| a person who knowingly helps another in a crime or wrongdoing, often as a subordinate. |
| a formal authorization permitting access to classified information, documents, etc. |
The judgment of a court that a person charged with a crime is not guilty.
acquittal
in criminal law, acknowledgment by the court of the innocence of the defendant or defendants. Such a judgment may be made by a jury in a trial or by a judge who rules that there is insufficient evidence either for conviction or for further proceedings. An acquittal removes all guilt in law. An acquittal "in fact" occurs when a jury finds the defendant not guilty. An acquittal "in law" occurs through the mere operation of law. For instance, if the principal in a case is acquitted, an accessory also is deemed acquitted in law
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