What does it mean to prosecute someone?

To prosecute someone means to hold a trial against a person accused of a crime to determine their guilt or innocence. This legal process involves the government, often represented by a prosecutor, bringing formal charges against the accused individual in a court of law. During the trial, evidence is presented, witnesses may be called, and arguments are made by both the prosecution and the defense. The ultimate goal of prosecution is to seek a conviction if the evidence supports that the accused committed the crime as charged.

In the context of the other options, releasing a suspect due to lack of evidence does not involve prosecution; instead, it refers to the decision not to proceed with charges. Investigating possible charges pertains to the preliminary steps before prosecution, focusing on gathering evidence rather than conducting a trial. Negotiating a plea deal is an alternative outcome that can occur before a trial, where the accused agrees to plead guilty to lesser charges, thus avoiding a full prosecution process. Each of these alternatives operates outside the core function of prosecution, which centers exclusively on formally conducting a trial to assess guilt.