Grand Jury Room Definition

Defense lawyers don t have the opportunity to present any evidence or cross examine witnesses in the grand jury room.

Grand jury room definition.

The grand jury plays an important role in the criminal process but not one that involves a finding of guilt or punishment of a party. A body of men consisting of not less than twelve nor more than twenty four respectively returned by the sheriff of every county to every session of the peace oyer and terminer and general gaol delivery to whom indictments are preferred. The united states and liberia are the only. Grand jury proceedings are held in strict confidence to encourage witnesses to speak freely as well as to protect the suspect if the grand jury decides not to bring charges.

A jury of 12 to 23 individuals assembled to evaluate accusations against a person or entity charged with a crime for the purpose of determining whether a law has been violated and whether there is probable cause to indict and prosecute the accused. Breonna taylor s mother learned the fate of the officers involved in her daughter s killing two minutes before attorney general daniel cameron made his announcement even after it was expected the. While grand juries are sometimes described as performing accusatory and investigatory functions the grand jury s principal function is to determine whether or not there is probable cause to believe that one or more persons committed a certain federal offense within the venue of the district court. By definition this process is a one sided affair.

Instead a prosecutor will work with a grand jury to decide whether to bring criminal charges or an indictment against a potential defendant usually reserved for serious felonies. A grand jury indicted brett hankison a former louisville police detective on three counts of wanton endangerment in the first degree in the breonna taylor case. Definition of grand jury. 9 11 101 powers and limitations of grand juries the functions of a grand jury.

A grand jury is a jury a group of citizens empowered by law to conduct legal proceedings and investigate potential criminal conduct and determine whether criminal charges should be brought a grand jury may subpoena physical evidence or a person to testify. Grand jury members may be called for jury duty for months at a time but need. A grand jury does not have to be unanimous to issue an indictment but two thirds or three quarters of the individual grand jurors must agree depending on the jurisdiction.