The third circuit court of appeals hands down United states v. Serubo, pointing out the level to which the grand jury system has deteriorated from being the watchdog of municipal government, to being the tool of the county prosecutor:

       [T]he prosecutor operates without the check of a judge or a trained legal adversary, and virtually immune from public scrutiny.  The prosecutor’s abuse of his special relationship to the grand jury poses an enormous risk to defendants as well.  For while in theory a trial provides the defendant with a full opportunity to contest and disprove the charges against him, in practice, the handing up of an indictment will often have a devastating personal and professional impact that a later dismissal or acquittal can never undo. Where the potential for abuse is so great, and the consequences of a mistaken indictment so serious, the ethical responsibilities of the prosecutor, and the obligation of the judiciary to protect against even the appearance of unfairness, are correspondingly heightened.

       [added 11/22/2022] Thanks to Larken Rose for this entry.