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Response: In every jurisdiction that uses grand juries, people
can bring information to a grand jury's attention, but you have to be careful how you do
it. In the federal system, for example, it's a crime to communicate in writing with
a grand jury with the intent to influence them. Well, if you're sending a grand jury
information about a crime, in a letter, you're obviously trying to influence them, which
means you have technically violated the statute. But you're not likely to be charged
with this or any other crime if you are careful how you proceed. The best way to get
information to a state or federal grand jury is to call the federal or county courthouse
where they sit and find out which judge supervises the grand jury. Then call the
judge's clerk and ask how you get a letter (or other source of information) to the grand
jury. The clerk may tell you to bring it to the court and they'll give it to the
grand jury. In some states, you can write directly to the grand jury foreperson (in
some states, they publish the foreperson's name in the local newspaper). If you go
through the court, it's very, unlikely anyone will think you're trying to influence the
grand jury in an improper way. |