Final answer:
The Exclusionary Rule prevents evidence obtained in violation of constitutional rights from being used in criminal proceedings. It applies to all individuals and is intended to deter illegal searches and seizures, though it has exceptions such as the good faith and inevitable discovery exceptions.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Exclusionary Rule is a legal principle in the United States that prevents evidence collected or analyzed in violation of the defendant's constitutional rights from being used in a court of law. Specifically, evidence obtained through illegal searches and seizures without a warrant, or evidence developed as a result of such an unlawful act (known as fruit of the poisonous tree), cannot be introduced in criminal proceedings to establish guilt. This rule applies regardless of the innocence or sanity of the person affected by the illegal search or seizure. The purpose of the rule is to deter law enforcement from conducting unlawful actions and to protect constitutional rights.
However, there are exceptions to the exclusionary rule. For example, evidence may be admitted if police officers operated under the good faith belief that their actions were legal, or if the evidence would have inevitably been discovered regardless of the illegality (the inevitable discovery exception).
The exclusionary rule does not apply to innocent persons per se, as it is not the status of the person that triggers the rule, but rather whether the evidence was obtained in a way that violates the Constitution. The rule applies broadly to all individuals, whether innocent or guilty, to ensure that the justice system upholds the rights enshrined in the Constitution.