Accused

You see them everyday; on your local or national television news or on the social media. Someone is accused of committing a no-no and their picture is posted for all to see.

Some of these people have been indicted and proven guilty by the legal system and their image will help citizens to be on alert of these villains among us.

Others maybe accused of doing a bad thing and this image will label them as a criminal.

Might be your coach accused of being a pedophile or your co-worker accused of embezzling or your priest accused of domestic violence, the image and the charge will stick with them.

A suspect of a crime maybe charged without any existence of evidence.

To be accused is to be charge with an offense or a crime.

An accusation is: charge, indict, arraign, summons, cite, impeach, condemn, criticize, denounce, blame, inculpate, hold accountable, blame, censure, reproach, criminate, charge, indict, impeach, arraign etc.

Alleged accusations are suspicions without proof.

To confirm a connection with a crime there is need for evidence, proof, confirmation, verification, collaboration, and affirmation.

During investigation into the matter it maybe that this person is involved in complicity or vicarious but did not instigate the crime.

And if, after due process, the accused is found ‘no guilty’ do we forget? Legally false accusations can be absolved or exonerated.

Then what?

The coach will have to move because parents will always be suspicious. The co-worker will have lost their job and benefits. The priest will lose the congregation and have to move to a missionary if not defrocking.

While it is easy to accuse, there are consequences.