Which type of evidence directly ties a defendant to the commission of a crime?

The correct answer is direct evidence because it provides straightforward and explicit proof that a defendant committed a crime. This type of evidence directly links the accused to the crime, typically through observations or recordings, such as eyewitness testimony that places the defendant at the crime scene or video footage capturing the act itself.

In comparison, circumstantial evidence requires inference and does not directly establish a fact. It involves pieces of evidence that, when combined, suggest that a defendant may have committed the crime but does not provide definitive proof on its own.

Testimonial evidence, while valuable, relies on a person's account of events and can be subjective, making it less direct than evidence that captures the crime outright.

Physical evidence pertains to tangible objects, such as weapons or fingerprints, that can support a case; however, it may not alone establish a direct link without context or interpretation. Direct evidence stands out because it offers a clear, unambiguous connection to the criminal act.