Eyewitness accounts. Although most of those people were threatened or tortured into giving false testimony. There wasnt actually any 'evidence' used in the witch trials.
Raving testimony of young girls.
They interpreted them as a religious punishment and as way for people to get rid of others, the people accused as witches were often accused because of some religious thing they did or because someone didn't like them and if they got enough people to testify against the accused then the accused would die.
The Grand Jury is to decide if the evidence warrants prosecution.
McCarthyism. Investigations lead by Senator Joseph McCarthy lead investigations, mainly against entertainers and educators, accused of being communist sympathizers. Many movie stars, public university professors were accused of anti-American conspiracy with little or no evidence, and were blackballed from working in their industries.
As a witch, I might be accused of practicing dark magic and face a trial where false evidence is presented against me. In a historical context, I could be executed by burning at the stake or hanged, often fueled by fear and superstition. Alternatively, in a modern narrative, I might be targeted by those seeking to eliminate perceived threats, leading to a more sinister end. Ultimately, the method would reflect society's fears and misunderstandings about witchcraft.
High treason.
The main evidence presented against the accused witches in Salem village was the raving testimony of young girls. The Salem witch trials were a series of hearings and prosecutions of people accused of witchcraft in colonial Massachusetts between February 1692, and May 1693. Twenty people, mostly women, were executed.
The grand jury reviews the evidence against the accused
During the trial, the prosecution presented evidence such as witness testimonies, physical evidence like DNA or fingerprints, and any relevant documents or records that supported their case against the defendant.
Charles is imprisoned due to his involvement in a conspiracy against the state, where he was accused of plotting to undermine the government. His actions were seen as a threat to national security, leading to his arrest and subsequent trial. The evidence presented against him included intercepted communications and testimonies from co-conspirators, culminating in a conviction for treason.
A description that a prosecutor might use when speaking to law enforcement about the quality of the evidence they have presented him with to use at trial. More often used by a defense attorney when trying to cast doubt in the juror's minds about the evidence being presented against their client.
Kenneth Starr.
Lee Harvey Oswald, the only person on Earth that had any physical evidence against him.
If any evidence is acquired without a proper warrant for search and seizure, the evidence must be thrown out before court and the jury cannot use the evidence against the accused in a court case.
In "The Crucible" the evidence that Sarah Good was a witch was that she could not recite the ten commandments. Other evidence presented was that she confessed to witchcraft, and that she mumbled after being refused bread and cider.
The accused has the right to challenge the admissibility of any evidence used against them at trial. Whether an e-mail or any other evidence is "illegally obtained" is subject to the interpretation of the court, not the accused. If the court rules that evidence is obtained unlawfully, it can be suppressed at trial and not considered.
It was necessary to have proper evidence against the accused in court, but the people that made accusations during the McCarthy Era didn't need evidence to accuse others.
All indictments are done in secret. That's why Grand Jury deliberations are not open to the public. The defense gets to see the evidence that will be presented against them during the process of "discovery."