On 9/8/2022 11:40 AM, Stuart O. Bronstein wrote:
A grand jury indictment isn't required in every state. In California prosecutors can go to a grand jury, or they can simply file an
"information" with the court, to the same effect.
Yes, but in states that don't require a Grand Jury, there is a
"preliminary hearing" where the prosecutor must convince a judge that
there is "probably cause" to go forward with a trial.
I think the preliminary hearing is actually better, because:
1. A judge is probably less malleable than a grand jury (as the sayin
goes, a prosecutor that can't persuade a grand jury to indict a ham
sandwich is incompetent).
2. The defense is usually present at a preliminary hearing, and can
present evidence to convince the judge that there is NOT probable cause.
I think in most cases the defense doesn't do this, because they prefer
to avoid revealing their evidence and strategy in advance of the trial,
but if the prosecution's case looks particularly weak the defendant's
lawyer might try to knock holes in it and avoid a full-fledged trial.
--
I do so have a memory. It's backed up on DVD... somewhere...
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