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From: dee@cca.UUCP (Donald Eastlake)
Newsgroups: net.legal
Subject: Re: Criminal Prosecution
Message-ID: <19@cca.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 9-Aug-84 11:42:43 EDT
Article-I.D.: cca.19
Posted: Thu Aug  9 11:42:43 1984
Date-Received: Tue, 14-Aug-84 00:42:17 EDT
References: <1238@sdcrdcf.UUCP>
Organization: Computer Corp America, Cambridge
Lines: 16

At least in Massachusetts it is still permissable for private citizens
to bring criminal prosecutions, as I understand it.  But this is pretty
dangerous as if the person is not convicted, the person who prosecuted
them will probably get sued for a lot of money and lose.

If the government will not bring criminal charges aginst someone, there
is usually an equivalent civil action.  For example, if someone steals
something, the owner can bring an action for "conversion" (the thief
is said to have converted the property to their own use).  Of course this
does not help much if the person is judgement proof (ie, has almost no
assets).

					Donald
-- 
	+	Donald E. Eastlake, III
	ARPA:	dee@CCA-UNIX		usenet:	{decvax,linus}!cca!dee