not proven

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not proven

the verdict in a Scottish criminal trial that amounts to an acquittal but that is not the same as the verdict of NOT GUILTY. In the 17th century, practice developed such that the jury found facts alleged by the prosecution either proven or not proven, and it was then for the judge to convert this to an appropriate level of guilt. In 1728, however, a jury returned a verdict of not guilty, leaving thereafter three verdicts available. The consensus appears to be that the not proven verdict is available where there is insufficient evidence to convict but suspicion still attaches to the accused. Whether or not this is satisfactory is often debated.
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And in June, William Barclay got a not proven verdict at the High Court in Edinburgh when he was accused of attempting to kill Mark Bristow in a gangland attack.
Third option for jury in dock
"The not proven verdict would've spared Michael losing eight years of his life.
Scotland has a third way. And it's a good way. It would help US courts.. and it would have helped a husband wrongfully accused of murder; AMERICAN LAWYER AT CENTRE OF GRIPPING TVDOCUMENTARY HAILS NOT PROVEN VERDICTS
Though in another life I do work occasionally as a criminal lawyer, and have done a few trials in my time, and have actually had a couple of, ahem, Not Proven verdicts.
MSP's verdict scrap plea is a bit illegitimate
Relatives wept and hurled abuse at Sean Flynn, 21, as the jury returned a not proven verdict at the end of his 22-day trial.
When jury came back I thought the verdict would be guilty.. I'm so relieved and want my family to know I didn't kill my mum. FURY AS SON CLEARED OF MURDERING MOTHER
Stephen Coxen, of Bury in Lancashire, denied the charges and in November 2015 a jury acquitted him on a not proven verdict.
End Not Proven verdict now .. it's not justice; Rape victim demands change in law
speaking out Jenna Burns, top, and Dee Wootton " Scotland has one of the worst conviction rates for sex crimes in Europe and campaigners say the not proven verdict offers an easy way out for juries
A PROVEN DISGRACE; Accused of 29 charges including serious violence and horrific sexual brutality this animal was convicted of just three and will be back on the streets in months. Today, his brave victims say Scotland's failure to convict him and men like him puts our justice system in the dock
McGraw had been accused of helping to mastermind a drugs run from Spain's Costa Del Sol - but walked free after the jury returned a not proven verdict.
MOBSTER IN pounds 230k AID ROW
Even John Leslie, cleared on a not proven verdict in June of sexually assaulting a woman in an Edinburgh nightclub, turned up.
For the love of Pete..
Francis Auld left Scotland in the mid-1990s after walking free from the High Court on a controversial not proven verdict.
Sorry?You're not sorry at all; Mr Auld, we're the Sorry to trouble you.. Amanda suspect whines as new probe escalates*
There were gasps from the public gallery as George Johnstone, 43, was told by the jury at the High Court in Glasgow that they had decided on a not proven verdict.
NO JUSTICE; Murdered hooker's family fury at not proven jury verdict
Despite prosecutors believing they had enough evidence to prove he was abducting the girls with the intention of sexually assaulting them, a not proven verdict was returned by the jury on Thursday.
Telling my girl beast is free is hardest thing I've ever had to do.. she's so scared; mums call for change to law Previous convictions were kept from jury
We should have included a comment from the General Teaching Council for Scotland who believed one of his alleged victims had been raped despite Boyle's trial ending in a not proven verdict.
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