Section 23A-5-18 - (Rule 6(f)) Quorum of grand jury--Votes required for indictment--Witnesses namedon indictment--Dismissal of charge on failure to indict.
23A-5-18. (Rule 6(f)) Quorum of grand jury--Votes required for indictment--Witnesses named on indictment--Dismissal of charge on failure to indict. A quorum of six grand jurors must be present before any evidence or testimony may be received or any other business conducted. An indictment may be found only if there is probable cause to believe that an offense has been committed and that the defendant committed it. An indictment may be found only upon the concurrence of six or more jurors. The names of only those witnesses examined before the grand jury in relation to the particular indictment shall be listed on that indictment before it is filed with the court. An indictment shall be returned by the grand jury to a circuit judge in open court, or, if no circuit judge is available, filed with the clerk of courts, endorsed a true bill.
If six grand jurors do not concur in finding an indictment against a defendant who is in custody but who has not had a preliminary hearing, the complaint or information and the certified record of the proceedings before the committing magistrate transmitted to them shall be returned to the court, with an endorsement thereon, signed by the foreman, that the charge is dismissed. The dismissal of the charge does not prevent its being again submitted to a grand jury as often as a court may direct, but without such direction it cannot again be submitted.
Source: SDC 1939 & Supp 1960, §§ 34.1219, 34.1220, 34.1233, 34.1234; SDCL, §§ 23-31-3 to 23-31-8; SL 1978, ch 178, § 56; SL 2001, ch 120, § 1.