LD 15 6th Amendment

6th Amendment

In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the state and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the assistance of counsel for his defense.

Officer Responsibility

Peace officers have a responsibility to protect the Sixth Amendments rights of people. The Sixth Amendment gives the right to a speedy trial, an opportunity to confront witnesses and the right to counsel during court proceedings

Meaning for Peace Officers

The Sixth Amendment entitles a person to counsel (i.e., an attorney) once adversarial judicial proceedings have commenced. Adversarial judicial proceedings are considered to have commenced when the person is either indicted by a grand jury, or makes his or her first court appearance. This Sixth Amendment right to counsel is constitutional and was designed to help formally charged defendants defend themselves in court.

Guaranteed Rights

The Sixth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution guarantees people accused of a crime the right to: • a speedy trial • confront witnesses against them and obtain witnesses in their favor • the assistance of counsel, during court proceedings