Due Process

The phrase "innocent until proven guilty" has been quoted for many years. In our society, we have labeled the accused person either guilty or not guilty without giving that person or persons their rith of due process. Webster's New World College Dictionary Fourth Edition says: "Due Process is the course of legal proceedings established by the legal system of a nation or state to protect individual rights and liberties." Due Process will allow an accused person time to go through the court proceeding, in hope of proving his or her innocence or guilt. Due Process will give the individuals who have been accused of a crime the right to a fair and public trial, the right to be at the trial, the rith to an impartial jury, and the right to be heard.

A jury trial is a vital stage in the process; all of the investigation that has taken place concerning the accused person will be presented during this process. A jury trial is made up of twelve citizens of the community who have been randomly selected to serve on the jury. The jury had been given the authority to judge the facts of the case, and them apply the law that was given by the judge to those facts, and render a verdict of guilty or not guilty.

During the jury trial, the accused person will be represented either by a paid lawyer of his or her choice or by a court-appointed one. During the trial it is solely upon the prosecution to prove the guilt of the accused person, and it is up to the accused person and his representation to rebut the information the prosecution presents. When the jury has heard all of the evidence against the accused person, they will decide on whether the person is guilty or not guilty. If the accused person is found guilty by the jury, he or she will be sentenced according to the law. If the accused person is found not guilty by the jury, he or she will be able to return back into society as a free person.

As we can see, due process has changed our justice system from hastily-prosecution to time consuming investigation of all the facts. We should stop pre-judging the accused person until all of the facts are made known unto us. Due process has given all accused citizens an equal opportunity to tell their story, and the right to question the evidence that was brought against them. Even though due process has guaranteed the accused person his or her right to be heard by a jury; it does not guarantee their return to freedom.