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Simple English definitions for legal terms
innocence
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A quick definition of innocence:
Innocence means not being guilty of a crime or wrongdoing. It is the opposite of guilt. When someone is innocent, they did not do anything wrong. In some cases, innocence can also mean that a person did not have the necessary facts or evidence against them to be found guilty. This is called actual innocence. In death penalty cases, actual innocence can be used to challenge the sentence given to a defendant. The person must prove that they did not commit the crime and that there were errors in the trial that led to their wrongful conviction.
A more thorough explanation:
Innocence is the state of being free from guilt or wrongdoing. It means that a person did not commit a particular offense or crime. Actual innocence is a legal term used in criminal law to describe the absence of facts that are necessary for a sentence given to a defendant.
- A person who is wrongly accused of a crime and did not commit it is considered innocent.
- If a defendant is found to be actually innocent, it can result in a successful challenge to the death sentence.
The examples illustrate that innocence means being free from guilt or wrongdoing. If a person did not commit a crime, they are innocent. Actual innocence is a legal term used to describe the absence of facts that are necessary for a sentence given to a defendant. If a defendant is found to be actually innocent, it can result in a successful challenge to the death sentence.