Re: **** tha police

In article
<ctbishop-2704081244510001@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>,
Charles Bishop <ctbishop@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
>In article <fv2jd0$mt9$1@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>, rcpj@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
 (Pierre
>Jelenc) wrote:
>>Charles Bishop <ctbishop@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> writes:
>>> But they weren't the accused until after they were brought before the
>>> grand jury, were they? 
>>Sure they were accused; then the grand jury returned a formal indictment

>>and they became defendents. 
>Where is Kim when she's needed? I don't think they are accused when they
>go before a grand jury, just "persons of interest" if you will.

I served on a NY grand jury a few years ago.  As I recall it was very
unusual for the person who would end up being the defendant to even
know when the grand jury was hearing their case.  If they did manage to
testify at their own grand jury, they were given their own special
non-oath oath.  I don't know whether they were technically accused or a
defendant at that point, but they definitely were not just another
witness.

I think the grand jury I was on is the most common kind.  The
prosecutor would present his case, which included specific charges
against specific people, and bring in enough of his witnesses and
evidence to make the crucial elements of the case.  There was no
exculpatory evidence or defense witnesses.  Grand jury proceedings are
completely closed, no spectators and I don't think the defense's lawyer
is even allowed except while their client testifies (which rarely
happens).  Based solely on his side of the case, we decide whether the
prosecutor takes the case to trial or drops it.

I gather that some grand juries are more about fact finding and might
involve lots of witnesses before it is clear what the eventual charges
would be and who they would be against.

>Of course all of my expertise comes from tv shows.

The month I spent on the grand jury would make very boring TV.
-- 
Jim Prescott - Computing and Networking Group	jgp@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
 of Engineering and Applied Sciences, University of Rochester, NY