What does accessory to the fact mean?

Definition. An accessory-after-the-fact is someone who assists 1) someone who has committed a crime, 2) after the person has committed the crime, 3) with knowledge that the person committed the crime, and 4) with the intent to help the person avoid arrest or punishment.Click to see full answer. Also to know is, what is the difference between accessory before the fact and accessory after the fact?An accessory before the fact is defined as someone who “counsels, hires or otherwise procures a felony to be committed.” An accessory after the fact is defines as someone who, after the commission of the felony, “harbors, conceals, maintains, or assists the principal felon.” As the names of the crimes suggest, one isAlso Know, what does the charge accessory after the fact mean? An accessory after the fact is a person who assists another in escaping or evading arrest after the commission of a crime has taken place. While not part of the original crime, the accessory after the fact may also face criminal charges if they help the other defendants get away. One may also ask, what makes someone an accessory to a crime? An accessory to a crime is a person who participates knowingly and voluntarily in the commission of a crime. An accessory can be categorized as before or after the fact (the commission of the crime). They need not be actually present at the scene of the crime in order to be held liable.What are the essential elements of being an accessory after the fact?There are four main parts of being an accessory after the fact. This includes: commission of a felony, knowledge of felony, knowledge of felon’s identity and giving false information.