3 ms·
Ok, maybe I’ve seen too many movies, but I had the impression that at least for some crimes (misdemeanors?) the victim can opt to not "press charges"?
by mikl 7y ago
Ok, maybe I’ve seen too many movies, but I had the impression that at least for some crimes (misdemeanors?) the victim can opt to not "press charges"?
- favorited 7y agoNope, though it is a common TV trope. In the US, there's a concept known as "prosecutorial discretion," and it refers to the fact that prosecutors have nearly absolute authority over what charges are brought. There are limits to this, but they are extremely rare. For example the Supreme Court has held repeatedly that a prosecutor can't base their decision on race or religion because it would violate the 5th Amendment.
- Gibbon1 7y agoYeah they can decide for any reason except prohibited reasons.
- SamReidHughes 7y agoThere is such a thing as a private prosecution: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Private_prosecution https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Private_prosecution