3.10 Defendant's Silence in the Face of Accusation is a legal concept that states that if a defendant is silent in response to an accusation or charge brought against them, that silence cannot be used as evidence of guilt. This principle applies in criminal proceedings, where a defendant has the right to remain silent and cannot be compelled to testify against themselves. This legal principle is based on the Fifth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which protects individuals from being forced to be a witness against themselves in a criminal trial. There are two types of Defendant's Silence in the Face of Accusation: rearrest silence and post-arrest silence. The Rearrest silence is when a defendant remains silent prior to being arrested and charged with a crime, while post-arrest silence is when a defendant remains silent after being arrested and charged with a crime. In both cases, the defendant's silence cannot be used as evidence of guilt.