A:
Taking a lenient view, considering the honest past record of an accused
B:
Being cleared of a charge or accusation
C:
Pronounced guilty of a charge or accusation
D:
Conviction for a lesser offence,as part of a plea bargain
Explanation
B: In criminal proceedings, acquittal refers to being cleared of a charge or accusation.
Acquittal means that the accused person is not found guilty of the crime they were charged with. It means that the prosecution has failed to prove the guilt of the accused beyond a reasonable doubt. When a person is acquitted, they are not convicted of the crime and are released from custody if they were being held.
An acquittal can happen due to various reasons such as lack of evidence, improper investigation, unreliable witnesses, or other procedural errors. It is also possible for a court to acquit an accused person if they find that the prosecution has not met the legal standard for a conviction.
It is important to note that an acquittal does not necessarily mean that the accused person is innocent, but rather that there was not enough evidence to prove their guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.