New evidence has emerged that Alex Pretti was known to federal agents more than a week before he was gunned down, and a veteran columnist made a case that the government officers who killed him committed first-degree murder.CNN reported that Pretti suffered a broken rib about a week before his death...
Not usually. Prosecutions for police shootings in the US are rare. Typically just an internal investigation done by another department that clears the shooter. It must be extra egregious or have serious public pressure for an AD to even attempt to bring charges.
My understanding was the grand jury was more or less a formality so that double jeopardy would prevent any future prosecutions from happening, but what you’re saying 100% tracks as well.
A grand jury will not create double jeopardy because it happens before charges are brought. It’s a way for a prosecutor to see if the evidence they have is strong enough. If a grand jury does not indict they can try again with new evidence or a different approach. They aren’t necessarily required for every criminal case. But making a weak case to a grand jury is a way prosecutors avoid charging cops while claiming to have tried their best to the public. Especially with the secrecy around them.