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 defence.
The Sixth Amendment again deals with the
justice system and protections for the accused within our court system. The government’s failure to protect this is
one of the most cited reasons for appeal and potential overturn of a
conviction, but as we see in the generalization of terms there is vast room for
interpretation on what constitutes “speedy,” “public,” and “impartial.”
This link provides a good summary of the
changes in our criminal system since the founders added the Sixth Amendment.
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