in criminal law, a person who, though not present at the commission of a crime, becomes a participator in the crime either before or after the fact of commission. An accessory before the fact is one whose counsel or instigation leads another to commit a crime. An accessory after the fact is one who, having knowledge that a crime has been committed, aids, or attempts to aid, the criminal to escape apprehension. In a misdemeanormisdemeanor,
in law, a minor crime, in contrast to a felony. At common law a misdemeanor was a crime other than treason or a felony. Although it might be a grave offense, it did not affect the feudal bond or take away the offender's property. By the 19th cent.
..... Click the link for more information. and in treason there is no distinction between principals and accessories. In some states the common law distinction between principal and accessory before the fact has been abolished, and the accessory before the fact is prosecuted as a principal. The penalties for being an accessory are usually much less severe than those meted out to the principal. Except where statutes provide differently, an accessory cannot be tried without his consent before the conviction of the principal, unless both are tried together. If an accessory is called as a witness, the court must decide if he is also an accomplice, because the testimony of an accomplice must be corroborated. An accomplice has been defined as any person who could be prosecuted for the crime of which the defendant is accused. This would include principals and accessories before the fact; depending on the jurisdiction and the facts of the case it might also include conspirators (see under conspiracyconspiracy,
in law, agreement of two or more persons to commit a criminal or otherwise unlawful act. At common law, the crime of conspiracy was committed with the making of the agreement, but present-day statutes require an overt step by a conspirator to further the conspiracy.
..... Click the link for more information. ) and accessories after the fact.
[ak′ses·ə·rē]
(mechanical engineering)
A part, subassembly, or assembly that contributes to the effectiveness of a piece of equipment without changing its basic function; may be used for testing, adjusting, calibrating, recording, or other purposes.
1. Law a person who incites someone to commit a crime or assists the perpetrator of a crime, either before or during its commission
2. assisting in or having knowledge of an act, esp a crime
Equipment that supports other equipment. For example, smartphone accessories include phone cases, chargers and cables. Examples of computer accessories are laptop bags, cables, screen cleaners and USB drives, although the latter may also be considered a peripheral device. See peripheral.