Would a Grand Jury Really Indict a Ham Sandwich?
From Ferguson to Staten Island, all eyes are on grand juries and their role in trials. Eugene O'Donnell, former police officer and prosecutor and current professor of law and police science at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, explains exactly what grand juries do, how prosecutors use them, and what to expect from the Staten Island grand jury on the Eric Garner case.
Grand Jury 101: Lightning round. It's random - no selection for who gets seated on a grand jury. Made up of 12 to 23 people.
— Brian Lehrer Show (@BrianLehrer) December 2, 2014
Some grand jury lingo: "no true bill" = grand jury didn't indict in a case (ham sandwich or otherwise). Listen: https://t.co/4Go3Ql8FPd
— Brian Lehrer Show (@BrianLehrer) December 2, 2014
@BrianLehrer Testified @ a Federal grand jury in Newark years ago. Several Jurists were sleeping in the room, no one appeared to care.
— Richard (@swiftynj) December 2, 2014
@BrianLehrer Totally disagree about the role over time. We learned a lot and became more insightful over time. Our role grew, not shrank.
— Steven Cohen (@StevenC_in_NYC) December 2, 2014
"When you put the police in motion, you put them in motion w/ a broad set of protection." There's "extremely broad latitude" for cops.
— Brian Lehrer Show (@BrianLehrer) December 2, 2014
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