2.7: What is a Grand Jury?
Description
This article is from the Lawful Arrest/Search/Seizure FAQ, by Ahimsa Dhamapada ahimsa@mu.clarityconnect.net with numerous contributions by others.
2.7: What is a Grand Jury?
Here is the entire 5th Amendment, for your
reference:
No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or
otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or
indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising
in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia,
when in actual service in time of War or public
danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same
offence to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb;
nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a
witness against himself, nor be deprived of life,
liberty, or property, without due process of law;
nor shall private property be taken for public use,
without just compensation.
A Grand Jury is a body of the people whose purpose is to:
1) make accusations of wrongdoing (especially on the
part of government officials)
2) verify that accusations of wrongdoing made are just
and proper.
If the police arrest a woman based on the complaint that
"she turned me into a newt!", and if this is considered
a serious crime (like if the accused is faced with any
jail time), then this accusation should go before a
body of the people, the Grand Jury, BEFORE it goes to
court. The people see that the injury is false, and have
the accused released.
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