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Gamebreaker
Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 14,433
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Re: Chaos at the Capitol: New thread edition
Acquitted vs. Not Guilty – Is There a Difference?
Posted on August 17, 2020 While an acquittal is a general term for a not guilty verdict, there is a subtle difference between the two terms under criminal law. Not guilty means that a defendant is not legally answerable for the criminal charge filed against him/her. An acquittal is a finding by a judge or jury that a defendant is not guilty of the crime charged. Note that an acquittal does not mean that the defendant is innocent in a criminal case. Rather, it means that the prosecutor failed to prove that the defendant was guilty “beyond a reasonable doubt.” Note too that an acquittal is not the same thing as when charges get dismissed. A dismissal comes before a jury trial and usually takes place because: the prosecutor does not believe there is enough evidence to support the case, or the judge decides a case lacks credibility. In a dismissal, the case against the defendant ends and he/she does not have to stand trial. If a judge or jury acquits a defendant, then double jeopardy attaches and the defendant has a complete defense to an additional prosecution for the same offense in the same jurisdiction
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