The accused is a person who is formally charged with a crime.
Under our justice system, the accused is presumed innocent until proven guilty. For the accused to be convicted, the prosecutor must prove the accused guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Under federal law, a suspect is called a target just before they are formally charged with a crime. Being a target means the suspect is officially and actively being investigated for violating federal law but has not yet been charged.
Once the accused and tried for the crime, a “guilty” or “not guilty” verdict must be unanimous. Anything less will be declared a mistrial.
