State v. Parks

In State v. Shelton1 this court said that one of the purposes of grand juries, as provided for in article I, section 8 of the Alaska constitution, is to carry out the vital function of protection of the innocent against oppression and unjust prosecution. Unless this court is prepared to change its evaluation of the role that grand juries actually play, or should play, in our society, rejection of the Supreme Court of the United States’ construction of the fifth amendment, announced in Costello v. United States,2 is indicated.

If the institution of the grand jury is viewed as an anachronism,…