No, a grand jury does not determine someone’s guilt or innocence. Instead, it decides if they are going to indict a person and move forward with a jury trial.
Often, the role of the grand jury is to examine the facts of the case and any known available evidence. The grand jury will review this evidence to decide if it is reasonable to move forward with a trial.
In some cases, it is clear that there is not enough evidence to convict. A trial would be a waste of time and resources. The grand jury can suggest that the charges be dropped. In other cases, there is at least evidence that some wrongdoing may have taken place. The grand jury can recommend that the case proceed through the next steps.
This has no bearing on the eventual outcome
The important thing to remember is that, even if the grand jury determines that there is enough credible evidence for a trial, that does not have any effect on whether or not a person is determined to be guilty or innocent. It is not a claim that the grand jury is making or the focus of their proceedings.
In many cases, a grand jury says that a trial should take place. The evidence is then examined at the subsequent jury trial, and the charges are dropped or the person is declared to be not guilty. A grand jury is just one step in the process and does not resolve the case.
Your legal defense options
It is important to understand how the legal process works when facing serious charges. It is also crucial that you know what defense options you have at this time.