King’s Evidence Law and Legal Definition
In the U.S., a king’s evidence is called the state’s evidence. When several persons are convicted for a crime and if one among them testifies as a witness for the state against his associates or accomplices, s/he is called a state’s evidence. Mostly, testifying for the state occurs in response to a promise to grant a pardon. It is only occasionally that an associate/accomplice testifies for the state as a result of a change of heart or feelings of guilt. In high-profile cases such as organized crime, trials witness are sometimes offered immunity from prosecution even if s/he has committed serious crimes including murder.
