29-1406 Judge; charge to jury; instruction as to powers and duties.
29-1406. Judge; charge to jury; instruction as to powers and duties.(1) The grand jury, after being sworn, shall be charged as to their duty by the judge, who shall call their attention particularly to the obligation of secrecy which their oaths impose, and to such offenses as he or she is by law required to specially charge.(2) Upon impanelment of each grand jury, the court shall give to such grand jury adequate and reasonable written notice of and shall assure that the grand jury reasonably understands the nature of:(a) Its duty to inquire into offenses against the criminal laws of the State of Nebraska alleged to have been committed;(b) Its right to call and interrogate witnesses;(c) Its right to request the production of documents or other evidence;(d) The subject matter of the investigation and the criminal statutes or other statutes involved, if these are known at the time the grand jury is impaneled;(e) The duty of the grand jury by an affirmative vote of twelve or more members of the grand jury to determine, based on the evidence presented before it, whether or not there is probable cause for finding indictments and to determine the violations to be included in any such indictments; and(f) The requirement that the grand jury may not return an indictment in cases of perjury unless at least two witnesses to the same fact present evidence establishing probable cause to return such an indictment. SourceG.S.1873, c. 58, § 397, p. 814; R.S.1913, § 9036; C.S.1922, § 10060; C.S.1929, § 29-1406; R.S.1943, § 29-1406; Laws 1979, LB 524, § 1. AnnotationsWide discretion is allowed judge in charge, which appellate court will not control. Clair v. State, 40 Neb. 534, 59 N.W. 118 (1894).