What are the constitutional rights of an accused person?
In Massachusetts, an accused person has a range of constitutional rights. These rights come from the US Constitution as well as the Massachusetts Constitution. The US Constitution guarantees an accused person certain rights on the federal level. These include the right to remain silent, the right to a lawyer (known as the right to counsel), the right to a speedy and public trial, and the right to confront witnesses. The Massachusetts Constitution also guarantees certain rights to an accused person. This includes the right to be told what they are accused of; the right to a jury trial; the right to prepare for their defense; and the right to defendant will appear in court when required.">bail. On the state level, an accused person also has a right to a fair and impartial trial and the right to be treated as innocent until proven guilty. In addition, a person who is accused of a crime cannot be subjected to cruel and unusual punishment if convicted. This means that the severity of the punishment must fit the crime. Overall, it is important to understand the constitutional rights of an accused person in Massachusetts in order to fully protect their rights during a criminal trial.
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