NCJ Number
25444
Date Published
1975
Length
178 pages
Annotation
THE HISTORY AND RECENT BEHAVIOR OF THE GRAND JURY IN TERMS OF ITS POTENTIAL FOR POLITICAL ABUSE, WITH CONCRETE EXAMPLES OF GRAND JURY MISUSE THAT HAS TAKEN PLACE IN RECENT YEARS.
Abstract
ORIGINALLY CONCEIVED TO PROTECT THE PEOPLE AGAINST ARBITRARY VIOLATION OF THEIR RIGHTS, THE GRAND JURY - THE AUTHOR CONTENDS - HAS BEEN SUBVERTED IN TOO MANY INSTANCES TO AN INSTRUMENT OF POLITICAL HARASSMENT. THE HISTORY OF THE GRAND JURY IS TRACED FROM ITS ORIGINS ENGLAND TO ITS MODERN FORM. SEVERAL MODERN ABUSES OF THIS SYSTEM ARE DISCUSSED, AND THE AUTHOR TIES THESE EXAMPLES INTO THE OVERALL ATTITUDE AND PRACTICES OF THE NIXON ADMINISTRATION WITH REGARD TO OUR LEGAL INSTITUTIONS. THE AUTHOR PRESENTS, AS WELL, A PROGRAM FOR THE REFORM OF THE GRAND JURY SYSTEM SO THAT IT MAY SERVE A USEFUL AND PERHAPS MORE LIMITED PURPOSE. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)