31-6-11. Evidence before grand jury.
439 words·~2 min read·
/nm/chapter-31-criminal-procedure/article-6-grand-jury/31-6-11·A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.
A. Evidence before the grand jury upon which it may find an indictment is that which is lawful, competent and relevant, including the oral testimony of witnesses under oath and any documentary or other physical evidence exhibited to the jurors. The Rules of Evidence shall not apply to a grand jury proceeding. The sufficiency of the evidence upon which an indictment is returned shall not be subject to review absent a showing of bad faith on the part of the prosecuting attorney assisting the grand jury.
B. It is the duty of the grand jury to weigh all the evidence submitted to it, and when it has reason to believe that other lawful, competent and relevant evidence is available that would disprove or reduce a charge or accusation or that would make an indictment unjustified, then it shall order the evidence produced. At least twenty-four hours before grand jury proceedings begin, the target or his counsel may alert the grand jury to the existence of evidence that would disprove or reduce an accusation or that would make an indictment unjustified, by notifying the prosecuting attorney who is assisting the grand jury in writing regarding the existence of that evidence.
C. A district attorney shall use reasonable diligence to notify a person in writing that the person is the target of a grand jury investigation. Unless the district judge presiding over the grand jury determines by clear and convincing evidence that providing notification may result in flight by the target, result in obstruction of justice or pose a danger to another person, the target of a grand jury investigation shall be notified in writing of the following information:
(1)that he is the target of an investigation;
(2)the nature of the alleged crime being investigated and the date of the alleged crime and any applicable statutory citations;
(3)the target's right to testify no earlier than four days after receiving the target notice if he is in custody, unless for good cause the presiding judge orders a different time period or the target agrees to testify sooner;
(4)the target's right to testify no earlier than ten days after receiving the target notice if he is not in custody, unless for good cause the presiding judge orders a different time period or the target agrees to testify sooner;
(5)the target's right to choose to remain silent; and
(6)the target's right to assistance of counsel during the grand jury investigation.
History: 1953 Comp., § 41-5-11, enacted by Laws 1969, ch. 276, § 11; 1979, ch. 337, § 8; 1981, ch. 238, § 1; 2003, ch. 363, § 5.