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Two hours later, our grand jury warden walked us to a room with 23 seats, a table, and a podium. I picked a random chair. "Fifteen, 16, 17, 18…" she counted rapidly around the room and then issued a series of rapid-fire instructions: Where we were sitting would always be our seats. We couldn't sit anywhere else. We couldn't use our phones, except during breaks. If she caught us with a phone, she would take it away. (She did.) We could take notes, but nothing could leave the room."Adults!" she cried whenever we screwed up.The purpose of a grand jury is to formally charge people accused of felonies—essentially, the job is to determine whether there is enough evidence to justify a trial. In 23 states, including New York, the grand jury process is required. "It uses its power both as a sword and a shield," reads the handbook. "A sword to accuse or indict those whom there is reason to believe has committed crimes; a shield to protect the innocent against unfounded accusations."In New York County, 23 people are chosen at random to serve for at least ten days. As long as you're a citizen, have not committed any felonies, and live in Manhattan, it's basically no questions asked. Prosecutors come in one-by-one with their individual cases and lay out the evidence to the grand jury—usually in the form of witnesses, documents, and surveillance video—for anywhere from 15 minutes to several hours. We probably heard between five to seven prosecutors each day. Defendants have a right to testify, should they want to, but their lawyers can only advise them, not make arguments on their behalf.On VICE News: The FBI Director Says Cops Are 'Under Siege' from Viral Videos
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