Montana Code 46-11-405. Discharge of codefendant
46-11-405. Discharge of codefendant. (1) When two or more persons are included in the same charge, the court may, at any time before the defendants have gone into their defense, on the application of the prosecutor, direct any defendant to be discharged so that the defendant may be a witness for the prosecution.
Terms Used In Montana Code 46-11-405
- Charge: means a written statement that accuses a person of the commission of an offense, that is presented to a court, and that is contained in a complaint, information, or indictment. See Montana Code 46-1-202
- Court: means a place where justice is judicially administered and includes the judge of the court. See Montana Code 46-1-202
- Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
- Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
- Indictment: The formal charge issued by a grand jury stating that there is enough evidence that the defendant committed the crime to justify having a trial; it is used primarily for felonies.
- Prosecutor: means an elected or appointed attorney who is vested by law with the power to initiate and carry out criminal proceedings on behalf of the state or a political subdivision. See Montana Code 46-1-202
- Witness: means a person whose testimony is desired in a proceeding or investigation by a grand jury or in a criminal action, prosecution, or proceeding. See Montana Code 46-1-202
(2)When two or more persons are included in the same indictment or information and the court is of the opinion that in regard to a particular defendant there is not sufficient evidence to require the defendant to put on a defense, the court must order that defendant to be discharged before the evidence is closed so that the discharged defendant may be a witness for the codefendant.