Witnesses and their testimony appear in court, witness, call a witness, grass, grass on someone, supergrass, incriminate, give evidence, give testimony, testify

The prosecution and defense lawyers call witnesses. They require people who know about the alleged crime to give evidence or testimony or to testify: to say what they know in court.

If a criminal tells the police or gives evidence in court about their associates’ criminal activities, he or she incriminates these associates, or, informally, grasses on them. Someone who does this is a grass, or, if their evidence is very important, a supergrass. Defendants and witnesses appear in court during a trial.

1. Someone called to give evidence by defense counsel is a defense witness. Use these words to make similar combinations to describe the witness below.

Types of Witness

1. surprise, b) federal, c) eye, d) key, e) expert, f) star, g) prosecution, h) crown

A witness …

1. whose testimony is essential

2. whose testimony is based on scientific or specialized knowledge

3. who was not expected

4. who say the crime himself or herself

5. who is more important than all the other witnesses.

6. who gives evidence against the defendant

7. who gives evidence for the prosecution in Britain

8. who gives evidence for the prosecution in the US.

2. Complete the text with the words given.

theft evidence sentence court interrogate

pleaded (отвечал на обвинение) arrest charge magistrate

fingerprints oath (клятва) detained (задержали)

found investigate fine witnesses cell (камера)

A policeman was sent to ... the disappearance of some property from a hotel. When he arrived, he found that the hotel staff had caught a boy in one of the rooms with a camera and some cash. When the policeman tried to ... the boy, he became violent and the policeman had to ... him. At the police station the boy could not give a satisfactory explanation for his actions and the police decided to ... him with the ... of the camera and cash. They took his ..., locked him in a ... , and ... him overnight. The next morning he appeared in ... before the ... . He took an ... and ... not guilty. Two ..., the owner of the property and a member of the hotel staff, gave ... . After both sides of the case had been heard the boy was ... guilty. He had to pay a ... of £50 and he was given a ... of three months in prison suspended for two years.

3. Fill in the blanks with one of the prepositions: before, in, to, of, with.

a) He’s being kept ... custody.

b) He was sentenced ... five years.

c) She got a sentence ... six months.

d) He was accused ... murder.

e) She’s been charged ... theft.

f) He appeared ... court ... handcuffs.

g) They were brought ... the judge.

h) The jury reached a verdict ... guilty.

GRAMMAR MATERIAL: Modals for necessity and suggestions

Describing necessity	Giving suggestions
You have to get a visa.	You’d better talk to your father.
You must take warm clothes.	You ought to go with your friend.
You don’t have to take a passport.	You should take a sleeping bag.
	You shouldn’t go by yourself.

4. Choose the correct word or words to give advice to travelers.

1) You ought (check / to check) the weather.

2) You should always (reconfirm / to reconfirm) your airline reservation.

3) You should never (leave / to leave) cash in your hotel room.

4) You ought (take / to take) traveler’s check with you.

5) You have (pay / to pay) an airport tax.

6) You should (let / to let) your family know where you contact you.

7) You’d better not (go / to go) out alone at night.

8) You’d better (cash / to cash) your traveler’s checks in a bank.