What is one condition under which a prosecutor can compel the disclosure of a confidential source's identity?

A prosecutor can compel the disclosure of a confidential source's identity under the condition that no other means of obtaining the information exists. This is based on the idea that the courts recognize the need for balancing the public's right to know and the need for law enforcement to effectively investigate and prosecute crimes. If the information held by a confidential source is crucial to an investigation and there are no alternative ways to obtain that information, a court may necessitate the disclosure to ensure justice is served.

In this context, other options do not meet the legal threshold for compelling disclosure. For instance, public identification by the journalist does not inherently eliminate the confidentiality granted to the source. Similarly, the involvement of the source in an international investigation or the reliability of the reported information does not automatically warrant the revealing of their identity without establishing that the information can't be obtained through other means. The legal principle emphasizes the protection of sources unless absolutely necessary for law enforcement purposes.