What is the “presumption of innocence?
All people accused of a crime are legally presumed to be innocent until they are convicted, either in a trial or as a result of pleading guilty. This presumption means not only that the prosecutor must convince the jury of the defendant’s guilt, but also that the defendant need not say or do anything in his own defense. If the prosecutor can’t convince the jury that the defendant is guilty, the defendant goes free. The presumption of innocence, coupled with the fact that the prosecutor must prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, makes it difficult for the government to put people behind bars. Youth and Violence Facts Guns killed 4,205 children under the age of nineteen in 1997-that’s nearly twelve children each day. Of that number, 2,562 were victims of murder, 1,262 died by suicide, and 306 were victims of accidental shootings. The number of children killed with guns increased substantially between 1987 and 1993, whereas the numbers of other types of homicide remained
All people accused of a crime are legally presumed to be innocent until they are convicted, either in a trial or as a result of pleading guilty. This presumption means not only that the prosecutor must convince the jury of the defendant’s guilt, but also that the defendant need not say or do anything in his own defense. If the prosecutor can’t convince the jury that the defendant is guilty, the defendant goes free. The presumption of innocence, coupled with the fact that the prosecutor must prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt (see below), makes it difficult for the government to put people behind bars. Copyright 2005 Nolo DISCLAIMER: This site and any information contained herein are intended for informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice. Seek competent legal counsel for advice on any legal matter.
The presumption of innocence is a legal principal that until a person is actually proved guilty, with real evidence, they must be considered innocent. It doesn’t matter that the police arrested them and have said they did the crime. It does not matter that a prosecutor filed charges against them accusing them of a crime. The law continues to find them innocent until they are tried and convicted by a jury beyond a reasonable doubt.
All people accused of a crime are legally presumed to be innocent unless and until they are proven guilty, either by a trial or as a result of a plea of guilty. This presumption means not only that the prosecutor must convince the judge or jury of the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, but also that the defendant need not say or do anything in his own defense, if they choose not to. The presumption of innocence, coupled with the fact that the prosecutor must prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, makes it difficult, but not impossible, for the government to put innocent people behind bars.
