What term refers to facts sufficient to lead a reasonable person to believe a crime occurred?

• A. Reasonable Suspicion
• B. Probable Cause
• C. Showup
• D. Silver Platter Doctrine

Answer: (B)

Probable cause means enough facts and circumstances to lead a reasonable person to believe that a crime has occurred, is occurring, or is about to occur. It’s the standard that justifies arrests and warrants, based on the totality of the circumstances known to the officer at the time. It requires more than a mere hunch but not absolute certainty. Reasonable suspicion is a lower threshold used for brief investigatory stops, not full arrests or warrants. A showup is an identification procedure, not a belief standard for crime occurrence. The Silver Platter Doctrine addresses admissibility of illegally obtained evidence, not the belief that a crime has happened.