Bill > HB527

This bill allows felony defendants to request an alternative system of indictment through an open grand jury, which differs from the traditional secret grand jury process. Currently, grand jury proceedings are confidential, but under this bill, defendants would have the right to request a public grand jury hearing where they can be present, hear the evidence, and potentially offer their own evidence or move for discharge. The bill adds new provisions that require judges to inform defendants of their right to an open grand jury and allows defendants to demand that the state provide probable cause in a public setting. If a defendant requests an open grand jury, the case will proceed in this manner unless the state can demonstrate specific exigent circumstances that require a secret grand jury, such as potential evidence destruction or flight risk. The bill also modifies numerous existing sections of Ohio law to accommodate this new grand jury option, including provisions about jury selection, oath-taking, and procedural requirements. The open grand jury proceedings would operate similarly to secret grand juries but with the key difference of being open to the public and allowing the defendant more direct participation in the process.

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https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/136/hb527