The Role of the Prosecutor in the Work of the Grand Jury in the United States: Manipulation of Justice

The paper examines the role of the prosecutor in the work of the grand jury in the criminal procedure in the United States, considers the historical aspects of the formation of this institution, its modern functions and problems of practical application. Particular attention is given to the transformation of the original idea of the grand jury as an independent body of public control («the power of the shield») into an instrument of prosecutorial power («the power of the sword»), which is largely due to the dominance of the prosecutor in its activities. An analysis of American judicial precedents (United States v. Calandra, United States v. Dionisio, In re Grand Jury Subpoena (Judith Miller), etc.), as well as statistical data from the US Department of Justice, showed that in the overwhelming majority of cases (about 97 %), the decisions of the grand jury coincide with the position of the prosecutor. For the first time, the prosecutor’s investigative powers and his interaction with the grand jury are examined in detail. The author concludes that such dependence of a body conceived as a barrier against arbitrariness on the prosecutorial power violates the balance of interests of the defense and the prosecution. Comparing the American model with the continental tradition, which does not permit the use of inadmissible evidence, allows us to critically evaluate the effectiveness and fairness of the institution under study. It is concluded that excessive concentration of powers in the hands of the prosecutor leads to a distortion of the principle of justice and a significant limitation of the ability of citizens to exercise the right to judicial protection.

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