Question: What exactly is a 'grand jury'?

Massacure

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Wed Oct-05-05 09:43 PM
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Question: What exactly is a 'grand jury'?

What makes a grand jury so grand? Are they a group of 12 people like a 'normal' jury?

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merwin

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Wed Oct-05-05 09:49 PM
Response to Original message

1. Here's a wikipedia article that explains it all

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_jury

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Massacure

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Wed Oct-05-05 10:16 PM
Response to Reply #1

3. That is a good article, thanks.

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ChairmanAgnostic

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Wed Oct-05-05 09:49 PM
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2. depends on the state, but

originally, any complaint or criticism was brought before 12 men who knew the accused, to act as charecter witnesses. if they agreed that a crime was done, the accused would be charged.

later, it developed that the grand jury was a tool to prevent an abusive prosecutor from exceeding his role (note his - no women in law back then)

after some time, the GJ became a filter for prosecutors. It would sit anywhere from 6 to 24 people, all who knew NOTHING about the accused. And the prosecutor would make his/her case before the GJ, who would either agree or disagree with the case.

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