“12 Angry Men” Unit Vocabulary
1) Acquit – to find the suspect innocent (If a person is acquitted, they are found
"not guilty").
2) Alibi – form of defense where the defendant attempts to prove that they were
elsewhere during the time the crime was committed.
3) Burden of Proof – the degree of proof required to convict a person of a crime
4) Circumstantial evidence – evidence that relies on an inference to connect it to a
conclusion of fact
5) Convict – to find the suspect guilty of the crime.
6) Counsel – lawyer
7) Cross-examination – question a witness called by the opposing counsel.
8) Defendant – the person accused (person on trial)
9) Defense Counsel – the lawyer who represents the defendant and tries to
maintain innocence.
10) Deliberate – to consider or discuss carefully.
11) Double Jeopardy –a person cannot be tried twice for the same crime.
12) Foreman – a juror chosen to lead a jury and deliver the verdict to the judge.
13) Homicide – the killing of one person by another.
14) Hung jury – a jury that is unable to agree on a verdict. If a hung jury occurs,
there is a mistrial and the defendant can be tried again.
15) Innocent until proven guilty – the state must prove guilt; the suspect does
not have to prove innocence (also called presumption of innocence).
16) Motive – reason for doing something, especially one that is hidden or not
obvious
17) Premeditated – planned or plotted in advance.
18) Prosecutor – the district attorney who presents the case against the suspect
and tries to prove the guilt of the suspect.
19) Reasonable Doubt – a law which states that if a sensible amount of
uncertainty, exists, a juror must vote to acquit.
20) Testimony – declaration of a witness under oath
21) The Fifth Amendment – a person cannot be forced to testify against him or
herself in a court of law.
22) Verdict – the final decision made by the jury.