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Rights of the Accused

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In clause 39 of the Magna Carta, John of England said, “No free man shall be seized or imprisoned, or stripped of his rights or possessions, or outlawed or exiled, or deprived of his standing in any other way, nor will we proceed with force against him, or send others to do so, except by the lawful judgment of his equals or by the law of the land.” Many a times, people have been wrongfully accused of crimes they did not commit and have faced unfair trials. The composers of the Constitution have gone to great lengths to ensure that our new government does not engage in such practice. The Constitution and the Bill of Rights now consist of a series of protections for someone who has been accused of committing a crime in the United States.

The Constitution states only one command twice. The Fifth Amendment says to the federal government that no person shall be “deprived of life, liberty or property without due process of law.” The Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments provide the assurance of fair procedure. The
Bill of Rights gives a number of rights affordable to those who have been charged with crimes. The basis of these rights is the belief that all individuals are innocent until proven guilty.

The burden of proof is on the government to justify or give reason for the arrest and detention of a suspect in a crime. A writ of habeas corpus is used to bring a prisoner or detainee before the court to determine if the imprisonment is lawful. An individual cannot be held for more than a certain amount of time and not be formally charged with a crime.

One of the most important rights of a person who is being charged with a serious crime is the right to a jury trial. Persons who have been accused of a crime have the right to prove their guilt or innocence determined by a group of fellow citizens. By adding the wisdom and judgment of others, law

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