Under what circumstances can a defendant introduce evidence of the victim's character?

The introduction of evidence concerning a victim's character is governed by specific rules. The correct reasoning for selecting the appropriate answer relates to the provisions under the rules of evidence, particularly in a criminal context.

A defendant can introduce evidence of a victim's character when it is relevant to the charge or the defense, and this evidence is typically confined to reputation and opinion testimony. This means that the defendant may challenge the character of the victim to support their defense, for example, suggesting that a victim's violent nature could establish self-defense in an assault case. The law has set these parameters to ensure that any character evidence remains tied to the issues at hand and does not devolve into irrelevant or prejudicial information that could distract from the actual case.

In contrast, the notion that evidence can only be admitted if the victim has a prior criminal record is too restrictive and misses the broader applicability of character evidence. Moreover, introducing evidence solely based on a defendant's belief that it would strengthen their case lacks the necessary grounding in relevance and legal standards. Lastly, while character evidence may be permissible if the victim’s character is questioned during trial, this could imply a more reactive approach to evidence that limits the proactive capability of defendants in their defense strategy when addressing a victim's character from