Guilty As Charged

In order to be found guilty at trial, the prosecution must convince the judge (at a bench trial) or jury (at a jury trial) that beyond a reasonable doubt each element of the crime was committed and that the defendant committed them. A reasonable doubt is a fair and honest doubt based on the prosecution’s evidence or lack thereof. Remember, a person accused of a crime is presumed innocent. This means the judge or jury should be under the belief that the defendant is innocent throughout the trial. It is not until both the prosecution and defense rest their cases and deliberations begin that the defendant’s guilt should be considered… Click HERE to learn more!