A more thorough explanation:

The year and a day rule is a legal principle that states a person cannot be convicted of homicide if the death occurred more than a year and a day after the act that allegedly caused it. This rule was created because it is difficult to determine the cause of death after a long period of time.

For example, if someone was in a car accident and the victim died a year and a day later due to injuries sustained in the accident, the driver cannot be charged with homicide. However, this rule can be modified or abolished by state legislatures or courts.

One case that illustrates the year and a day rule is Rogers v. Tennessee, where the defendant was charged with murder for allegedly poisoning his wife. However, the prosecution was unable to prove that the poisoning caused her death, which occurred more than a year and a day after the alleged act. The Supreme Court ultimately upheld the year and a day rule in this case.

It is important to note that the year and a day rule only applies to homicide cases and not to other crimes. Additionally, some states have abolished this rule entirely, while others have modified it to extend the time period to two or three years.

Statute of limitations: A law that sets a time limit for bringing a legal action, such as a criminal prosecution or civil lawsuit.