Which scenario can lead to the ‘inevitable discovery’ exception of the Exclusionary Rule?

The 'inevitable discovery' exception to the Exclusionary Rule allows for the admission of evidence if law enforcement can demonstrate that they would have discovered it through lawful means, even if it was initially obtained in a questionable manner. This principle is grounded in the idea that excluding evidence that would eventually have been found legally does not promote the objectives of the Exclusionary Rule, which is to deter unlawful police conduct, while potentially undermining the truth-seeking function of the judicial system.

In this scenario, if the evidence in question is something that police would have lawfully uncovered through a different, legal investigative method, it satisfies the criteria for the 'inevitable discovery' exception. Therefore, even if the initial discovery of the evidence was improper, its later lawful retrieval retains its admissibility in court because of the strong likelihood that it would have come to light through proper procedures.

Overall, the focus is on the legitimacy of the police investigation and the protection of the integrity of the judicial process, ensuring that justice is served while still upholding the requisite legal standards in criminal cases.