spit and acquit
n.— «Defendants charged with low-level drug offenses under existing statutes can have their charges dismissed if they participate in drug treatment programs or undergo court supervision. But under the district attorney’s program, felony drug defendants can go free after arraignment if they agree to provide a DNA sample, without completing any drug treatment or supervision. Some judges and defense attorneys worry that the program—dubbed “spit and acquit” by its critics—could lead to abuses of power, undermine the privacy rights of defendants and affect public safety.» —“SoCal DA’s program trades freedom for DNA” in Santa Ana, California Associated Press Apr. 15, 2009. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
One of the most powerful words you’ll ever hear — and one of the most poignant — isn’t in dictionaries yet. But it probably will be one day. The word is endling, and it means “the last surviving member of a species.” The...
Unwrap the name of a candy bar, and you just might find a story inside. For instance, one chewy treat found in many a checkout lane is named after a family’s beloved horse. And: 50 years ago in the United States, some Latino elementary...