McCray v. Illinois
United States Supreme Court
386 U.S. 300 (1967)
An informant told police that McCray (defendant) was selling drugs on a specific corner and identified him there in person; officers arrested McCray and found heroin on him. At the suppression hearing, McCray moved to exclude the evidence and asked the officers to identify the informant, but the prosecution's objections to that request were sustained. The officers did testify that the informant had provided reliable information in roughly 20 prior cases. McCray's suppression motion was denied, he was convicted, and he appealed.
Whether police officers must disclose an informant's identity if the trial judge is convinced, based on evidence presented in open court and subject to cross-examination, that the officers relied in good faith on credible information from a reliable informant.