During a trial, the prosecution introduces a handwritten note purported to contain a key confession from the defendant. What must the prosecution do to properly authenticate this document for it to be admissible as evidence?
An expert provides an opinion on the general features of the note without linking it to the defendant.
A witness familiar with the defendant’s writing confirms the note was authored by them.
The defendant admits during testimony that they wrote the note.
The prosecution states confidently that the note is genuine without additional support.
The prosecution must provide a basis for identifying the note as the defendant's original work. This can be achieved by having a witness who can attest to the defendant's authorship, which establishes the document's authenticity. Merely claiming the note is genuine or providing a general expert opinion without specific linkage to the defendant does not fulfill the authentication requirement.
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What does it mean to authenticate a document in a trial?
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What happens if the prosecution does not properly authenticate a document?