Felony kidnapping cases in Rhode Island are charged by grand jury indictment in Superior Court, not by criminal information. The grand jury is a panel of citizens that hears only the prosecution's evidence - there is no cross-examination and no defense presentation as of right. The threshold for indictment is probable cause, which is low. Even so, defense strategy matters. A target of a grand jury investigation can sometimes submit exculpatory material through counsel, can decline to testify under the Fifth Amendment, and can use the pre-indictment window for negotiation with the Attorney General's office. Once indicted, the case is arraigned in Superior Court and moves into full discovery and motion practice. A Rhode Island kidnapping lawyer who has handled grand jury matters before knows when to be silent and when to push.
