exculpatory

[ik-skuhl-puh-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee]

adjective

1. tending to clear from a charge of fault or guilt.

Other Word Forms

• nonexculpatory adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of exculpatory¹

First recorded in 1770–80; exculpate + -ory ¹

Example Sentences

“The unfairness of the second Masterson trial was the result of prosecutorial misconduct, judicial bias, and the failure of defense counsel to present exculpatory evidence,” he said in a statement.

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Prosecutors were also accused of hiding evidence of the use of informants during trial, keeping the practice secret, and keeping exculpatory information from reaching defense attorneys.

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Mayes also requested exculpatory evidence, as requested by defendant and former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows.

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It further alleges that county employees botched the investigation and subsequent trial by coaching witnesses, hiding exculpatory evidence from the jury, fabricating evidence and giving false testimony.

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Colombo asserts that exculpatory material in the government’s possession pertaining to a cooperating witness was not shared with the defendants during trial.

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