What are the constitutional rights of an accused person?

In Virginia, an accused person has certain constitutional rights that are derived from the United States Constitution. These rights are meant to protect the accused from being treated unfairly or unlawfully by the government. The first right granted to an accused person is the right to remain silent. This right is known as the Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination. This means that an accused person cannot be forced to testify against themselves or in any way incriminate themselves. They can decide to remain silent with no negative ramifications. The second right is the right to an attorney. This right is known as the Sixth Amendment right to counsel. This right grants an accused person the right to be represented by an attorney while they face criminal charges. This is meant to ensure that an accused person is not taken advantage of or made to admit to something they did not do. The third right is the right to a trial. This right is known as the Sixth Amendment right to a speedy and public trial. This means that an accused person must be given the opportunity to have their trial heard before a jury of their peers in a public court setting. This is meant to ensure that an accused person is not unfairly treated or denied due process of the law. These are the three main constitutional rights granted to an accused person under the United States Constitution as well as Virginia law. These rights are meant to protect the accused from being taken advantage of or made to admit to something they did not do.

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