Suspect
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- For the 1987 movie starring Cher, see Suspect (movie). See also The Usual Suspects, or S.U.S.P.E.C.T.S rap group for alt. info
| Image:Scale of justice.png |
| Criminal procedure |
|---|
| Investigating and charging crimes |
| Criminal investigation |
| Arrest warrant · Search warrant |
| Probable cause · Knock and announce |
| Exigent circumstance |
| Search and seizure · Arrest |
| Right to silence · Miranda warning (U.S.) |
| Grand jury |
| Criminal prosecution |
| Statute of limitations · Nolle prosequi |
| Bill of attainder · Ex post facto law |
| Criminal jurisdiction · Extradition |
| Habeas corpus · Bail |
| Inquisitorial system · Adversarial system |
| Charges and pleas |
| Arraignment · Indictment |
| Plea · Peremptory plea |
| Nolo contendere (U.S.) · Plea bargain |
| Related areas of law |
| Criminal defenses |
| Criminal law · Evidence |
| Civil procedure |
| Portals: Law · Criminal justice |
In the parlance of criminal justice, a suspect is a person, known or unknown, suspected of committing a crime. Some systems of police procedure or legal terminology refer to the suspect as the actor, or as the perpetrator of the offense (perp for short).
Under the judicial systems of the U.S., once the identity of a suspect is known, and a decision is approved to arrest him or bind him over for trial, either by a prosecutor issuing an information, a grand jury issuing a true bill or indictment, or a judge issuing an arrest warrant, the suspect can then be properly called a defendant.
Much of the tension in murder mysteries results from there being a number of equally-likely suspects. A device often used in these mysteries is the culprit not being on the original list of suspects.
A popular suspect in murder mysteries and whodunits is the butler.
[edit] See also
nl:Verdachte ja:被疑者 pl:Podejrzany simple:Suspect ru:Подозреваемый
