Where does the saying Innocent until proven Guilty come from?
As others have said, the words or versions can be traced various legal jurisdictions. It refers to the burden of proof which lies upon the accuser and not the accused to prove his innocence. The Magna Carta of 1215, when the bad English King John was forced to sign the ‘great document’ acknowledging rights and freedoms is often taken as a starting point. However then, as now, words mean whatever those mouthing them want them to mean. After 1215 it became recognised that silence did not mean guilt. An accused could try to remain silent thereby avoiding the trial, and the consequential confiscation of his lands and property. But it was still legal to imprison the ‘innocent’ and as yet ‘unconvicted person’ under a process: ‘en le prison forte & dure’, enthusiastically applied by the goalers with plenty of harshness, little food, stale water and torture. Some held out even dying to preserve their lands and property for their family and depriving the King of its confiscation which couldn’t
