Washington Code 10.56.040 – Local protocols for the use of informants
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(1) No later than December 31, 2020, each county prosecuting attorney shall:
Terms Used In Washington Code 10.56.040
- Case law: The law as laid down in cases that have been decided in the decisions of the courts.
- Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
- person: may be construed to include the United States, this state, or any state or territory, or any public or private corporation or limited liability company, as well as an individual. See Washington Code 1.16.080
- Testimony: Evidence presented orally by witnesses during trials or before grand juries.
(a) Adopt and implement a written local protocol for the use of informants consistent with the model guidelines developed pursuant to *RCW 10.56.030, and submit a copy of the local protocol to the work group established in *RCW 10.56.030; and
(b) Establish and maintain a central record of informants used in the course of criminal proceedings as well as formal offers to give testimony or other information. This record is the confidential work product of the office of the prosecuting attorney.
(2) If a county prosecutor adopts the model guidelines developed by the work group established under *RCW 10.56.030, it has met the requirements of subsection (1)(a) of this section.
(3) If a county prosecutor chooses to adopt its own local protocol, the protocol must articulate adequate preliminary disclosures to the defense and include a list of procedures for prosecuting attorneys to follow when evaluating the reliability of an informant that includes:
(a) The complete criminal history of the informant including pending criminal charges;
(b) Any consideration provided in exchange for the information or testimony;
(c) Whether the informant’s information or testimony was modified or recanted;
(d) The number of times the informant has previously provided information or testimony in exchange for consideration; and
(e) The kind and quality of other evidence corroborating the informant’s information or testimony.
(4) Nothing in this section diminishes federal constitutional disclosure obligations to criminal defendants or any related obligations under Washington case law, statutes, or court rules.
(5) For the purposes of this section, “informant” means any person who: (a) Was previously unconnected with the criminal case as either a witness or a codefendant; (b) claims to have relevant information about the crime; (c) is currently charged with a crime or is facing potential criminal charges or is in custody; and (d) at any time receives consideration in exchange for providing the information or testimony.
[ 2019 c 359 § 4.]
NOTES:
*Reviser’s note: RCW 10.56.030 expired December 31, 2022.