re: Official Ferguson Live Riot Thread - Wilson to NOT be Indicted!

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Can someone give me a quick rundown of the difference between a grand jury trial and a regular trial?

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What is a grand jury?

A grand jury helps the prosecutor decide whether to bring criminal charges against a suspect in a crime. Grand juries typically consist of 23 people, and the jurors may have jury duty for months at a time. However, jurors will have to work only a few days out of the month.

Grand juries will work closely with the prosecutor, who will explain the law to the jurors. The jurors then have the power to view almost any kind of evidence they wish and to interrogate anyone they like. The procedure for grand jury hearings is very relaxed to allow the jurors as much flexibility as possible. Typically, the parties that appear before the grand jury do not have attorneys, and the rules of evidence allow much more evidence than is allowed at a criminal trial. Grand jury proceedings are held in strict confidence to encourage witnesses to speak freely, as well as to protect the suspect if the grand jury decides not to bring charges.

A grand jury's decision is not the final step in a case. Prosecutors use grand jury proceedings as test-runs for trials and take a grand jury's decision very seriously. However, if the prosecutor strongly disagrees with a grand jury, they may ignore the decision.

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What is a trial jury?

Trial juries decide the facts of a case a formal trial, and usually consist of six to twelve people. If a juror is selected for trial, they will have to work every day of the trial, which could last a few days, several weeks, or even months.

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