- holding that “[i]mpeachment evidence ... as well as exculpatory evidence, falls within the Brady rule.” — United States v. Salemme (1997)
Each line is a later court’s own words about this case, not a summary. Read the opinion before relying on it.
How the opinion begins
Justice Blackmun announced the judgment of the Court and delivered an opinion of the Court except as to Part III.
In Brady v. Maryland, 373 U. S. 83, 87 (1963), this Court held that “the suppression by the prosecution of evidence favorable to an accused upon request violates due process where the evidence is material either to guilt or punishment.” The issue in the present case concerns the standard of materiality to be applied in determining whether a conviction should be reversed because the prosecutor failed to disclose requested evidence that could have been used to impeach Government witnesses.
I-H In October 1977, respondent Hughes Anderson Bagley was indicted in the Western District of Washington on 15 charges of violating federal-narcotics and firearms statutes. On November 18, 24 days before trial, respondent filed a discovery motion. The sixth paragraph of that motion requested:
Statutes cited
Cite this
United States v. Bagley, 473 U.S. 667 (1985)Read the full opinion
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