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Simple English definitions for legal terms
accomplice
Read a random definition: res mancipi
A quick definition of accomplice:
An accomplice is someone who helps another person commit a crime on purpose. They can be punished just like the person who actually did the crime. An accomplice is usually there when the crime happens. Sometimes, different places have different rules about what it means to know something. But usually, it just means that the person is aware of a certain fact.
A more thorough explanation:
An accomplice is a person who helps someone else commit a crime. They can be charged with the same crime as the person who actually committed it. An accomplice is different from an accessory because they are usually present when the crime is committed.
John and Jane plan to rob a bank. John goes into the bank and demands money while Jane waits outside in the getaway car. Jane is an accomplice because she helped John commit the crime by driving the getaway car.
In another example, Sarah knows that her friend is going to steal a bike but doesn't do anything to stop them. Sarah could be considered an accomplice because she didn't prevent the crime from happening.
These examples illustrate how an accomplice is someone who knowingly helps or fails to prevent a crime from happening.