![]() What does ‘Without a Shadow of a Doubt’ mean? The expression takes on several forms in the modern idiom, depending on the inclusion, exclusion and choice of the articles, ‘a’ and ‘the’. As time moved on, ‘beyond a shadow of a doubt’ once again became the preferred term. In the 1900s, the word ‘beyond’ became less fashionable and was replaced by ‘without’. A defendant’s actual innocence or guilt may be an abstraction.This notion was first coined in 1772, in an article in the Derby Mercury, an English newspaper.īack then, the popular term was ‘beyond the shadow of a doubt’. Verdicts do not necessarily reflect the truth, they reflect the evidence presented. If it cannot be proved without a doubt that the defendant is guilty, that person should not be convicted. Reasonable doubt stems from insufficient evidence. law, a defendant is considered innocent until proven guilty. Other commonly used standards of proof in criminal cases are probable cause, reasonable belief and reasonable suspicion, and credible evidence.Reasonable doubt is used exclusively in criminal cases because the consequences of a conviction are severe.Each juror must walk into the courtroom presuming the accused is innocent and it is the job of the prosecutor to convince them otherwise.If it cannot be proved without a doubt that a defendant in a criminal case is guilty, then that person should not be convicted.Reasonable doubt is insufficient evidence that prevents a judge or jury from convicting a defendant of a crime.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |