Submitted by jcw10489 t3_1277dky in explainlikeimfive
JamesXX t1_jedd5rl wrote
Reply to comment by mojoxer in eli5 What does “indicted” mean? by jcw10489
Nice, basic definition.
I'd only add to make clear that the defendant usually gets no representation before a grand jury. Only the prosecution gets to make their case. That's why it's extremely rare for a grand jury not to indict someone. An article from a few years ago notes: "U.S. attorneys prosecuted 162,000 federal cases in 2010, the most recent year for which we have data. Grand juries declined to return an indictment in 11 of them." That's why there's a famous saying that goes, "if a district attorney wanted, a grand jury would indict a ham sandwich".
Not as nicely succinct as you, but an important point to keep in mind about indictments!
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