What is the term for a claim that a person was elsewhere when a crime took place?

The term for a claim that a person was somewhere else when a crime occurred is known as an alibi. An alibi serves as a defense strategy in legal contexts, suggesting that the accused could not have committed the crime because they were in a different location at the time it was executed. Establishing a credible alibi typically involves corroborating evidence such as witness statements, video footage, or receipts.

The other options do not accurately reflect this concept. While "defense" refers broadly to the arguments made to counter the charges against a person, it is not specific to the concept of being somewhere else during the crime. "Assertion" generally means a confident statement or declaration, but it lacks the legal connotation of disproving involvement in a crime. Similarly, "excuse" pertains to a justification for a behavior that could mitigate responsibility but does not specifically indicate a situation where the accused was not present during the crime. Thus, "alibi" is the precise term that captures the essence of a claim of being elsewhere at the time of the crime.