In a criminal case, the state, through a prosecutor, initiates the suit, while in a civil case the victim brings the suit. Persons convicted of a crime may be incarcerated, fined, or both. Criminal defense attorneys represent clients who have been accused of committing a crime, and defend their rights at each stage of a misdemeanor or felony case -- from an arrest to an appeal after conviction. Criminal defense attorneys may be hired privately or provided by the government (called "public defenders").
Cold Spring is a city in Stearns County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 2,975 at the 2000 census. It is part of the St. Cloud Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city was thrust in the national spotlight on September 24, 2003 when then 15-year-old Jason McLaughlin shot and killed two classmates in the Rocori High School shooting.