Grand Jury v. Information Charging
Under Rhode Island law, a felony charge must be filed by either a Grand Jury Indictment or an Information Charging signed by the Attorney General’s Office.
Grand Jury
A grand jury consists of 23 persons selected by the Jury Commissioner. They hold the responsibility of “investigating” criminal offenses and deciding on indictments. At least twelve grand jurors must vote for a “true Bill” for the defendant to be indicted.
Information Charging
Information charging is a document that specifies the alleged crimes and is signed by the Attorney General or one of his designated assistants. The information charging document must contain all documents, evidence and materials relied upon for probable cause.
