Wiktionary
n. (context legal English) A person who is considered by the law enforcement agency investigating a crime to be the most likely suspect.
Wikipedia
A prime suspect or key suspect is a person who is considered by the law enforcement agency investigating a crime to be the most likely suspect. The idiom "prime suspect" believed to have originated in 1931. "Key suspect" is seen as early as 1948.
There are various reasons a person may be considered a prime suspect. These include:
- Being positively identified as the only person seen at or near the scene of the crime around the time the crime occurred
- Being linked by some form of forensic evidence, such as DNA
- Being named by witness(es)
- Having the most likely motive to commit the crime
- Having knowledge that only one who committed the crime would have
- Having a history of committing crimes with some resemblance to the crime being investigated
- Having confessed to the act
Prime Suspect was an American police procedural television drama series that aired on NBC from September 22, 2011 to January 22, 2012. It stars Maria Bello as Detective Jane Timoney. The series was a "re-imagining" of the original British series Prime Suspect. The series was created by Lynda La Plante and was redeveloped by Alexandra Cunningham who also serves as executive producer and writer. Peter Berg serves as executive producer and director. Sarah Aubrey, Julie Meldal-Johnson, Paul Buccieri, Lynda La Plante, and John McNamara all serve as executive producers. The series is produced by Universal Television, ITV Studios America, and Film 44.
On November 14, 2011, NBC announced it would replace Prime Suspect in the Thursday night line-up with The Firm, beginning January 12, 2012. The final two produced episodes were broadcast by NBC on Sunday, January 22, 2012.
A prime suspect is the person who is considered by the law enforcement agency investigating a crime to be the most likely suspect.
Prime Suspect also may refer to:
- Prime Suspect, a U.K. police procedural television drama series made by Granada Television
- Prime Suspect (U.S. TV series), an NBC television drama series adapted from the British series
- "Prime Suspect" (NCIS), the 17th episode of the tenth season of the American police procedural drama NCIS
"Prime Suspect" is the 17th episode of the tenth season of the American police procedural drama NCIS, and the 227th episode overall. It originally aired on CBS in the United States on March 5, 2013. The episode is written by George Schenck and Frank Cardea and directed by James Whitmore, Jr., and was seen by 20.81 million viewers.
Gibbs tries to help clear his barber's son's name after the barber suspects his son may be a murderer. Meanwhile, Tony takes Probationary Agent Ned Dorneget on his first undercover assignment.
Usage examples of "prime suspect".
He didn't bother with any more introductions, just glared at his prime suspect with the naked disgust of a priest in a porn shop.
Working from the profile, the ransom note, and such leads as the fact that a white van with Florida plates had been observed on several occasions near the crime scene, investigators identified a prime suspect.
Add to that the HSO busy trying to cover up the mess you left behind, the cops busy investigating a prime suspect handed them on a platter, and the death of the only person who had knowledge of your plans, and you're in the cozy part of fat city.
Add to that the HSO busy trying to cover up the mess you left behind, the cops busy investigating a prime suspect handed them on a platter, and the death of the only person who had knowledge of your plans, and you’.
Nor did he realize that information provided to the West Memphis police by Driver, Bray, and Hutcheson connected him to their prime suspect.
Or in conducting a police line-up or photo identification, the officer in charge should not know who the prime suspect is, so as not consciously or unconsciously to influence the witness.
He was, in fact, a prime suspect in a murder investigation early last year.