Can the police legally withhold a suicide note from the deceased’s family? There is a case down here right now, and the news is going around that the police aren’t letting the family see the note. Some people have brought up the theory that it wasn’t addressed to them so they don’t get to see it, but I find that odd.
Also, what would happen if the note contained evidence of abuse or some such thing? Can the police investigate on those grounds?
When my sister killed herself the police held the note until the investigation was over as part of the evidence collection, then they released it to us when it was legally determined to be suicide and not foul play.
Something similar may be involved in the case you mention.
I believe it is often held until an inquest is done.
The note will probably be held until the investigation is complete. Occasionally in the past I have made a photocopy of the note for the family while keeping the original in evidence. It all depends on the mechanics of the investigation.
It seems reasonable that if they have any suspicions that one of the family members had something to do with the death, they won’t release all the evidence until the investigation is complete. You never know what’s someone will say to give themselves away in an interview. Knowing the contents of an unread suicide note might be pretty damning.
From what I understand, the police often keep details of the crime scene quiet, so that only the criminal would know stuff. It’s not only a way to catch people, but a way to weed out the whacko “confessors” who didn’t do it.
According to a police officer friend of mine, it’s much more common the other way around: family members hide suicide note from police.
Presumably to attempt to make it look like some kind of an accident, rather than a suicide, to prevent the surviving family from being embarassed.
He says it usually doesn’t work: police have seen a lot more of these scenes than family members, and know what to look for. They generally get one of the family to admit to the existance of the note, and then force them to give it up. Or, even without the note, the police recognize it as a suicide, and record it that way.