who brings charges on police arrest district attorney

What did the district attorney’s Office say in its report?

2 days ago · A Texas district attorney's office said Monday it dismissed the indictment against Lizelle Herrera, the woman who attracted national attention when …

What happened to the Oakland police officer who pinned a man?

1 day ago · Activists wait for rulings in front of the U.S. Supreme Court on June 27, 2016 in Washington, DC. A Texas woman was arrested on Thursday for allegedly performing a self-induced abortion. Lizelle ...

Did the Starr County Sheriff’s Department do their duty?

Apr 06, 2022 · Prosecutors confirmed Wednesday that the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office decided it could not bring criminal charges against five former Inglewood Police Department officers -- who ...

What is a District Attorney?

The powers and responsibilities of district attorneys can vary state-to-state. This post focuses on district attorneys in North Carolina and in Durham.

What do prosecutors do?

Prosecutors represent the State when someone is accused of committing a crime. They decide whether to bring the criminal charges filed by police to court. It’s then their job to prove to a judge or jury that the crime occurred and that the person accused of committing the crime (the defendant) did it.

How do prosecutors decide what charges to pursue?

In deciding what charges should move forward in court, prosecutors at the Durham DA’s Office consider the strength of the evidence, the nature of the offenses, public safety, the wishes of any victims, and whether the matter can be addressed through means other than a criminal conviction — for example with a diversion program or community service.

Why is a felony warrant considered a serious charge?

A felony warrant is just a more serious warrant because it’s a felony charge. Most of the time, people could potentially face prison time on these charges. The police are a lot more likely to go out and find someone who has a felony warrant because they perceive that person as more dangerous.

How long does it take for a police case to be filed?

Sometimes, they may be investigating a serious case and it could take the police weeks or months to get the paperwork to the prosecutors.

Can prosecutors file lesser charges?

There might be another story that the prosecutors don’t have, that they can consider. If we can provide that to the prosecutors, they may choose not to file charges or to file a lesser charge.

Can a prosecutor review a case?

Other circumstances where prosecutors are reviewing cases is if they can’t find the person and now the police want a warrant issued for their arrest. They can go to the prosecutors, have the prosecutors review the case, file the case, and then the police can put a warrant into the system for that person’s arrest.

Can an attorney present evidence that the prosecutor does not have?

Under the right circumstances, your attorney may be able to present , to the prosecutor who’s going to make the decision whether to file the case, evidence that they do not have . Sometimes, police do a one-sided investigation where they’re not looking at things that might exonerate a potential criminal defendant.

Is bail higher for a felony or misdemeanor?

Also, once the person is arrested, the bail for a felony case will be higher than that of a misdemeanor case. A lot of times, in misdemeanor cases, people are released on their own recognizance, which means they do not have to post any bail and they are released on their promise and their signature to appear in court.