An accused is a person who has been formally charged with a criminal offence but has not yet been tried or convicted. Under Canada's Charter of Rights and Freedoms, an accused person has important legal protections: the right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty, the right to a lawyer, the right to know the charges against them, the right to a trial within a reasonable time, and protection against unreasonable search and seizure. The Crown prosecutor must prove the accused's guilt 'beyond a reasonable doubt.' These rights exist because the justice system recognizes that being accused of a crime doesn't mean someone actually committed it.