Target Letters: What They Are and What They Mean
What is a Target Letter?
A target letter is a letter that is supplied to a witness scheduled to appear before the federal Grand Jury in order to provide helpful background.
Sample Target Letter
Section 160 of the Criminal Resource Manual contains a sample target letter which would be used to notify a grand jury witness that:
- They are a target of the investigation
- They have the right to an attorney
- They do not have to answer any questions
These letters generally follow a similar format whether it is an FBI target letter or one from another agency.
When is a Target Letter Sent?
According to the law of the United States, a person receives a target letter when a US Attorney has substantial evidence linking him or her to a crime.
Examples of Target Letters
Here is a sample target letter from the US Attorney's Office:
https://www.justice.gov/usao/eousa/foia-reading-room/2007-foia-reading-room-release-target-letters
An example of a target letter from a state prosecutor can be found here:
https://www.ncadp.org/pdf/Sample%20Target%20Letter.pdf
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