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Simple English definitions for legal terms
Pinkerton rule
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A quick definition of Pinkerton rule:
The Pinkerton rule is a law that says if you are part of a group planning to commit a crime, you can be held responsible for any crimes that the group carries out, even if you didn't do them yourself. This rule comes from a court case called Pinkerton v. United States.
A more thorough explanation:
The Pinkerton Rule is a legal doctrine that holds a conspirator responsible for all crimes committed in furtherance of the conspiracy, even if they were not directly involved in the commission of the crime. This rule was established in the case of Pinkerton v. United States in 1946.
For example, if two people conspire to rob a bank and one of them shoots a security guard during the robbery, both individuals can be held responsible for the murder of the security guard, even if only one of them pulled the trigger.
The Pinkerton Rule is often used in cases involving organized crime or drug trafficking, where multiple individuals work together to commit crimes. It is important to note that the rule only applies to crimes that were committed in furtherance of the conspiracy and not to unrelated crimes.