Originally Posted by vidcc
we don't have all the story
I don't believe for one moment that he was convicted by hearsay, there had to actually be a crime comitted and reported for the police to proceed, just telling them someone said they did something wouldn't be enough.
Her testimony would have been admitted as a witness to a confession, the truthfulness of any confession has to be taken on merit. In this case the information wasn't given under duress, it was given freely in a conversation.
The only way it has been found inadmissible is because the state has privacy laws where all parties must be aware they are being listened to or recorded ( how many times have you phoned up a company and got the "this call is being recorded message" ? )