It is not enough to believe he or she is guilty, or to think the person “probably” committed the offense in question. Once all of the evidence has been considered, a judge or jury must then evaluate the facts to determine whether the prosecution has proven its case beyond a reasonable doubt.īut what constitutes reasonable doubt? To put it simply, the evidence must be so convincing that no reasonable person would ever question the defendant’s guilt. To establish guilt, the prosecution must present evidence to support two things-first, that the defendant (the person accused of the crime) actually committed the offense in question, and secondly, that his or her actions were carried out intentionally or in a negligent manner. Rather, the burden of proof-or obligation to prove the case-lies entirely upon the prosecutor. Contrary to popular opinion, when a person has been accused of a crime, he or she is not obligated to defend him or herself. One of these protections includes a presumption of innocence-meaning you are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The United States Constitution grants citizens numerous protections if they are ever accused of a crime. What you may not realize, however, is exactly what’s required to prove this guilt. Even if you have never studied law, you probably know that a person must be tried and found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt before he or she can be convicted of a crime.
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