The Court of Appeal in Facebook v. Pepe, decided on April 15, 2020, decided whether a criminal defendant may subpoena exculpatory electronic records and under what circumstances. Defendant Pepe alleging self-defense in an aggravated assault charge sought at trial to seek evidence of communication transmitted by the complainant shortly before the shooting supporting his claim of self-defense. Specifically, Pepe asked the Superior Court Judge to authorize an ex parte subpoena to Facebook under Rule 17, which permits disclosure of certain personal or confidential information about a victim namely here communications via Facebook around the time of the shooting. The trial
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