But in crimes, where the prosecution is on the part of the public, (as all criminal prosecutions are, except appeals,) the public prosecutor ought not to be considered as a plaintiff in a cause of meum et tuum; nor the prisoner, in such a cause, as a common defendant.
Edmund Burke: “But in crimes, where the prosecution is on the part of the public, (as all criminal prosecutions are, except appeals,)…”
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Edmund Burke
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gutenberg.orgEditor's note · Context
Burke argues that in criminal cases, the public interest is paramount and should not be treated like a private dispute.
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